VNO and (seperatly) medicals...

[tom775257]

A couple of unlinked questions, one possibly should be in the medical forum..the other shouldn't.
I basically need to get a medical for PPL flying...however my instructor advices I should consider going for a class 1 medical down at gatwick, because I hope to continue to commercial flying eventually. My one reason I do not go for this is: I used to be nice a fit at school, sadly after spending a year as a PC techy, then another year at uni, my fitness has slipped somewhat, although I am still generally healthy. So, do I get the class 3, get nice a fit, then do the class 1; or assume that I will be healthy enough and go for class 1?? I guess getting the class 1 would help me with a few life decisions also..
Second question:
I was in a lesson the other day when the instructor grabbed the conrols and banked the aircraft heavily to the left, and got us into a dive to avoid another aircraft (we both didn't see it until last minute, flying straight and level)...any how I watched the airspeed carry on past VNO, and just before we hit VNE the instructor pulled up, with following what felt like fairly harsh G forces.
I assume this was probably fairly harsh on the aircraft (a warrior II). If VNO is max cruising, would you ever manouvre abruptly past VNO?? We wouldn't have hit the other aircraft if we had carried on straight, just come close :eek: However I think the instructor did a nice job of it.
Cheers for any opinions!
Tom. :)

[redsnail]

The Class one doesn't depend on your state of fitness per se, just your health. There is a difference. If you are withing normal limits of weight, blood pressure and so on for your height and age then you should have no problem. If you can afford it and you are thinking about doing a CPL later, I would do the Class one. If there is any latent problems, it is better to find out now than after you have spent a lot of money.
About your second query. I gather you are still learning, there fore, what may appear to be quite harsh is in fact ok for the aircraft. You can go past Vno however, the inputs must be smooth and controlled and or no turbulence. So long as Vne wasn't exceeded then the Cherokee should be ok. If in doubt, get a maintenance engineer to look at the aeroplane. If there is rippling on the skin of the wings then the structure has definitely been overstressed. Since I wasn't there I can't say if the instructor was out of order. I guess if any thing, it will show you that a vigilant lookout is vital.