PPRuNe Forums - CAAC Medical Standards

PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/)

- South Asia and the Far East (https://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east-45/)

- - CAAC Medical Standards (https://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/613636-caac-medical-standards.html)

CAAC Medical Standards

I found the following PDF of the September 2017 updated medical standards on the CAAC website. It is in Chinese, so it will need to be translated.

Translated to english

Hi,
As per title, the document translated to English, I used some webpage automatic translator so it might have a couple of grammar mistakes.

I couldn’t see any mention about blood cholesterol? Would that mean there has been no change from the old standard or that now there is now no level that would disqualify from holding a class 1 medical in China?

That just means that there is no change from the previous standard.

Not aware of any changes but just did a medical and here are the ranges as per their paperwork

Total cholesterol 3.10-5.85
HDL 0.78-2.00
LDL 0-4.21
Triglycerides 0.50-1.80

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

Thanks FalseGS. Those ranges seem to be the norm world wide. However many countries don’t (that I have experienced) use this as a disqualifying condition. I’m led to believe that above 5.85 total cholesterol and a medical won’t be issued? Anyone able to confirm that?

It won't be. If there is ever a doubt, go with the negative.

The CAAC medical is as inflexible as can be. They take this very seriously. The overriding MO is to CYA. In a punitive culture, such as theirs, everyone wants to eliminate any doubt that may be cast on them of things go south. Unfortunately, we are collateral damage in this little game they play.

On the plus side, if you do land the gig, the high standards induce us to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the needless stress notwithstanding.

Hi all,

My medical has slightly different values. And my values have been constant for a few renewals.
I would normally agree that the CAAC always fail you if there is any error or doubt. But in this case, they have let it slide. (A few times)

CHOL 2.8-5.18 (6.07 my value)
TRIG 0.56-1.7 (1.98 my value)
HDL 1.04-1.55 (1.13 my value)
LDL-CH 2.1-3.37 (3.49 my value)

I haven't asked why, I will just keep going until they fail me on some other imaginary condition.

The limits on my paperwork from PEK hospital (February) are the same as drifter3's.

Per normal ICAO standards, the high risk of a cardiac occurrence is a disqualifying condition. High cholesterol alone is not, it is one of the risk factors. It is monitored and added to the evaluation matrix if over the standard limit. When I went over 8, things started happening on the high chol basis alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ICAO Doc 8984 Manual of Civil Aviation Medicine

Serum cholesterol

1.3.4 Although some Licensing Authorities require measurement of the cholesterol, it is not an ICAO requirement. However, a level > 8 mmol/L (320 mg/dL) should be treated (best with a statin, e.g. simvastatin, atorvastatin) whether or not there are other risk factors present. In the presence of overt coronary artery disease, targets should be: total cholesterol < 5 mmol/l (< 190 mg/dL) and LDL cholesterol < 3 mmol/L (< 115 mg/dL) or, in the presence of diabetes < 4.5 mmol/L (< 175 mg/dL) and < 2.5 mmol/L (< 100 mg/dL), respectively.

Hi FlightDetent,

Thansk for your personal experience. So just to confirm your cholesterol recorded above 8 and you where able to hold a class 1 medical in China? ( After considering other risk factors as you showed in the ICAO document ).

Thats interesting. Completely different to what I was told by PARC. But then again they didn’t seem too confident in what they where telling me.

Rumbear

No, 5,32. Statin controlled because of 8,0 found during a pre-check I did out of my own initiative 10 days before the visit to PEK at my local AMC.

Try Ezetimibe (Ezetrol) 10mg in addition to the usual statins, it’ll reduce your total cholesterol even further. It works by reducing the cholesterol absorbed in your digestive tract. LDL is lowered and HDL raised.

Any cancer history,even the most benign superficial one is disqualifying for life.
Beware!

Like anything else in Asia, its not as clear cut as this - your face has to fit also. You have to read in between the lines, having great health and being a great pilot doesn't mean you will pass their selections,its a lottery.

Cancer history IS clear cut.= NO medical, period.

What about lung function tests in the medical? My previous experience in other Asian countries have done one on initial but not on recurrent...

I could only see Chest X-ray in above document. Can anyone share?

Trying to hide Asthma is easy with Chest-X-ray not so easy with lung function test.

No such test in my initial summer of 2015, Beijing CAAC hospital.

No lung function test

Depends on what they ascertain as 'required'. In my group there was a chap who had a benign growth removed two decades ago. It required a CT scan (none of the other 18, including me) were required to do so. One needed a holter test. One was told to get a pair of glasses despite the fact that vision was 20/20; reason given, you are above 45, you NEED glasses irrespective.

Have to look at these tests apart from the standard as needed on a case by case basis. So what one might be required to undergo as a follow up wouldn't apply to all or anyone.

Is it allowed to use lenses to do Caac medical check, or only glasses. Thank you

Guys, guys, you are out of the ballpark, the PDF is meant for company cadets, for you foreign pilots the requirements will be different, so if you still wanna find some information on that just reply here, I will be so willing to help.

