JAR FCL-PPL Medical
 

I'm aiming to start my PPL next year whilst doing aeronautical engineering (3 year course) and was wondering if i should go for a class 1 as i'm aiming to go beyond the PPL and aim for a ATPL through an intergrated course or is it better if i just settle for a class 2 at the moment and then upgrade to a class 1 when it is required?

Thanks. :)

Depends really. I went for a Class 2 initially, then upgraded to a Class 1 when I needed it. Then again, when I did my PPL I had no intention of going any further.

If your aim is to go pro, it could well be worth getting the Class 1 from the outset, then at least you know there's nothing to bite you when the time comes. That said, it's not the mountain some make it out to be. If you're in good health (which you should be at 16), and can see and hear properly you'll breeze through it. In your situation I'd be tempted to just get the Class 2, then upgrade as/when neccessary. It would certainly save you going to Gatwick, and probably knocking on a couple of hundred quid.

If you're 100% about going for the fATPL and have the current £317 to spare, plus travel arrangements/costs to Gatwick, then I'd say why not? As has been mentioned, at least then you know you're not going to be tripped up by not being fit enough to fly commercially. Or, don't, it's really not that much in the grand scale of things :)

Re: The Class 1 certificate, how do you know if your hearing is up to scratch? With the eyesight, you pretty much know if you're within the range specified. I'd assume that as a (presumably) healthy 22 year old male, I shouldn't have much to worry about on the hearing side of things, but then I have been to a few loud gigs that have left my ears ringing for a couple of days a few times. Makes you wonder!

I would go for the Class 1 initial straight away; you don't have to renew it and can let it lapse into a class 2. Then, when you are ready for commercial training, only a class 1 renewal is required.

There are time limits to this (5 years??) so I'd recommend you check when you're down at Gatwick.

Cheers

Whirls

Okay, thanks for the replies. Eyesight had been my biggest concern with wearing glasses and having a lazy eye in my early years of primary school but every year for the last 3 years i have asked my optician if my eyes comply with the class 1 and she said they do. In 1 of my eyes it's 5/6 and the other is 6/6 and together it's 6/6 but the overall focus is better than 6/6 so that's okay and my hearing is good just need to tone the volume of my iPod down!!! ;) On the fitness side of things i go to the gym reguarly and hang around with my mates playing football etc. Thanks once again guys!