20 July 2016
Private pilots with a UK national licence will be able to ‘self-declare’ themeselves fit to fly from later this summer, the CAA confirmed today.
The changes do not apply to pilots with an EASA PPL, or a commercial licence, or those displaying at airshows. These pilots will still need to be approved as fit to fly by an approved medical examiner.
The CAA says the move will lead to both cost and time savings for pilots and, in most cases, remove the need for General Practitioner (GP) or Authorised Medical Examiner involvement in the process.
The date of the change has yet to be confirmed. The medical requirement for UK private pilot licence and national private pilot licence holders will be to meet the same standard as that required to hold a DVLA Group 1 Ordinary Driving Licence (ODL). Existing medical options (for example a UK declaration with GP counter signature) will remain available. The same options will also be available for private balloon pilots.
To take advantage of the change, pilots will need to complete a form on the CAA website to declare that they meet the DVLA medical standard. Pilots under 70 will need to do this once while pilots over 70 must confirm their declaration every three years.
The changes will be contained in the proposed Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO) due to come into effect late summer 2016. The proposed ANO legislation will contain these changes and other significant amendments for GA.
Currently, UK PPL holders are able to fly EASA aircraft using the privileges of a LAPL. This is anticipated to change in 2018, at which point the benefits of this change in medical requirements will decrease for those pilots. However, the CAA is hoping to influence EASA in considering reviewing the medical requirements for EASA Private Pilot licence holders flying EASA aircraft.
