Class 2 Medical Costs

[lesking]

What is the 'going rate' for Class 2 medicals these days?

Years ago, I took my medical examinations at the CAA establishment in Holborn, where it cost £15.

One year, the CAA went into 'outsourcing' mode and I saw the same physical Doctor at the local PPP Clinic at a cost of £85.

Since then, the cost has steadily crept-up though I was quite shocked to pay £290 the other day (including ECG).

I know that you can get these medicals for about £35 in France so this seems like a bit of a rip-off.

What are others paying?

[Johnm]

£140 including ecg and audio gram is about par for the course

[thing]

Mine's a straight £100. I have the ECG every two years and he used to charge £80 for a non ECG year and £120 for the ECG year. He decided to just make it £100 each year as it's easier for folk to remember.

[Shoestring Flyer]

£55 for Non-ECG medical and £75 for ECG medical is what I now pay.
Up until three years ago I was paying £115 for ECG medicals with a different AME.

[Maoraigh1]

How does the cost of becoming/remaining an AME under the CAA, compare with the French DGAC?

[TheOddOne]

It's not just the CAA fees it's the weeks of loss of earnings attending the courses that ramp up the costs. I'd be amazed if a new AME would even break even...

TOO

[thing]

I thought there were moves afoot to get shut of the Class 2 medical anyway? Can't remember if this has already been brought up on the forum.

[TheOddOne]

I thought there were moves afoot to get shut of the Class 2 medical anyway? Can't remember if this has already been brought up on the forum.

I think only for UK licences; you'll probably still need an ICAO-compliant medical for an ICAO licence, i.e. an EASA PPL.

TOO

[flybymike]

Oddly enough the original UK CAA PPL is ICAO compliant, (when it has a medical attached) however, only EASA licences are good enough for EASA aircraft in good old EASA land.

[mrmum]

Within driving distance of me, there are a number of AME's charging between £60 and £240 for a class 2 EASA medical, the one on my doorstep costs about £100.
Huge range, I generally tell people it's £100, with minimal travel, or a hour each way and save £40-£50, then leave it up to them.

[Flyingmac]

It's a one hour drive, but worth it. £45. ECG included.
He's also a pilot.

[Camargue]

the guy I use in London is 138.

[7of9]

£154.00 including ECG. For a class two I've just paid, on the receipt it had CAA fee included.
That's the most I have ever paid as I have had to change AME due to my last one retiring.

[KayKay]

I paid £195 including ECG last year and expect to pay the same when I go back to the same AME in a couple of weeks time. This is clearly towards the top end of costs I see in this thread. Having said, that he takes about an hour to do it and gives me a full check over..... way beyond what he has to do for a Class 2. He gives me health and lifestyle advice at the end of it. I consider I'm getting value for money. I've been going to the same guy for a few years now and he knows my body much better than my GP, who sees me for 10 minutes about once every two years, and it might be any doc in the GP Practice.


I used to go to another AME who charged the about the same but did it in 15 minutes and 10 minutes of that was the ECG. I now realise he must have been "winging it". I reckon if he saw me walking in to the room rather than crawling then he signed off a Class 2.

[Steve6443]

the guy I use in London is 138.

Wow, that's a ripe old age.... does he fancy sharing the secret of his longevity...:}

[maxred]

Done mine yesterday. 150.00, no ECG, this year. Surprised some are getting it done for as low as 45 quid.:confused:

[flybymike]

I reckon if he saw me walking in to the room rather than crawling then he signed off a Class 2.
Please advise name and address; I may need it.

[abgd]

It's not just the CAA fees it's the weeks of loss of earnings attending the courses that ramp up the costs. I'd be amazed if a new AME would even break even...

Not to mention the fact that you need to pay annual registration fees and have your premises inspected, and presumably pay medicolegal fees as well. You'd have to be doing dozens a year to make it financially viable, even after the training costs were amortised.

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/research/divisions/chaps/study/easaaviation/20140804-Short-Courses-in-Aviation-Medicine-Prospectus-2015.pdf

[First_Principal]

Downunder we pay about three times this amount for a medical (assuming £100 to be a middle of the road fee).

This is the numerical amount mind you, taking into account currency exchange rates it's much closer - but that's always a fraught comparison for many reasons.

On the whole if a thorough job is done, and that's what it genuinely costs, then fair enough. However what has caused a lot of angst here is that we also have to pay the CAA around the same amount, so the total cost for a medical is doubled, or a little more (~$700).

Consequently I'm interested to know if you also have to pay a fee to the (UK) CAA, or is that all covered in the fee you pay your AME?

FP

[Maoraigh1]

As a PPL I pay nothing to the CAA after paying the AME.

[jaycee46]

There's a CAA admin charge - £15 I think - included in the fee from the AME. If you are in the West of Scotland, the NATS centre at Prestwick has an aeromedical centre, which quite a lot of us have started using. It certainly undercuts the prices from the GP AME's, who are not too happy with the competition, but its still a good bit more expensive than some of the prices quoted on here. My last class 2 renewal was £165, without an ECG.