| Primary Legislation: | Civil Aviation Act s27B |
| Secondary Legislation: | CAR Part 67.61 |
| Form: | Not applicable |
| Action by: | Medical Examiner conducting the assessment |
The medical certificate must be issued in a format acceptable to the Director. A suitable electronic form can be obtained from the CAA Aviation Medicine Team.
A medical certificate issued under the Act commences on the day when the medical assessment concludes and the certificate is issued. Thus the medical certificate commencement date is not calculated based on the date of the examination.
A medical certificate remains in force for its validity period or until a subsequent or replacement medical certificate is issued, refer to CAR 67.61(b)(2)(ii).
The duration of the medical certificate cannot exceed the maximum duration specified in CAR Part 67.61. The ME is able to decide to issue a certificate of a lesser duration if appropriate for safety considerations or as required following an Accredited Medical Decision (AMC).
However, CAR Part 67.61(c) allows for the issue of a slightly longer duration than prescribed in CAR Part 67.61(a) in some circumstances. The new applicable expiry date may be the date that would have applied had the certificate been issued on the expiry date of the current medical certificate if:
The purpose of these provisions is to allow an applicant to obtain a certificate that expires on the same calendar date each year of issue, thus avoiding the so called 'creep factor' by which a few days may be lost at each certification.
Applicant for a Class 2 certificate is 45 years old and eligible for a certificate of 2 years duration.
This option would not be available had the assessment been completed on 22 May 2018, as that is over 30 days prior to the expiry date of the existing certificate. The certificate would have to expire on 22 May 2020.
When the applicant is over the age of 40, a class 2 certificate can be issued for a maximum validity period of 2 years. This means that a new Class 2 certificate may well lapse prior to the date when a previously issued Class 2 certificate, valid for 5 years, would have lapsed.
A 41 year old pilot was issued with a Class 1 and Class 2 medical certificate just before turning 40. The Class 1 certificate is about to expire and the pilot seeks a new certificate. The Class 2 medical certificate issued a year ago is valid for a maximum of 5 years and will lapse just before the pilot turns 45. If a new Class 2 certificate is issued now, the expiry date will be at age 43, which is before the expiry date of the previous Class 2 certificate.
Thus a Class 1 certificate only may be assessed and issued, allowing the existing Class 2 to run its course, if believed to be safe. This problem cannot arise once the pilot turns the age of 43.
The duration of a Class 1 certificate, at the age of 40 or over depends on the type of operations that are intended. In practice the Class 1 certificate can be treated as two separate certificates. One with 6 months duration for one scope of operations, and one of 12 months duration for another scope of operations.
For this reason, under rule 67.61(e), the certificate can be issued with two expiry dates pertaining to the two scopes of operations as follows:
Operators and pilots are responsible for knowing which date is applicable to their different operations.
A pilot issued with a certificate that is 'not valid for single pilot air operations carrying passengers' would have the first date completed with a 'Nil' or 'N/A'.
Note: Whenever a pilot is less than 40 years old, both Class 1 expiry dates should be completed, using the same 12 months expiry dates. Filling in only the second expiry date may lead licence holders and operators to believe that the applicant can only fly 'for operations other than single pilot air operations carrying passengers', or alternatively can only fly 'single pilot air operations carrying passengers' depending on which expiry date has been completed.
Primary Legislation: Civil Aviation Act s27B(3) & (4) - 27I
Secondary Legislation: Not applicable
General Directions: Any existing GD relevant to the condition(s) considered
Action by: Medical Examiner conducting the assessment
Under section 27B(4) of the Act 'the Director may impose any conditions, restrictions, or endorsements on a medical certificate issued under this section'.
The purpose of restrictions, conditions, and endorsements is to ensure flight safety. They are a risk management tool. Such conditions, restrictions and endorsements affect the privileges related to the medical certificate.
Should be clear and concise, using either plain English or aviation terminology defined in legislation.
Operational restrictions, for instance not allowing the certificate holder to undertake some types of operations, should be on the medical certificate;
Other restrictions and conditions, such as medical restrictions and conditions of surveillance to be carried out during the validity period of the certificate, may be contained in a letter referred to on the medical certificate, refer to example 1, 2 and 3.
The use of code numbers is not compulsory and is not sufficient. Code numbers assist electronic data acquisition and improve consistency. Their use is encouraged, and when used, the standard wording associated with the code number should preferably be used.
A list of common endorsements is available under Part 5 - Annexes.
Example 1: Ensure that the medical standards are met while flying:
Requires that distance vision spectacles as used when tested must be worn at all times when flying. This is to ensure that the prescribed visual acuity standards are met during flight.
Conditions, restrictions, or endorsements applicable:
001 Spectacles (distance vision) must be worn.
Example 2: Eliminate or reduce a particular risk to flight safety:
Will reduce the risk of losing control of the aircraft when it is thought that the distraction and / or impairment resulting from a medical condition, migraine for instance, is unlikely to result in loss of control by day under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), but may result in such a consequence by night; or under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
Conditions, restrictions, or endorsements applicable:
040 Not valid for IFR flights.
085 Not valid for night flying.
Example 3: Mitigate the risk to fight safety:
Will mitigate the risk in case of an increased likelihood of incapacitation, when that probability remains acceptable in a two-crew situation.
Conditions, restrictions, or endorsements applicable:
Nil
Or, if a more restricted certificate is considered:
Conditions, restrictions, or endorsements applicable:
032 NOT VALID FOR – carriage of passengers; glider towing; unpressurised flight above 8000 feet; flight over built-up areas (circuit exempt), IFR flying; international air navigation.
Example 4: Ensure ongoing stability or control of a particular condition
Will ensure that a particular condition has not deteriorated and remains acceptable during the period of validity of the certificate. It must be noted that failure to comply with such condition of surveillance does render the certificate not current under CAR 61.35.
Conditions, restrictions, or endorsements applicable:
059 Subject to medical surveillance as specified in Examiner’s letter dated 29 May 2018.
Civil Aviation Rule Part 67 does not make special provisions for Class 2 IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) as was the case under the previous rule.
A Class 2 medical certificate issued in accordance with CAR Part 67 and the applicable GDs will automatically confer IFR privileges if satisfactory audiometry testing has been carried out in accordance with the GD 'Timetable for routine examinations'.
If no audiometry has been carried out, the Class 2 certificate must be endorsed in accordance with this GD with the wording: 'Not valid for IFR flights'.
Conditions, restrictions, or endorsements applicable:
040 Not valid for IFR flights.