Ok. Can you post the main requirements for experienced foreign pilots?

Whats the maximum BMI? waist circumference?

Have the CAAC medical dept relaxed their standards now?

Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by SW1 (Post 10448095)

Ok. Can you post the main requirements for experienced foreign pilots?

Whats the maximum BMI? ?waist circumference?

Have the CAAC medical dept relaxed their standards now?

Thanks

You guys are welcome, so, I dived into searching and finally found something, seriously guys stay away from China, see? Even our laws are chaos and as a Chinese, wow, I am tired after finding this...this.

So, this is an article I found from a public platform (like public account in FB) in WECHAT( I think those pilots working in China now must hate this app haha). The article is explaining the details concerning BMI and waist circumference, I think this public platform is run by a chinese aviation doctor because come on, all his articles are about medical exam, that's boring.

Anyway, original article here:
正文(Q:?)

根据121招飞体检标准即《民用航空招收飞行学生体格检查鉴定规范（MH-T 7013-2006）》对体重有明确的要求，通常要求体质指数（BMI）不应大于24或小于18.5。
According to 121 part medical requirements for cadets (mh-t 7013-2006), there is a specific requirement towards weight, and normally that requires a BMI between 24 and 18.5.

其中BMI = W/H２其中W：体重，单位为公斤（kg）；H：身高，单位为米（m）。
And the BMI = W/H２ (W：weight, unit: kg ; H: height, unit: m)

当体质指数大于24时，腰围小于85cm，腰臀比小于0.90，体型匀称，肌肉发达，胸、腹、腰等部位无脂肪堆积现象可视为合格。
When the BMI>24, but the waist circumference <85cm and the Waist–hip ratio<0.90, also the whole body is Well-proporti, muscular, no fat accumulation in the chest, abdomen, waist and other parts, the cadet can be regarded as qualified.
当体质指数小于18.5，骨骼肌肉发育良好的，可视为合格。
When the BMI<18.5, but the skeletons and muscles are in good condition, the cadet can be regarded as qualified.

那么对于通过了招飞体检的飞行学员或现役飞行员的年度体检而言，有没有和招飞体检一样严格的体重要求呢？
So for those cadets who have already passed the cadet admission medical exame or annual medical exam for airman who are now servicing for airlines, is that the requirements are the same strict as the cadet admission medical exam?

答案是：飞行学员或现役飞行员的年度体检对于体重没有任何要求限制。
A: For cadets who passed or active duty pilots' annual medical exam, there is no requirements for weight.

也就是说，只要通过了招飞体检，今后的体重无论有多超重，有多肥胖，有多体重不足，航空体检鉴定均不会因为你的体重问题而不合格。但是肥胖和很多疾病密切相关，最常见是高血压、糖尿病、冠心病、脑血管疾病和恶性肿瘤，如果肥胖导致心脑血管疾病和恶性肿瘤的发生，飞行生涯将会中断。
That's to say, as long as you passed the cadet admission medical, from then on no matter how you exceed the weight required reference value or say no matter how fat you are or no matter how thin you are, the civil aviation medical examiner won't fail you because of that. But the point is that many illnesses are related to obesity, of which the most common ones are Hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and malignant tumors, so if your obesity causes cerebrovascular disease or malignant tumors( "I don't know what's gonna happen when other illnesses listed here occurred, he didn't say it clearly"), then you'll be grounded and that's all for your pilot career.

超重或肥胖虽然不是直接导致停飞的重要原因，但是心脑血管风险排查的一个重要参数。根据《空勤人员和空中交通管制员体检鉴定医学标准（AC-67FS-001）》，Ⅰ、Ⅲa级体检合格证申请人如有下列三项及以上危险因素，应做次极量运动负荷试验：
Although obesity is not a direct cause to being grounded, but it's one of the important factors to do the Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk investigation:
a）高血压或高血压病史：
a) Hypertension or history of that

b）糖尿病、空腹血糖受损、糖耐量减低或糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）≥6.5%（参考值：4-6%）；
b) Diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥ 6.5% (reference value: 4-6%);

c）血总胆固醇（TC）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）或甘油三酯（TG）＞参考值上限；
c)Upper limit of blood total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or triglyceride (TG) > reference value;）

d)肥胖；
d) obesity

e）颈动脉斑块或颈动脉内中膜厚度≥1.2mm。
e)Carotid plaque or carotid intima-media thickness ≥1.2mm

所以肥胖的人更早需要接受民航心血管风险的评估，其发生心血管风险也远远高于不肥胖的人群。
So if you are overweighted, you're gonna take this investigation earlier than others 'coz the opportunity on you of occurrence is much higher!

