EK Medical Renewal

[JAYTO]

Excuse the stupid question,

I have a medical due the same month I am on Reserve.
What is the procedure for this. Do I book a medical then advise the FDM that I am unavailable for that time or do I follow another procedure?

Thanks

J

[BobDole]

I believe you can renew up to 45 days prior. Same thing happened to me this year and I just had the medical done the last week of the month before reserve. I figure it is less hassle.

[CanadaKid]

Booking early is the best advice, however if it's too late for that ...

Book an early date for your medical, and then email the FDM with your details. Approaching your medical date, the FDM should (!) be able to arrange a duty that will allow you to attend your medical.

Cheers, CK

[PGA]

Ignore Muttley,

Book it, ring crewing and ask them to put a note on the system and then email the FDM and cc crewing and fleet super intendant, worked just fine for me last year. I did follow it up with a call to crewing 3 days before to remind them, but got the day before and the day itself xx. And no, that wasn't because I needed legal days off, I did only 2 trips my whole rsv month.

[BigGeordie]

I always take a copy of the appropriate CAAP with me (you can download it from the GCAA website) so if I get any rubbish like that I can politely ask the doctor to show me where such tests are required.

I very much take the approach that I'm there for a medical renewal and that is all. Anything outside of that I will get checked out somewhere where my employer doesn't have access to the results, if at all possible. Some doctors are better than others in that regard, some can't seem to get it into their heads that they are not my GP.

[Desdihold]

Speaking of medicals is there a GCAA requirement to have your cholesterol checked?
The last doctor said there was and that it could be done after the medical cert was issued.

Don't get me wrong I think having you cholesterol checked is a good idea but I don't see the need for my employer to have more information than they need.
I would prefer to have it done with my own doctor on my next leave.

Does anyone have any insight?

[777boyindubai]

Geordie, where did you get your Medical Degree????? :ugh:
I haven't seen too many of the clinic boys trying to to bring a manual into the cockpit to tell us what to do.
They are understaffed, overworked and paid pennies. I somehow don't think they are trying to screw us. One senior AME was just poached by the unmentionable.
They follow the GCAA regs. For what it is worth, they don't necessarily agree with them. They just implement them.

[Al Murdoch]

777Boy - don't forget that pilots usually have at least 3 secondary areas of expertise. Airline management is usually one of them.

[Kapitanleutnant]

777boy….

Have flown with several colleagues who've told me their GCAA/EK doctors denied them medicals for such things as: Having a BMI over 25!! Yep, the pilot stated it was 30 but to no avail and he was denied his certificate. The pilot finally went to a medical supervisor doctor who finally got it cleared up and reinstated the medical. No excuse for not knowing the rules!

If you ask several doctors at the EK clinic the same question, you will get more than one answer.

I had a situation myself saying that a test was required to be completed for the medical. I researched it in the GCAA regs and it said, "should", not shall, will or must. That's simply not right.

I've heard more and more stories of things like this at the clinic. Yes, they are overworked as we are, but as we are required to know our rules, so are they!

I know a few doctors who I trust at EK as much as ones back in my home country…. but only a small percentage!!

K

[nakbin330]

Kap ... your buddy would have more than a BMI issue if he lost his cert. My BMI has been >30 since I've been here and apart from the quarterly check up, there has been no issue.