CAA/JAA Aviation Medical & related issues

[lekp]

You don't need to be a Superman to pass Class 1 medical.
Eyesight and hearing are often the most critical examiniations.

On the CAA website(under medical) you can find the exact JAA requirements.

[boogie-nicey]

There were numerous charts relating to weight and height in both the weighing and doctor's room. But then again as long as you're not too heavy you should be okay, though I saw a variety of builds and physiques on the day and they were all getting through. Best advice is to take a peek at the CAA medical standards posted on the web and phone them with any questions, they're very helpful in that regard.

[AlphaMale]

www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=49&pagetype=90&pageid=2188

Might of interest to you.

[Muntari]

Physical Training

I'm interested in starting my aviation training soon, and would like to know whether a lot of physical training is involved either during flight school or when you join an airline. At first, I thought you required to complete your pilots licence and a class one medical but other people have told me you need to do some physical training, i.e. fitness tests, swimming and inflating dinghies and carrying people into boats and stuff.

I would appreciate it if a qualified pilot could tell me if all this additional stuff is involved for pilots or is it just for other members of cabin crew. If pilots do need to do this sort of training as well, would it improve my chances of getting a job if I go to the gym and do some fitness training to get fitter?

Thanks in Advance.

[Re-Heat]

No bearing on a job so long as you are healthy and pass the Class 1, but on the other hand, no excuse for not going down to the gym immediately!

[Vee One...Rotate]

Physical traiining won't be part of your professional flight training course. As has been said, you'll simply be responsible for being able to pass a Class I each year.

When you start with an airline, you'll do some evacuation/emergency/survival training which will probably involve ditching/smoke in the cabin scenarios etc.

I can't see any massive advantage in doing extra training for this kind of thing - the tasks are doable by all pilots and cabin crew so you won't have to be a star athlete.

Improving your health and fitness is great - just don't expect it to have any bearing on job prospects or desirability! By the time you're doing the above training, you'll have signed the contract anyway.

V1R

[Muntari]

Thanks for your responses, I guess a lot of the hard work is left to other members of cabin crew and we've got the most important one, flying the plane.

[scroggs]

Muntari, firstly don't count yourself part of the professional pilot community yet - you've a very long way to go. The most important job on an airliner varies with the circumstances - it may very well be the defibrillator-trained member of cabin crew who is attempting to revive the victim of a heart attack, or those whose job it is to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a crash-landing. When you finally reach the dizzy heights of brand-new second officer, you will need to examine your tea or coffee carefully if you 'dis' your cabin crew....!

As for fitness, the only test you may undergo is a swimming test fully clothed. Not many airlines still do this, but some do.

Scroggs

[EIPCW]

Class 1 medical

I have recently done my class 1 medical in the Mater Ireland. I'm having trouble with the audiogram test, i'm currently 5dB outside limits on 500Hz an 3000Hz. IAA rules state that you need to be within 20dB on 500Hz 1000Hz and 2000Hz. Then 35dB on 5000Hz. They tell me that there are ammendments to be put in place which will make it similar to CAA rules where you can be within 35dB on 500hz, 1000Hz and 2000Hz. 50dB on 3000Hz. Anybody any idea when ammendments are to be put in place? Or any advice would be welcome

[afterburner2]

Medical Validity

I completed my JAA class 1 medical in Jan this year, and I am going to Florida in a week to complete all my training which should take 1 year. Does anyone know if I can get my medical re-validated over there, or if I would have to return to the UK to get it done?

[dfspilot]

10275
Dr M S Rubin
International Eye Associates
550 Memorial Circle
Ormond Beach
FLORIDA
United States
32174
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]
Approved by FAA AND CAA
-5hrs GMT
this gentleman done mine last august while i was in florida training. or you can go to the caa website and look under medical and then : find an AME. hope this helps and good luck with your training.

[afterburner2]

Thanks a lot for that. I never thought to go onto the CAA website. I'll give Dr Rubin a call though.

