Polite discussion about EASA, the CAA, the ANO and the delights of aviation regulation.
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By F-BMCA
#1747355
Dear all,

I am a French pilot, lucky owner of a Comanche, for some (many?) years now, under French registration. I am flying the plane under a french PPL.
As life is not always simple, my class 2 medical certificate has been denied (or at least posponed till getting the position of some "doctors council", position that I am waiting for 6 months now and that will be more probably negative whatever). The reason is I have had a stent placed in some coronar (the only one that it is not a big deal as my doctor said!).
I have not been in such a perfect health for many years but regulation is regulation and I am not able to fly anymore for the time being. Thus, I am looking for a solution.
One could be to transform my French PPL into a UK LAPL. Indeed, I comply with the LAPL medical requirement ("coronar desease treated with controlled risk factors" in bureaucratic language) as edicted by EU (sorry guys!) but not when "translated" by the French administration.
I understand that getting a LAPL medical certificate is much simpler in the UK than in France. In fact, any doctor can
Thus, I have two questions
1 - Does anyone know how to transform a foreign PPL into a UK LAPL?
2 - How could I find the right doctor (to say explaining the situation before meeting him and able to grant the ceritficate!)

Many thanks for advices and info!!!
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1747360
You might get a UK LAPL then find on Jan 1st 2021 that you didn't want one.... (if we have a hard EASA exit on Dec 31st 2020, they might not want UK issued LAPLs in France....)
By PaulB
#1747367
Why does it have to be a UK LAPL? Will a French one not work? Presumably the medical standards are the same?

If the original poster could get a French LAPL medical, could he not use that with is French PPL as per the part.FCL change last November that allows PPLs to be used with LAPL medical?

....or am I missing something, as per usual?
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1747373
PaulB wrote:....or am I missing something, as per usual?

Maybe this:
" I comply with the LAPL medical requirement.... but not when "translated" by the French administration.¬"
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1747378
You don't actually need an LAPL, you can use a full PPL with an LAPL medical now, as of an EASA recent change.

But as has been mentioned, if you transfer your state of licence to the UK, you may find yourself with a UK only licence as of next year, only able to fly G reg aeroplanes outside the UK.

I take it you're living/flying in France and not the UK? The UK also has the self declare medical but that's only valid within the UK.

Lots of people in the UK are transferring their licences to Austria...
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By Dodo
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1747382
(Retired UK AME (Authorised Aviation Medical Examiner)here)

"I understand that getting a LAPL medical certificate is much simpler in the UK than in France. In fact, any doctor can"


I am sorry but you may have been misinformed.

The only time a normal Family doctor, not an AME, can do a LAPL medical in the UK is
1) if the applicant is registered in the practice where the doctor works and
2)the doctor has full access to the full medical record, AND
3)the applicant does not have one of a number of conditions that mandate the medical be performed by an AME. (this list does include coronary artery disease)
more details here https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%201127%20GP%20LAPL%20Quick%20Guide%20for%20GPs.pdf

So if you want a LAPL medical performed in the UK it would have to be performed by an AME, and not many AMEs have shown great enthusiasm for performing LAPL medicals.
By PaulB
#1747386
Irv Lee wrote:
PaulB wrote:....or am I missing something, as per usual?

Maybe this:
" I comply with the LAPL medical requirement.... but not when "translated" by the French administration.¬"


So much for standardisation? So someone who might want to SOLI their licence to another country may find that their medical isn't transferred?
User avatar
By flybymike
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1747556
So if you want a LAPL medical performed in the UK it would have to be performed by an AME, and not many AMEs have shown great enthusiasm for performing LAPL medicals.

Is there any evidence for this?
Is any such reluctance preventing people from flying?
By F-BMCA
#1747575
Many thanks to everybody! Yes, IrvLee, as Paul guessed, the interpretation of LAPL medical requirements by the French authorities is very restrictive and I would have imagined that it could be less restrictive in the UK and closer from the original EU text.
And yes I am flying inside France primarly
My goal is not to cheat (just considering insurance issues for example) but to find a practicable and legal outcome, if any!!!
I understand that going through the UK regulation is not the most obvious one as well as for medical reasons as for the uncertainty about the future of EASA rules in the island.
My first bet was to go for an american license. I should dig that!

Many thanks whatever!
By JulietTango
#1747922
I think we might all go for an FAA licence one day if things keep getting more complicated.
Bon chance!