Cost of medical

[Todge]

Hello guys,
Anybody know roughly how much a Class2 renewal costs? Pointless getting class one as i wont be doing commercial before it needs renewing.
Many thanks in advance.

[Flap40]

I don't know what the cost is as my company pays for mine but two points for you to ponder.

Firstly, if you are intending to go commercial then it would make sense to find out now if you can pass the Class one rather than to get bad news later when you have spent hard earned cash that might be wasted.

Secondly. A Class one medical is also valid as a class two for the class two duration so no real extra expense if my first point applies.

[MarcJF]

I renewed a Class 2 earlier this year, £130 for cash. I'm sure this is not the cheapest around but it was thorough. No ECG this time which will put the cost up if required.

[davidatter708]

Dunno if this helps but a month ago first time class 2 with ecg £120 (ecg£15)
David

[Whirlygig]

Class 1 renewals will be about the same cost; it's the initial medical at Gatwick that's pricey - around £350. However, once you have that, you do not need to renew it under the Class 1 rules if you have no commercial licence since a lapsed Class 1 becomes a Class 2; therefore when you need to, you can just renew your Class 1 when you get to the commercial stage.

I would recommend that you check whether you can get a Class 1 first; it's better to do it when you're younger as the renewal criteria are not so stringent.

Cheers

Whirls

[IO540]

This is an excellent point, Whirlygig.

Anybody who might have the slightest possibility of even thinking of one day of possibly doing an IR, never mind wanting to do any commercial flying, should get the Class 1 initially and to hell with the £350.

Then, as well as anything else with different initial/renewal limits, you sort out the stupid and pointless JAA audiogram requirement - something which stops many perfectly healthy and IFR-capable private pilots ever doing the JAA IR. The initial limits are fairly tight and only the heaviest of night clubbers will normally fail them when young, but the renewal limits are very lax - have to be otherwise most ageing jet transport pilots would fail them

Aviation is a funny business, and these grandfather privileges can be priceless.

[Genghis the Engineer]

But, if somebody has an initial class 1 (so knows that they CAN pass it) but has no plans to do commercial flying for a few years, there's no particularly good reason to maintain a class 1 surely? Fly privately on a class 2, then do a further class 1 renewal when you need it.

I'm sort of in this position, since I don't currently do any flying that needs it. But, since on the other hand I can reclaim it from my medical insurance, and anyhow I quite like having a competent quack trying hard (and so-far, failing) to find something wrong with me annually, I stick with a class 1 anyhow.

Useful hint - if you join something like HSA (which I have, Hospital Savings Association), you can claim your CAA medical costs back from them since it's classed as an occupational medical (even if it's a class 2 and you've no intention of ever going commercial).

G

[Todge]

Thanks for all your help.

The reason i was renewing class two was the cost. i didnt see the point of doing class one when it will need renewing before i go commercial. ive got 97 hours and the plan at the moment is simply hour building.

So to keep initial costs down and direct more funds to renting the aircraft i was just going to do the class 2. surely this makes sense? i do realise the advantage of finding out early if i can get a class one but ive passed my atpls so ive blown that one. ive already spent a fortune.

To be fair, the doc who gave me my class 2 origanally said i would have no worries with class one, im fit and dont smoke or have a drink problem so im pinning my hopes on chance.

But the funds are much better spent keeping me airborne at the moment. i think. anyone see anything im missing?