Surgery & my licence

[dwshimoda]

OK,

Just got back from seeing a specialist and I may need an operation on my ankle that requires an overnight stay in hospital, general anaesthetic, 2 weeks on crutches and then 6 -8 weeks rehabilitation!

Obviously I'm not over the moon about this, but I also want to know what effect it will have on mlicence validity.

Do I have to inform the CAA, or do I just be sensible and wait until I can walk again properly, which will be at least 4 weeks after the op?

I know I studied this for my PPL, but can't remember the exact ins and outs!

Thanks

DW

[Hour Builder]

Think anything that lasts longer then 21 days then they need to know.

And even if I have totally just made that up, I am pretty sure in your case you will have to inform the medical dept at the CAA about that.

[Whirlygig]

Yes you need to inform them immediately you have a date for the ops. As far as I can remember off the top of my head, the 21 days is for illness, not surgery.

I am pretty sure that you will need to be checked out by your AME when you feel you are fit to fly as your licence gets suspended.

However, even if you can't remember your Air Law from PPL, you should at least know where to look it up on the CAA's website and you should have their phone number. If in any doubt, call them 01293 573700 and go through their menu system for the medical division. They are very helpful there.

Cheers

Whirls

[got caught]

Sound advice whirly. As a rule of thumb, and excepting the statutory regs, you shouldn't fly (or drive) until you can stamp your foot on the floor.

[Piltdown Man]

Tell your AME. He will tell you want to do and how to go about re-instating your PPL priviledges once you have mended. The greatest threat to your licence is not telling anyone!

[dwshimoda]

Thanks all for the replies!

Just spoke to the CAA, they say they'll send me a "temporarily unfit" letter, which suspends the licence, but then it's up to me to determine when I'm fit again - a bit like self-certification really.

Seems very simple, and the lady at the CAA was very helpful!

Just got to hope I don't need to go ahead with the op now...

[waldopepper42]

Just in case you needed a little cheering up. A few years ago I had to have an arthrectomy operation to remove some unwanted bone in my ankle (due to a car accident 20 years earlier. Not, I repeat, NOT due to old age as is usually the reason for this op!).

I duly informed the CAA and received my temporarily unfit to fly letter, just as you said. I expected a long and protracted process to regain my authorisation to fly.

As soon as the stitches were out I visited my AME (still hobbling a bit but basically everything worked), who filled in the paperwork.

I was pleasantly surprised when, WITHIN A WEEK, I received my authorisation to resume flying from the CAA!!!

Good luck and get well soon!

WP.

[aiglon]

I had my medical temporarily suspended a few years ago after I broke my ankle. Like Waldopepper42, I found the process of getting it reinstated remarkably straightforward. When I felt fit again, I made an appointment to see my AME. He asked me if I had started driving again, whether I had any problems driving (it was my left ankle) and then asked whether I thought I was fit to fly. His view was that if I could operate the clutch in my car without any problems, I could push the rudder bar/brake. Then, almost as an afterthought, he decided he had better examine my ankle!

When he was done, he telephoned the CAA and reported that I was fit to fly; they advised then and there that my suspension was lifted.

After all that, he refused to charge me, saying I had not been there long enough to justify it Sad thing is, this guy will be forced to retire as an AME soon

Aiglon

[foghorn]

I had my medical suspended after surgery a few years ago. To reinstate it, all that the CAA needed was a letter from my specialist that I had recovered and was free from post-operative pain. I was medical-less for about a month in total.