Class One Medical (Initial or Renewal)

[anchorhold]

He is the scenario. A pilot who has held a class one medical for over twenty years and holds a UK ATPL. His class one has expired from between five and seven years, as he took a break from flying.

He is told he needs to do an an initial class one, he lives near Glasgow. Apparently the CAA website stated that NATS at Bournmouth or Preswick can do intial cless ones for pilots, the latter being more convenient. Contacts NATS at both bases, both have stopped doing vlassone medicals!

Next though is fly to Gatwick, apparently the CAA there have stopped doing class one medicals, he emails the CAA chief medical examiner, no reply. He contacts the chief medical examiner for the IAA in Dublin, as Dublin is not far away. The AME in Dublin suggest it is probably best to take the intial class one in the UK.

He then finds three medical practises that do initial in the London area.

Has he got his facts correct?
Are ther really no class one centres outside the London area?
Is this a scheme to give ex CAA medical examiners a monolopy?

[Phororhacos]

Are the facts right? Yes and no. He doesn't need an initial class 1 , he needs a lapsed extended renewal Class 1, but yes, this has to be done in an Aeromedical Centre, and yes, at the time of posting they are all near London. https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Pilot-licences/Applications/Medical/Apply-for-a-Class-1-medical-certificate/

As far as I know NATS at Swanwick are only offering initial EU class 3 medicals for ATCOs and not offering initial Class 1s for Pilots.

There is nothing to stop an AME "up North" setting up an Aeromedical Centre, but the investment in equipment and staff is large, and they would need to be sure of enough business to make it worthwhile.

[Radgirl]

Phororhacos, I would be interested to know what all the additional equipment and staff consists of above that needed by an AME who merely does renewals. As someone who has been to these centres, I failed to see any evidence of financial investment.

We were told the CAA had closed its own centre as a cost cutting exercise, and I can understand it wanted to tread warily in passing responsibility to others, but several years have now passed and we continue to get posts about pilots being let down and forced to travel ridiculous distances. Perhaps the CAA would like to explain why other AMEs cant be approved. It might even bring the cost down, but that is another can of worms.