Classic CAA.
Release something stupid, the change position and clarify shortly afterwards when people with a few brain cells have had a look at it.
The obvious issues with the revised guidance are:
(1) private flying is not synonymous with recreational flying, and to assume some correlation between the two has no regulatory basis. I’m not sure the word recreational even exists in relevant aviation regulation.
(2) A medical doctor should not be coerced or authorized to make consequential decisions based on his unqualified judgements about the nature of pilots flying.
This is amazingly undisciplined free form government.
It’s incredibly amateurish, and would almost certainly not survive being taken to court – however, the accused is still burdened with having to get a lawyer, be out of pocket etc. if the CAA were to “dob them in” for getting a medical (and therefore in their unqualified opinion, breaking the lockdown).
As the saying goes, a closed mouth gathers no foot, and in these instances, certain mouths ought to be remaining shut because they seem to habitually gather lower leg extremities.
The problems are
To me, this debacle shows the various factions within the CAA. The medical department is one, the infringement department is another. I would bet that very few people are willing to take on the medical dept, and I happen to be very certain (won’t say why) that no AME would even dream of it. I reckon UK AMEs are totally scared of the CAA medical dept.
There is an additional problem which is that the existing exemption expires in under two weeks but no prosepect of any non commercial renewals any time soon so there will be some pilots falling between the cracks through no fault of there own.
I can only assumption that there will be an extension into the New Year, but who knows. It would seem the CAA are a long way behind the curve yet again.
Perhaps because of the oil industry, there were (are?) AMEs in the Aberdeen area able to do both at one exam.
According to AOPA the CAA have backed down on restricting AME medicals.
I’m about to check with my AME. If the CAA are restricting, I’ll raise it with my MP, as I and several AMEs are in a low level restriction area. AOPA is just hearsay, a CAA document is needed.
The text from AOPA, quoting the CAA, is above.
Indeed; lots of AMEs can do both at the same time. Except for my very first medical, I have always used such AMEs.
Advice and opinion sought about a Class 2 renewal. Mine expires very shortly and I have just been informed by my usual AME that it is currently not allowed to be renewed by instructions from our CAA. In addition the CAA are introducing a new computerised system (as set out in https:///www.caa.co.uk/medical ) and AMEs cannot process any medicals from 29th March until notified by CAA (so I am informed). All in the name of Covid one presumes (or maybe to stop infringements!!!).
However any suggestions on how to overcome the current ban on medical renewal please?