[garywoodrow]

JAR Class 1 Medical

Hi, i was just wondering if being overweight will cause a person to fail this exam as i could do with losing a few pounds lol. I don't have any other reasons to why i would fail and would like to get this exam out of the way . Thanks.

Right now im 5"10 and weigh 230lbs.

Regards,
Gary

[Whirlygig]

You need to convert your weight and height into new money and calculate your BMI being weight in kgs divided by height in metres squared.

Anything more than 33-35 and your AME may baulk at it but I don't think there's anything set in stone.

Feeling generous this evening, I've worked it out for you at 33. Possibly borderline. Before you spend your hundreds of well earned dosh on the Class 1, you might want to have a chat with a medical person at Gatwick. Then, if they say it's a no-no, you have the opportunity to lose some weight.

Cheers

Whirls

[garywoodrow]

thanks for the reply, i think ill just lose some more weight and then go for it, shameful to admit i was 250lbs 3weeks ago and dont seem to be doing bad losing it, it cant be good for my health anyway.

[weis]

Smoking and Class 1 medical

Folks, without starting a thread on the dangers of smoking, just wondering how seriously they take smoking at the CAA during the medical, any smoking pilots out there? I'm sure they're likely to know, just wondering how much of a problem (if any) this would cause as far is being issued a Class 1 is concerned. Also, i just had my eye test, am astigmatic and need spectacles. Is there a regulation regarding how long one has between the eye test and attending a full medical or do they conduct their own eye test as well?

Thanks

[bjkeates]

I'm not sure about the smoking bit, but as far as the eye test goes they do conduct a very thorough one at the initial Class I medical. Details of limitations on eyesight can be found on the CAA website; you will also need to take your current prescription with you to the medical as far as I can remember.

I don't wear glasses but I had an eye test at my local opticians before my initial Class I last year and took with me the information off the CAA website; when discussing the results, I showed the optician the CAA info and she said "yeah, you're within them, no problem". Then, when I went for the Class I, the optician told me that I was right on the borderline of needing/not needing glasses. The test with him was a lot more thorough.

[badboy raggamuffin]

I am a smoker, also with quite bad short sight with a bit of an astigmatism.
Re the eyesight, I need to wear glasses or contact lenses at all times. My prescription is actually over the initial CAA class one limit by 0.5 diopters in both eyes, however within the renewal limits. They gave me a medical through a special dispensation called a "deviation". A great relief I can tell u. The fact that you dont need glasses all the time means for sure youll be fine. They conduct a very thorough eye test as well, and in my case recommended that I needed stronger glasses.

Regarding the smoking, I told them I was a smoker, which they recorded. However, this did not matter, as my blood pressure, lung capacity and haemoglobin count were all very healthy. All they did was advise me to stop smoking as it might make things more difficult for me as I get older. (the end of my IR training is my designated stopping date incidenally!)
I reckon that as long as your not on 60 a day with lungs and a body wrecked through smoking u'll be fine. They base the medical on actual medical fitness at the present time. Plus there are plenty of pilots who smoke, sometimes quite heavily.

[hogespa28]

Why do your Class 1 Medical BEFORE you start!

Heres the story...

I've been flying as a for a number of years as a student pilot ( haha, dont ask why... ) but until recently wasnt thinking about a CPL

A few months decided it was time to get serious and go for it. I already had a class 2 medical that I could have continued using but at the last moment (Just before signing for my loan) I decided to do the Class 1 just in case...

I'm 23, male, fit and generally healthy...

Results came back and my cholesterol is off the scale!

Thankfully being young I can fix it and my medical will still get approved, however had I left it another year or two ( ie. until I finish training ) I may have not only be denied a medical but also be on a fast track to early heart disease before 30...

Simply had I not done this I may have had a huge outstanding loan, no job medical/job and a struggling heart.

Do the Class 1 medical before you spend any money! Not just to be sure you can get it to fly, but also so you can fix anything before it worsens...

Sure its tempting to save a few hundred early in the training when its not really required but its money well spent as I have found out...

[Cpt. Relax]

Couldn't agree more!