CASA Director of Aviation Safety John McCormick has approved the new system of handling private pilot medicals by giving the project his approval.
The new system has still to go through the machinery of government, but if implemented, private pilots won’t have to apply for Class 2 medicals via a DAME anymore, but will be able to have regular doctors issue medical certificates. This will significantly reduce the cost of staying current, but it will come with some restrictions on the type of operations the pilot can fly.
Those restrictions include:
- Flying a single-engine piston aircraft
- MTOW less than 1500 kg
- Fly only in VMC below 10,000 feet
- Only one “informed and consenting” passenger on board
However, if the other control seat is occupied by a qualified pilot with a Class 1 or 2 medical, then the restrictions do not apply. Private pilots operating on the new certificate will have access to controlled air space.
“I was very pleased recently to approve a major addition to the way we manage pilot medicals in Australia,” McCormick said in a recent briefing. “After wide consultation and detailed analysis of the safety issues, CASA has put in place a new simplified and streamlined medical certificate system for pilots who operate aircraft for private purposes.
“It means pilots who qualify to use the new system can obtain their medical certificate from any general practitioner, instead of having to visit a designated aviation medical examiner and apply for a class 2 medical.”
The new medical standard is based on the Austroads Inc
unconditional motor vehicle driving
licence standard, with a range of aviation-specific requirements tacked on, such
as cancer, heart failure, head injuries, epilepsy and musculoskeletal disorders
that CASA believes can pose a safety risk in aviation.
Once the doctor issues the certificate, it will need to be registered on CASA’s website, then carried and produced on demand exactly as if it were a Class 2 medical
“I hope many pilots find the new DL medical certificate (aviation) an easier way to obtain and maintain their medical clearance to fly,” McCormick said. “Having robust medical standards is a key element of aviation safety and this initiative ensures safety standards remain high while making the system simpler.”