Taking un-necessary CAT scans is putting your life at risk. You should only get a CAT scan when it is necessary to confirm a serious illness, or when it is the only option available. Do the research yourself, a CAT scan is up to 500 times the radiation dose of a normal X Ray. MRI's are ok.

No job is worth having to put up with compulsory CAT scans.

The new tests that started a year ago are an MRI of the brain, and a ultrasound of the carotid artery. Not bad except they are administered, like everything in China, by an untrained kid who is related to somebody important. Probably zero training.

They can end your job. And have done it.

Why? Nobody cares. That is the answer to "why" in China.

A new twist in the Chinese medical saga. They now apparently are doing cross region medical evals. China is broken down into about 5 regions. Now the Beijing docs check the Shanghai region and the Guanzhou docs check Beijing and so on and so forth. Foreign Captains are now failing at a much higher rate than the past. On every medical it is usually 5% will fail here but now over 10% have not passed and many are doing ridiculous additional tests. For example one young Foreign Captain who had a slight abnormality on his EKG caused by their poor quality machine was forced to take a CT scan, echocardiogram and wear a 24 holter monitor EKG. Sometimes in China they will not actually even tell you that you have failed. You sit by awaiting further tests and then eventually somebody tells you after 1-2 months with no pay that it is not possible that you wil pass. Come here with a 3 year outlook and then leave and you might make it to the end of your contract if you are very lucky and you aren't terminated for altitude bust, QAR, copilot hard landings, ridiculous sim evaluations every 6 months or your medical. There are obstacles at every turn and Zero long term survivability here.

Don't factor in safety bonus or contract completion bonus into your total pay package, that way you will know what you can budget month to month.

Am looking into a position with a new start up biz jet operator in China who is in partnership with a well known bizjet operator from the USA (well known fractional operator).

Am still waiting facts on whether the planes are Chinese registered or not, not sure if even possible for them not to be.

If Chinese registered, what will be required for an EASA ATPL licence to do to get a Chinese one?

Sounds like the medicals are crazy, are they really doing MRI and CAT scans and blood tests every 6 or 12 months?

This doesn't sound very attractive!!!!

Info greatly appreciated.

My advice is don't bring it up or report it. If you report it then very low chances of passing with a very long drawn our process. If you avoid telling them it is doubtful they will discover it.

answer from a local agency in China
 

If your age is above 45,then every 6 month,on the contrary,every 12 month,answer from a local agency in China

Abdominal surgery
 

I am no way near the required minimums for a position in China but out of interest. How would a abdominal surgery affect the chances of passing the medical with an obvious visible scar.

Probably fail. They do an abdomin ultrasound and if they're not happy (be it for the dumbest reason) then it's a fail.

Wrong info. Yes they do an abdomen ultrasound. However, if they find anything they want to investigate further, they put u through an Abdomen CT Scan to confirm. The CT scan will help differentiate between a scar or something else. If it's a scar, it's not a problem. If they find something else on the CT scan other than a scar, then it could be a fail or lead to further tests etc.