[NDB_hold]

I see that NHS dentists continue to offer routine check-ups... and Specsavers will still do a sight/hearing test.

Do they? Not mine!

[rikur_]

Playing Devil's advocate here, the intention of "any medical reason" may have been specifically to do with a medical condition, not a medical test required for a legal but not work reason and not related to any potential medical condition. More likely they just didn't think about it.

You may not think that's a sensible interpretation (and I don't, although I think it's just about plausible), but a court might think it is.

Bupa, Nuffield, SpecSavers, Guy's & St Thomas'etc all seem happy that the law allows routine checks. The CAA does seem to very much be the outlier.

[G-JWTP]

Send an email to the new Head of the GA unit and ask her to sort it out!



G-JWTP

[Paul_Sengupta]

I see that NHS dentists continue to offer routine check-ups... and Specsavers will still do a sight/hearing test.

I'd be very wary of opening up (so to speak) if I were a dentist, unless I was under 40. Before the last lockdown, a dentist friend of my cousin caught Covid and died. He was an otherwise fit and healthy 58 and just contemplating winding down towards his retirement. As an aside, it took him more than 28 days in intensive care to die, as is the case with many in their '50s, so was excluded from the Covid death count.

Bupa, Nuffield, SpecSavers, Guy's & St Thomas'etc all seem happy that the law allows routine checks. The CAA does seem to very much be the outlier.

There does seem to be a subtle difference between having a check for health purposes and a check just to verify you qualify for an activity, even if the by-product of the latter is a general health check.

[skydriller]

I'd be very wary of opening up (so to speak) if I were a dentist, unless I was under 40. Before the last lockdown, a dentist friend of my cousin caught Covid and died.

Im sorry to hear about your friend, Paul.

I do recall there were numerous cases of people during the last lockdown attempting "DIY dentistry" due to extreme pain and lack of dental treatment availability. Such cases were reported in various countries, not just the UK. I am very glad that most governments this time around have decided that medical appointments should continue as should education.

Regards, SD..

[rikur_]

There does seem to be a subtle difference between having a check for health purposes and a check just to verify you qualify for an activity, even if the by-product of the latter is a general health check.

I guess that depends which way round you see it .... I always had an annual medical through work before I started needing the class 2. The by-product is I get a class 2 out of it now.

My objection was more however to CAA issuing missives beyond their jurisdiction - whether it's 'right' or not, I don't see any legal basis for the directive. It's in the league of the Parish Council directing that building projects should stop, because it's probably not essential that someone gets their extension built at the moment.

[townleyc]

I had a routine dental check up this afternoon.

All conducted very carefully

.... As an aside, it took him more than 28 days in intensive care to die, as is the case with many in their '50s, so was excluded from the Covid death count.

Not necessarily - the 28 days are not relevant if Covid is mentioned on the death certificate, which may well have been the case if he was in IC for covid symptoms

Likewise sorry to hear though


KE

[AndyR]

I see that NHS dentists continue to offer routine check-ups... and Specsavers will still do a sight/hearing test.

Do they? Not mine!

Not been able to get a routine check in round my way either, since March.

[johnm]

Specsavers were open throughout around here, they supplied Mrsjohnm with new glasses as she had a cataract operation just before lockdown. and I had a routine dental check up yesterday (not NHS though)

The CAA and DVLA seem to be in the same b*gg*rs muddle over medicals though because even between lockdowns I had the devil's own job getting my medical sorted to keep my truck and bus privileges on my car licence, ironically my class 2 provider helped sort it out!

[Oldfart]

I’ve just had my annual eye test and a dental check up. Same protocol as before lockdown. Very safe and no problem. Berkshire.

[Jonzarno]

Please can someone explain to me what part of a class 2 Aviation medical does not fit with any medical reason?

The only reason that logic supports is that there is no medical reason for needing one.....

[Cardinal Sin]

So.. I have a Class II which expires on 22 Nov, and a LAPL medical which expires in July 2021.

Pending my now deferred Class II examination, can I fly an EASA certified aeroplane, VFR daytime, on my LAPL medical? Once we are allowed out, of course.

[DavidC]

I also received this letter from my AME and share similar sentiments to those posted already. He comments that there is now plenty of availability for those that do qualify to need one.

AMEs will now lose out financially, making it more difficult for them to continue in business. It's just another extra demand from the CAA put upon AMEs in recent years. Perhaps some will drop out, reducing the availability and access to AME services nationally. This despite clear government guidance that medical services can remain operating.

The letter very much discriminates between VFR and IFR pilots, where the latter would require a Class 2 to fly in IMC. There will inevitably be a delay due to a backlog when AMEs are permitted to re-open, allowing PPLs to fly again but not IFR, reducing opportunities to regain currency and increasing the safety risk.

It stems from the poor earlier decision by the CAA to extend all medicals to expire on the same date rather than adding a fixed extension to everybody's certificates which would have had a much more evenly distributed flow of renewals. A large number of pilots have expiring medicals this month or end December unless they renewed early.

The letter does not make any distinction between UK regions. Presumably Welsh AMEs can reopen immediately now that there is no lockdown. No comment for Scotland or Northern Ireland. It makes it read very much as a London centric world view. But I wouldn't suggest travelling from England to Wales to see an AME

Perhaps someone at the CAA needs to review and approve missives like this before they get sent out. Some damage limitation is needed for this urgently with a further "clarification letter" perhaps making it clear what is legally allowed versus what the CAA might encourage to be good for the country, and removing the threat of punishment.

They'll be dreaming up mandatory Medical Infringement Correction Courses next....

[DavidC]

So.. I have a Class II which expires on 22 Nov, and a LAPL medical which expires in July 2021.

Pending my now deferred Class II examination, can I fly an EASA certified aeroplane, VFR daytime, on my LAPL medical? Once we are allowed out, of course.

I assume you have an EASA Part-FCL PPL rather than a LAPL licence, so yes, providing your SEP rating is valid. You can't apply LAPL currency rules when flying on a PPL with LAPL medical.

Also, you can apply for a Personal Medical Declaration (it's free) which affords you the same privileges within UK airspace.

This is a useful/cheaper option if you aren't flying IFR, instructing or flying abroad.

[TLRippon]

It is odd how my daughter picked up her new glasses from Specsavers yesterday, I took her, she's 12 and I went to my own optician last week to have my annual eye exam pre-medical. It is strange how I then went to the doctor's surgery in person to get the required "Statement of fact letter", needed for my flying medical and paid in the only acceptable way to them, cash (Cash is a good way to transmit disease). All of this done within the current government rules.
Then this morning, having gone through this thread I thought I'd better give the AME a ring and make sure I was still good for my class 2 on Wednesday. The receptionist told me that unfortunately following CAA advice they were not in a position to carry out Class 2 medicals. I told her I was a flying instructor and the advice seemed to exempt FI's. However, it was left that I was coming anyway and if it was not going to go ahead then the AME would call me.
I hope this is not a vision of the new, all powerful, post EASA CAA.
Anyway, I now need to make the decision to either drive to the medical or fly, it's at an airport.