Medical fitness and validity

Medical class and assessment

Medical validity is a condition of exercising licence privileges.

Which certificate?

CPL, MPL and ATPL privileges require a valid Class 1 medical certificate. PPL privileges normally require Class 2, while LAPL privileges use the applicable LAPL medical requirements. Holding a higher licence does not itself prove medical fitness today. The class must match the privileges actually exercised.

An initial Class 1 assessment is performed at an aero-medical centre. Subsequent revalidation or renewal may be performed by an authorised AeMC or appropriately privileged AME. The applicant supplies identity, medical history and the required declaration; the medical assessor can require further investigation and impose limitations. A limitation such as OML changes the conditions under which privileges may be exercised.

Validity has age and operation conditions

Class 1 is normally valid for 12 months. It reduces to six months from age 60, and from age 40 for single-pilot CAT carrying passengers. This is separate from the age limits on acting as a pilot in CAT. Revalidation examinations can be completed in the 45-day period before expiry while preserving the expiry reference under the rules.

For Class 2, ordinary validity is 60 months before age 40, with a certificate issued before 40 not remaining valid beyond 42; 24 months between 40 and 50, with a certificate issued before 50 not remaining valid beyond 51; and 12 months from age 50. Medical expiry, rating expiry and passenger recency are three different clocks.

When medical fitness decreases

An unexpired certificate is not permission to fly while unfit.

Stop and seek advice

A pilot must not exercise privileges when aware of a decrease in fitness that could prevent safe exercise, when using medication likely to interfere, or while receiving treatment likely to interfere. Do not wait for the certificate’s expiry or the next scheduled examination. The obligation follows the actual condition.

Seek aero-medical advice without undue delay after surgery or an invasive procedure, starting regular medication, significant injury, significant illness involving incapacity, pregnancy, admission to hospital or first requiring correcting lenses, as specified in MED.A.020. Return to flying requires the applicable assessment that it is safe to resume.

Administrative validity and operational judgement

A valid certificate records a medical assessment, not a guarantee of fitness after a new event. Fatigue, illness and psychoactive substances also affect operational fitness. The pilot remains responsible for disclosing relevant changes and complying with limitations.

Consider a pilot admitted to hospital who feels recovered and still has nine months on a Class 1 certificate. The remaining months do not answer the new medical question. Obtain the required aero-medical advice and assessment before exercising privileges again.

Can you apply the rules?

Four original questions. Choose from the facts, then review the explanation.