Call for US-Europe agreement on medicals

British and American politicians are calling for pilot medical standards to be recognised across the UK, Europe and the USA.

In a joint letter to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), lawmakers from the UK APPG on General Aviation and the Congressional General Aviation Caucus, have called for a bilateral agreement.

In the letter, MPs, Senators and Congressman argue that new alternative medical standards recently adopted by both governments have made the “process… unnecessarily cumbersome and costly, whilst doing little to improve safety”.

Currently, separate medical certificates are required for pilots to be able to fly in the UK and the USA.

The joint letter goes onto encourage the CAA, FAA and EASA to “further expand and explore ways to issue pilots licenses on the basis of a foreign pilot’s licenses”.

Chair of the 170-strong all-party parliamentary group, the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, said, “Improving cooperation between regulatory authorities over medical standards will make it much easier and significantly cheaper for pilots from both countries to fly in foreign countries.

“Members of the APPG warmly welcome this letter calling for mutual recognition as it will lead to an increase in general aviation in the UK and the USA.”

US Congressman Sam Graves, Chairman of the General Aviation Caucus in the US House of Representatives, said, “Third class medical reform in the US was a landmark win for general aviation and we want to be sure that it is recognized when American pilots fly in the United Kingdom and Europe.

“We expect the FAA would grant similar recognition for UK pilots flying in the US.”

All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation