Sevenair From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 1728 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 3356 times:
Anyone know what the eyesight requirements are for a class 1 medical (or equavalent) in your country. I know UK one, but find it difficult to get it from others, any help much appreciated.
I got my class 1 medical a week friday, my first ever one, and would like to see if I do not make UK standards for eyesight, then where I am able to pass it. I thinkl my eyes will let me down, im 6/9 unaided in both eyes, but not sure if I pass near vision tests, il discuss it with examiner anyway!
Cheers me dears,
CCU
707cmf From France, joined Mar 2002, 4885 posts, RR: 32 Reply 1, posted (9 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 3279 times:
I don't know what the requirements are in UK, but I know they are more lax in the US than in France. I assume they would be the same in France as in the UK (being both JAR countries)
Cessna172RG From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 745 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (9 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 3277 times:
I took my Class II recently, and in the US, for Class 2, eyesight requirements are correctable to 20/20. I am required to wear my glasses when I fly IFR so my eyesight can be corrected to this number. Not sure if it is the same for Class I.
Sevenair From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 1728 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (9 years 6 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3215 times:
im going to las vegas next month, so may see if I can get a medical done there, just to see if I will have any problems passing it, im not even due to start training for 18 months, just im in uni now, and need to know if im physically fit enough to be a pilot, otherwise its a dull career in computing for me :-(
Gordonsmall From UK - Scotland, joined Jun 2001, 1995 posts, RR: 24 Reply 5, posted (9 years 6 months 4 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 3141 times:
otherwise its a dull career in computing for me :-(
Don't knock off the I.T. career straight away - in my case it's enabling me to pay for my flying training and later in my (flying) career it may well help keep me supplied with wine, women and leisure footwear during the inevitable furlough(s) that I will experience.
The first thing I ever learned about flying aircraft was that you should always leave yourself a way out - and as far as I'm concerned that mentality should be extended to the career as a whole, not just your time in the pilots seat.
Also, and I know I might well start a flame war here, it appears to me the days of airlines taking the 250 hour pilot and giving them a type-rating in a shiny new 70 ton jet are, with a few exceptions, pretty much over for the foreseeable future.
Many airlines are now advertising for pilots to pay for their own type-rating through bonding or simply to pay for it outright. And those that don't typically require considerable hours in the logbook (1500+). This is not something that I agree with personally but the sad fact is that there are so few job openings coming up, and with so many (very) experienced pilots out there fighting for the jobs that do exist the 250 hour, wet behind the ears rookie has little chance - so that career in I.T. (or any industry) may well be your day job for a few years until either conditions improve or you've built up enough hours to get a shot at an interview.
Aside from paying for type-ratings and other luxuries you still have to get your license in the first place. Airline sponsorship is almost non-existent, and in the UK you'll be lucky to have change out of 25,000 pounds once you've actually got your CPL/IR and passed the ATPL exams. Unless you've got rich parents the chances are you'll have to pay for it yourself - that I.T. career might come to the rescue once again.
Regards,
Gordon.
[Edited 2003-10-29 14:02:59]
Statistically, people who have had the most birthdays tend to live the longest.
The requirements are at the link above for initial class 1.
Good luck with the class 1. I had mine the other day, the EEG test is quite horrible....having a really bright strobe flashing 10 cm from your eyes is not nice...also having to hyperventilate for 3 minutes with your eyes closed, it really spins you out.
Ben From Switzerland, joined Aug 1999, 1391 posts, RR: 52 Reply 7, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2976 times:
The UK Class 1 Medical is an experience and a half alright! (not to mention the cost! Over £400!)
Remember, if you go to the USA to train, you still have to get the JAA Class 1 when you return to the UK if you want to go Commercial.
Try to relax, because some of the tests are quite unpleasant, as Tom says.
At least my EEG was done by a very nice young lady.. she had to keep poking me, telling me not to go to sleep during the 'resting' part of the test. Apparently it's easy to tell from the brain waves when you are going to sleep.
I was worried what else she might be able to 'see' about what I was thinking... hmm..
otherwise its a dull career in computing for me
I frequently have nightmares about being stuck working with computers for the rest of my life. That's why I got the Class 1 even before I took my first PPL training flight.
