aviationadvertiser
12th May 2016, 23:44
9th May 2016
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced today that medical requirements for some private pilots are to change in line with our top level principles for GA regulation. These changes do not apply to pilots with commercial licences or those displaying at airshows who will still need to be approved as fit to fly by a specialist aviation medical examiner.
The move will lead to both cost and time savings for pilots and, in most cases, remove the need for General Practitioner (GP) or Authorised Medical Examiner involvement in the process. The change follows a public consultation, in which 96 percent of those responding agreed with the proposal.
Once the change takes place later this year the medical requirement for UK private pilot licence and national private pilot licence holders will be to meet the same standard as that required to hold a DVLA Group 1 Ordinary Driving Licence (ODL). Existing medical options (for example a UK declaration with GP counter signature) will remain available. The same options will also be available for private balloon pilots.
To take advantage of the change, pilots will need to complete a form on the CAA website to declare that they meet the DVLA medical standard. Pilots under 70 will need to do this once while pilots over 70 must confirm their declaration every three years.
The changes are subject to the enactment of the proposed Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO) which is planned to come into effect in late summer 2016. The proposed ANO legislation will contain these changes and other significant amendments for GA.
Currently pilots with a NPPL licence are required to comply with DVLA group 1 or 2 standards and have their self-declaration of fitness countersigned by their GP. Holders of a UK PPL currently need an EU class 2 medical or the NPPL medical requirements if they only use the privileges of an NPPL licence.
The change is supported by a study of the risks associated with GA flying, together with a review of the causes of light aircraft accidents and the likelihood of these being triggered by a pilot being medically incapacitated. The risk to third parties has been considered and the regulatory approach taken by the Federal Aviation Administration in the USA, which mirrors the UK proposal, was also reviewed.
Today's announcement is in line with the CAA's top level principles for GA regulation:
Only regulate directly when necessary and do so proportionately
Deregulate where we can
Delegate where appropriate
Do not gold-plate, and quickly and efficiently remove gold-plating that already exists
Help create a vibrant and dynamic GA sector in the UK.
The consultation response document can be seen at www.caa.co.uk/cap1397 (http://www.caa.co.uk/cap1397).
More detail on the CAA's GA activities and the work of the GA Unit are available at www.caa.co.uk/ga (http://www.caa.co.uk/ga).
For further media information please contact the CAA press office on 020 7453 6030.
Notes to editors
Currently, UK PPL holders are able to fly EASA aircraft using the privileges of a LAPL. This is anticipated to change in 2018, at which point the benefits of this change in medical requirements will decrease for those pilots. However, we aim to influence EASA in considering reviewing the medical requirements for EASA Private Pilot licence holders flying EASA aircraft.
Driving licences have to be renewed every three years after the age of 70 and, apart from an eye test, only require self-declaration.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced today that medical requirements for some private pilots are to change in line with our top level principles for GA regulation. These changes do not apply to pilots with commercial licences or those displaying at airshows who will still need to be approved as fit to fly by a specialist aviation medical examiner.
The move will lead to both cost and time savings for pilots and, in most cases, remove the need for General Practitioner (GP) or Authorised Medical Examiner involvement in the process. The change follows a public consultation, in which 96 percent of those responding agreed with the proposal.
Once the change takes place later this year the medical requirement for UK private pilot licence and national private pilot licence holders will be to meet the same standard as that required to hold a DVLA Group 1 Ordinary Driving Licence (ODL). Existing medical options (for example a UK declaration with GP counter signature) will remain available. The same options will also be available for private balloon pilots.
To take advantage of the change, pilots will need to complete a form on the CAA website to declare that they meet the DVLA medical standard. Pilots under 70 will need to do this once while pilots over 70 must confirm their declaration every three years.
The changes are subject to the enactment of the proposed Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO) which is planned to come into effect in late summer 2016. The proposed ANO legislation will contain these changes and other significant amendments for GA.
Currently pilots with a NPPL licence are required to comply with DVLA group 1 or 2 standards and have their self-declaration of fitness countersigned by their GP. Holders of a UK PPL currently need an EU class 2 medical or the NPPL medical requirements if they only use the privileges of an NPPL licence.
The change is supported by a study of the risks associated with GA flying, together with a review of the causes of light aircraft accidents and the likelihood of these being triggered by a pilot being medically incapacitated. The risk to third parties has been considered and the regulatory approach taken by the Federal Aviation Administration in the USA, which mirrors the UK proposal, was also reviewed.
Today's announcement is in line with the CAA's top level principles for GA regulation:
Only regulate directly when necessary and do so proportionately
Deregulate where we can
Delegate where appropriate
Do not gold-plate, and quickly and efficiently remove gold-plating that already exists
Help create a vibrant and dynamic GA sector in the UK.
The consultation response document can be seen at www.caa.co.uk/cap1397 (http://www.caa.co.uk/cap1397).
More detail on the CAA's GA activities and the work of the GA Unit are available at www.caa.co.uk/ga (http://www.caa.co.uk/ga).
For further media information please contact the CAA press office on 020 7453 6030.
Notes to editors
Currently, UK PPL holders are able to fly EASA aircraft using the privileges of a LAPL. This is anticipated to change in 2018, at which point the benefits of this change in medical requirements will decrease for those pilots. However, we aim to influence EASA in considering reviewing the medical requirements for EASA Private Pilot licence holders flying EASA aircraft.
Driving licences have to be renewed every three years after the age of 70 and, apart from an eye test, only require self-declaration.