Medicals at the time of DGCA conversion

[egghead-genius]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum so dont know if this is the appropriate place to ask.

Please bear with me it is not and advise me nonetheless.


Ok-

So I had submitted my FAA license for DGCA conversion six months ago.
The file is being processed right now.

Few of my friends had submitted Class two and Class three medicals for the conversion and got their licenses- Some were asked to renew it for class one and some were issued the CPL as it is. I dont know if they achieved this by themselves or with the help of agents.

Anyways, long story short, I too submitted the FAA medicals- class three (dont know what I was thinking) and now the DGCA has sent me an objection letter asking for a First Class FAA medical. This has been signed by V P Singh.

They want me to show a valid medical on the date of submission and not a renewal.

Else want me to make a new application on a fresh date according to Aircraft Rules 1937, Schedule II, Series 'J' & 'O' which means recency and expenses i dont have budget for.


Dont know how my friends managed to get their licenses from a similar situation.

However, I read through the above mentioned rules and they specify the requirement for DGCA Medicals and not for any foreign medicals as in my case. So it shouldbe fine if I just renew the FAA medicals, right?

Moreover, the DGCA is asking for a First Class medical while even the FAA issues a CPL with a Class Two.

Kindly provide me with your interpretation for these rules.

AIRCRAFT RULE, 1937 (http://dgca.nic.in/rules/1937-ind.htm)

AIRCRAFT RULE, 1937 (http://dgca.nic.in/rules/1937-ind.htm)

39B (http://dgca.nic.in/airrule/rule39b.htm)


Again, I know it wasnt wise to submit that class three FAA medical and am pulling my hair for such a careless mistake.

But then again, what do you make of those rules mentioned above? I think it should be fine to submit a FAA renewal. The rules are just for the DGCA medicals which were valid all the time.

Kindly advise me.

[Challenger05]

Well I have to say that carelessness is really going to give you a lot of grief.

Now coming to the point, its no use interpreting the rules. Our interpretation counts for nothing when it comes to the rules. Its their interpretation. And far more worrying for you their NOTES WRITTEN IN YOUR FILE NOW UNDER DEFICIENCIES. From here on they will simply be looking at your paperwork to see if the deficiencies have been rectified.

If you see the flowchart for conversion which I suspect you did not use as a check-list, you will see point 2 clearly mentions you need to send in a Class 1 medical from state of issue which is FAA Class 1 medical.

Now I am sure you had gotten a FAA Class 1 medical when you went for your training. The whole point is that was your medical a Class 1 through out during your training and on the date you submitted your application to DGCA? If the answer to either of that is a NO then you have to go and do your recency and make sure your medical BEFORE you start your training is a Class 1.

If that had been current when you had gone for your training and later on never renewed it and it lapsed to a Class 2/3 medical you can take that case to the Director DTL and explain your case that you had a valid class 1 medical during training and subsequent to your submission of papers it lapsed. He is a fair man and helps genuine cases. :)


DGCA never has and I dont think ever will give a CPL on Class 2 as the FAA.
As far as your friends etc go people BullS**t all the time. They got it doesnt mean you are going to get yours. unless of course there is a loophole that was exploited in which case you should check with them.

Feel for you man. Just read the fine print carefully from now on..

Good Luck :ok:

[issues]

FAA issues a CPL even if you have class 3 medical. Only to exercise the privileges of a commercial pilot you need a class 2.

[sierra_november]

Renew your FAA Class I and then try your luck with DGCA. I have seen many guys submit their application again after correcting the deficiencies in their application, without going back for recency.

[flyboy333]

So guys, quick question, suppose when I applied for my conversion, my DGCA medical was valid but is now going to be invalid in a month (due to me taking a long time in reapplying after objection), does that mean I'm safe and only need to worry about renewing my DGCA class 1 after my license has been issued?

Thanks!

[Dushrox]

I remember having a conversation on the similar lines with him, he gave a weird clarification "The DGCA doesnt care about the foreign rules, in order for the DGCA to convert the foreign licences, it looks for it own equivalence."

Meaning- if u have a FAA CPL issued on a FAA Class 2 and you are trying to get an Indian CPL, u need Indian Class 1 and also a FAA Class 1

Its NOT a rule but this is an interpretation of a rule by VP Singh. Technically hes always correct which is a really sad part . Basically u can`t argue with him.

At this point of time the only thing you can reply to him through a letter specifically addressed to him is the fact that you hold an Indian Class 1 at the time of submission and that there is no requirement of FAA Class 1 for a FAA CPL... in fact attach an official checklist of requirements for the FAA CPL which you qualified for and again make the similar checklist for the Indian one.

Good Luck