Rick767 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 2662 posts, RR: 52 Reply 8, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2984 times:
Wise words from Gordon here... always have a get-out / back-up.
The initial CAA Class 1 is a 3 - 4 hour affair, at quite some cost as has been pointed out. It is very thorough. If you can pass that, you'll have no problems with an FAA Class 1 which is a joke in comparison, 30-45 minutes... like the old CAA Class 3 used to be!
I used to love the smell of Jet-A in the morning...
Sevenair From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 1728 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2925 times:
My unaided vision is 6/9R 6/9L which is the minumum for JAA Class 1. SO will have to speak to the Dr when I see him. I wear my glasses at the computer (as a computing degree student i spend an awful lot of time in from of a PC!). I wont pretend that im not nervous, because im really scared!!! But i think half of that stems from my fear of hosptals and Dr, but this medical is at an airport, so maybe wont be so bad!!!
Tom775257 From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 153 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 2916 times:
Don’t be worried about the class 1, there is nothing that bad in it. Some of the tests are mildly unpleasant, nothing worse (perhaps I was being a touch melodramatic when I described the EEG as horrible). The doctors and nurses all seemed pleasant and helpful; they try to make you feel relaxed. It is a slightly surreal experience sitting around in a bath robe being taken to room after room for various tests. It was amusing talking to the other people there, each of us describing the tests we have had already and what we have to look forward to. If you have any questions about the tests in the class 1 feel free to ask. Good luck, Tom.
USAFHummer From United States of America, joined May 2000, 10685 posts, RR: 54 Reply 12, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 2896 times:
An FAA Class 1 is more than a joke...when I went I felt like I was just going for a normal annual physical...nothing extraordinary about it...I'd be curious to take a JAA Class 1 for comparison...
Greg
Chief A.net college football stadium self-pic guru
Olympic A-340 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 780 posts, RR: 11 Reply 13, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 2880 times:
Also, I know in the States you can obtain what is known as a SODA waiver if your vision cannot be corrected to 20/20. A Statement of Demonstrated Abilities waives the current requirement that cannot be met if it is does endanger yourself or others. For example, because of a problem I had with my eye when I was younger I can only be corrected to 20/25 in one eye; however, both eyes collectively I see 20/20. I spoke with my AME and next medical I get she will have me apply for that waiver which she said I should have no problem getting. Problem is some airlines accept them others don't. I know a lot of corporate firms do accept them...as long as I'm flying i'll be happy
Tom775257 From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 153 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2861 times:
USAFHummer:
Well, here you go:
JAA class 1:
*Full physical exam
*Eyesight tests
*Resting ECG
*Spirometry to assess lung function
*Audiogram to test hearing (and ear-drum pressure holding test)
*Chest x-ray
*Urine testing
*Electroencephalogram (EEG) (a brain scan type thing)
*Blood tests
Jetguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2852 times:
I hold a FAA Class I medical, my most recent one was 3 weeks ago. I agree, they are not a "Mayo Clinic" Full Body Physiological / psychological evaluation like they try to do in some countries - but they don't need to be. In fact, I asked the doctor how many airline pilots per year die in an airplane. The answer is incredibly low, something like two and the "Mayo Clinic" thing probably wouldn't have found those. They are as good as they need to be, any more "intense" and you start getting physicals like are being described in this forum and you start being very restrictive in who gets to fly and who doesn't. Now that I think about it, that may be one of the reasons for those types of examinations - to limit who gets access to the limited aeronautical training resources of some of these countries.
This is kind of a "issue" with me. A couple of years ago my one of my uncles went through one of those exhaustive physicals. He had no known problems. He got a clean bill of health and was told that he was in great shape for a 62 year old man. They very next night he died in his sleep - of a heart attack.
Sevenair From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 1728 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (9 years 6 months 3 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 2840 times:
PArt of my difficulty to understand the optical requirements was that the UK and US use different scales due to diffferent measurements of distances-so what is known as '20/20' in the UK, is '6/6' in the UK. No wonder I had such a hard time understanding it"!
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