The UK Civil Aviation Authority has proposed changes to improve and strengthen the Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD) system for general aviation (GA) pilots.
The Pilot Medical Declaration scheme was introduced in August 2016 to offer pilots a simplified way to self-declare to the UK Civil Aviation Authority that they are medically fit to fly.
The regulator has today (09 November 2023) launched a consultation on the final proposed changes to the Pilot Medical Declaration system.
The changes proposed include introducing renewal periods, improving guidance material for pilots and GPs and improving the application form and printable versions. Other proposals include:
Michael Macdonald, Co-Head of General Aviation & RPAS at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:
“We are committed to ensuring that the Pilot Medical Declaration scheme is effective and fit for for general aviation pilots.
“The proposed changes represent some moderate measures to update the way pilots self-declare their fitness. We continue to support PMD as a useful and proportionate tool to enable pilots in their flying.”
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been reviewing the PMD scheme to improve the user experience and identify opportunities in the Flight Crew Licensing Strategic Project to simplify and rationalise the process.
The consultation will be open for eight weeks and will close on 4 January 2024.
Notes to editors:
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority is the UK’s aviation regulator. We work so that the aviation industry meets the highest safety standards and consumers have choice, value for money, are protected and treated fairly when they fly.
- Part-FCL refers to licences included in Annex I of UK Regulation (EU) No. 1178/2011. For further information see here.
- The second phase of the PMD review began in March 2023, with final proposals based on all comments from previous consultations. An internal working group generated these final proposals based on all comments received on our previous consultation from October 2022.
- The consultation is seeking to gain the views of the community on the final proposed changes to PMD, which were developed following the previous consultation and subsequent response document.
- Responses to this consultation should be submitted via our online consultation: Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD) Phase 2 review - Civil Aviation Authority - Citizen Space (caa.co.uk)
- The Civil Aviation Publication 2604: CAP2604: Consultation - Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD) Phase 2 Review (caa.co.uk)
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