[End]

Puff... So now i also attach this clipping from CCAR-67FS-R4 and translation here to support what I am saying: previously you guys are looking at medical requirements for cadets, that's not for you! And according to this clipping here, for you guys the requirements will be much the same as Chinese active duty airman, the difference is about how you gonna apply for the medical certificate and how you keep it balabala... :
第 67.45 条外籍飞行人员体检合格证管理
（a）持有其他国际民航组织缔约国民航当局颁发的有效体检合格证的外籍民用航空器驾驶员，在申请参加公共航空、通用航空、飞行院校等民用航空器运行单位飞行运行不足 120 日（含本数）的，可以申请取得所在地地区管理局签发的外籍飞行人员体检合格证认可证书，样式见附件 C。超过 120 日的，应当申请办理按照本规则颁发的体检合格证。
（b）外籍飞行人员按照本规则的规定申请体检机构的体检鉴
定，取得符合本规则标准的体检鉴定合格结论后，可以向所在地地区管理局申请办理体检合格证。
（c）地区管理局在收到外籍飞行人员办理体检合格证或认可
证书的申请后，按照本规则第 67.25 条和第 67.27 条的规定进行受理和审查。审查认为符合相应要求的，给予颁发相应的体检合格证或体检合格证认可证书；审查认为不符合相应要求的，不予颁发体检合格证或体检合格证认可证书，并书面通知申请人和所在单位。
（d）参加我国航空单位飞行运行的外籍飞行人员履行职责时，应当同时持有其他国际民航组织缔约国民航当局颁发的有效体检合格证和依照本规则颁发的有效认可证书，或者持有依照本规则颁发的有效体检合格证。
Google translation :
Article 67.45 Management of medical certificate for foreign flight personnel
(a) A pilot of a foreign civil aircraft holding a valid medical certificate issued by a civil aviation authority of another ICAO Contracting State is not more than 120 days in the application for participation in public aircraft, general aviation, flight schools and other civil aircraft operating units (including this number) ), you can apply for the certificate of the foreign flight personnel medical certificate issued by the local regional authority, see Appendix C for the style. For more than 120 days, you should apply for a medical certificate issued in accordance with these rules.
(b) Foreign flight personnel apply for medical examinations of medical examination institutions in accordance with the provisions of these rules
After obtaining the medical examination and accreditation conclusions that meet the requirements of these rules, you may apply to the local regional administration for a medical certificate.
(c) The Regional Authority receives a medical certificate or approval from a foreign flight officer.
After the application for the certificate, it shall be accepted and reviewed in accordance with the provisions of Articles 67.25 and 67.27 of the Rules. If the examination considers that the corresponding requirements are met, the corresponding medical certificate or medical certificate approval certificate shall be issued; if the examination considers that the corresponding requirements are not met, the medical certificate or the medical certificate certificate shall not be issued, and the applicant and the unit shall be notified in writing. .
(d) Foreign flight personnel participating in the flight operations of our aviation units shall, when performing their duties, hold valid medical certificates issued by other civil aviation authorities of the ICAO Contracting States and valid recognized certificates issued in accordance with these Rules, or hold in accordance with these Rules. A valid medical certificate issued.
[End]

Also gonna attach the complete document of that and AC-67FS-001(details about medical requirements, sad is there is no FAQs, no example, no plain language and of course no english inside), feel free to ask me about some specific lines from it.

PS: If anyone has flown with your Chinese colleagues who quit and continue flying in ANY AIRLINES THAT IS NOT IN CHINA and know how they DID this, please contact me, appreciate that.

Good day.

BMI limit is 32, blood pressure 140/85.

Blood pressure is less than 140/90

Inflammatory bowel disease

I Have ulcerative colitis and Im curious how they look at it?

Medical standard

Lupin, do you have the latest medical requirements for CAAC holders. I have my renewal coming up when the flu is over and I want to look up something.

Cheers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lupin.lin (Post 10448016)

Hey all. I had vertigo 10 years ago, fully recovered. Will the ENT check will pick that up or are they just checking your balance etc.

The "requirements" differ slightly amongst the CAAC regions - some are slightly more lenient than others. Sometimes it even boils down to the doctor you get on the day.

On Guard If you've had anything like that I would ordinarily say don't waste your time because the medical are VERY thorough, but these are not ordinary times!

Just don't go tell them, I'd say.
Besides.

Quote:

1) CAAC Medical Hospitals all around China will open up next week (we hope the 6th)
2) Just today we have found out that the borders will start opening up next May 22nd AND furthermore, no quarantine will be required. The complete procedures we yet do not know (they are planning to do a quick COVID 19 Test to all expats entering China and if found negative you are free to join your normal Chinese Life and follow BCA instructions)
3) BCA and the rest of Chinese Airlines are now at 55% capacity and once the borders open and they are allowed to include International Routes, capacity will rapidly increase to 80-85% at which point everyone will be needed.

PS: If anyone has flown with your Chinese colleagues who quit and continue flying in ANY AIRLINES THAT IS NOT IN CHINA and know how they DID this, please contact me, appreciate that.

Good day.

[/QUOTE]

Most Chinese pilots are using another foreign licence to secure a job outside of China. As you know, is pretty much impossible to get licence verification from CAAC. So the only way is to do a licence conversion, and is much easier for those that did their initial training in the states. All they need to do is to get their aircraft rating into their FAA licence.