Restricted by Medical

[Side Slip]

Hello all, I'm afraid its me and my hearing, one more time!
Really need to ask this as i'm not sure what to do.

I have been reading up on medical requirements for Becoming an instructor. As some of you know I am partly deaf in one ear though fine in the other, but cannot get a class 1 (JAA).

It appears that I can become a PPL instructor using my current PPL and Class 2 Medical, but obviously not get paid.
If I wanted to get paid (Ie job etc) I would need the class 1, which the CAA won't let me have because of my hearing and therefore I guess, flight safety concerns. But How come, if they are happy for me to do instruction with my PPL???????

I am concerned that if I raise this offically I could lose my PPL. Disaster!!

As strange as it sounds, does anyone out there agree with me that the rules allow this? or am I reading them wrongly??

Do you think my humble PPL is at risk if I raise this question??

Help!! Please!!



:confused:

[long final]

. Hi Side Slip,

IMO I don't think that your PPL would be at risk. The CAA themselves are bound by criteria that they don't always agree with, one big happy family now and all that.

Hearing is not just the only area with similar problems, its just I think it would be hard to get the CAA or JAA to claim you to be unsafe. The legal stand then (and this is something I have often wondered) could be interesting, especially if they allow other ICAO pilots with a lower level fly over our heads daily.

It has taken me over 12 months to get my Class1, and in aviation at 32 that’s a long time!, yet US pilots fly overhead with much worse eyesight than mine?!? I believe the US class1 hearing standards are lower than the current JAA's also.

I would initially push the route you are looking into, if that pays off, you would be in a much better position to argue the case.

Sorry its not really helpful, but perseverance can sometimes overcome. It would be interesting to hear from a legal type regarding Human Rights and Discrimination.

Best Regards,

LF

[Side Slip]

Thanks for that LF.

I appreciate any advice in these matters. Certainly the FAA route is something I will be looking at, but as you say, perseverance is the tactic I need employ at this time. Naturally, if I can ever get somewhere with the authorities, I need to be happy that i'll have a fairly secure "medical future" with regard to hearing.

Thanks again

Side Slip.