EASA initial recommendations
 

Hello,

My son needs to get his EASA 1 class medical before starting with ground school.He has an FAA license and we live in the US, so he is open to any EASA country. Any recommendations for a place to go to and get EASA 1 class medical? Which country seems to have the fastest and also pilot friendly medicals? Thanks

Does he have the right to live and work in the EU?

He does.

Phew! In theory all EASA authorities should apply the same standards. Historically, Germany has sometimes been problematical with medical confidentiality if you need to move on at some time in the future (reluctance to pass info on). From my own experience some years ago, I found it helpful to work with an Anglophone country, hence RoI. I have no insight into acquiring EASA licence on the basis of FAA, I'm afraid.

Hth

Edited to add that I believe that the authority issuing the licence should also be where the initial medical is issued, so he'd be choosing a NAA for any ground exams/flying training/skills test as well as just an initial. Disclaimer - this is based on my own experience gaining a licence on SOLI UK to RoI, regaining a UK national licence and assisting other nationalities with changing licences. You should certainly do your own research on this!

Good luck

Malta is considered one of the easiest and quickest to deal with. Smart, young practical people man the desks. Stay away from Germany, Ireland and anything Scandinavian and Baltic.

Its a bit of a trek but Iceland being so small is extremely easy to deal with.

Steer clear of German bureaucrats!
 

The most important thing in this regard is to avoid having anything to do with any German authority, at all cost!
German bureaucrats are a nightmare offspring of the German attitude that no one may break ranks with the general mediocracy and if you are a pilot you are per se showing that you think that you are “something better”. Someone they are all too eager to make life difficult for.

You do NOT have to do the initial medical in the same country as where you want to earn your licence. You can have the medical file transferred to the licensing authority after having gained the initial medical, if you do the medical before applying for the licence.