Download Medical Flight Test

Medical Flight Test
Claude Preitner – Senior Medical Officer
7/5/2017
1
Civil Aviation Rules , Part 67
 General
An applicant must –
(1) have no medical condition that is of aeromedical
significance; and
(2)Without limiting paragraph(b)(1),have no history or
diagnosis of any of the following specific medical
conditions, to an extent that is of aeromedical
significance:
FLEXIBILITY (27B2)
 The Director may , relying on flexibility , issue a
medical certificate to the applicant
 Flexibility means the use of medical judgment to issue
a issue a medical certificate if the following conditions
are fulfilled :
(a) An Accredited Medical Conclusion indicates that in
special circumstances the applicants failure to meet any
medical standard prescribed in the rules is such that the
exercise of the privileges to which the medical certificate
relates is not likely to jeopardise aviation safety; and
Flexibility
(b) the relevant ability, skill and experiences of the
applicant and operation conditions have been given due
consideration; and
(c)the medical certificate is endorsed with any
conditions, restrictions or endorsements when the safe
performance of the applicants duties is dependent on
compliance with those conditions, restrictions or
endorsements
What is of aeromedical
significance?
 Elevated risk of incapacitation
 Cognitive impairment
 Functional impairment:
 Vision
 Hearing
 Limbs function (muscular, neurological,
amputations)
 Mobility (joints, paralysis, obesity)
How to determine if condition safe ?
Medical Flight testing can assist the decision
making process as to whether a medical condition
is or not likely to jeopardize flight safety.
Purpose of practical flight testing
with regard to medical certification
 To ascertain impaired individuals ability to
perform the required tasks of a pilot safely
without significantly greater risk than an able
bodied person
 Answer the question: Is the condition likely to
jeopardize flight safety – Answer may be aircraft
type or operation specific
Flight examiner role
 Applicant requested by CAA to provide
Medical Flight test
 Applicant may be requested to ask the flight
examiner to contact CAA for a briefing
 Conduct Medical Flight test following
briefing or according to protocol
 Report to CAA or other medical experts
conducting the AMC
What is of aeromedical
significance?
 Elevated risk of incapacitation: No role for Medical Flight
Test
 Cognitive impairment (i.e. aging, head injury)
 Behavioural / mental problems (i.e. Attention deficit,
Asperger)
 Functional impairment




Vision
Hearing
Limbs function (muscular, neurological, amputations)
Mobility
Cognitive impairment
 Simulator flight test: Usually a reliable tool
 BFR, Instrument renewal etc. are demanding
enough if well conducted
 However routine tasks last affected so needs to
include decision making and unusual situations.
Behaviour issues
 Very mild case only
 Usually Class 2 certificate only
 No Medical Flight Test, but
 Regular instructor report


7/5/2017
Update CAA on any problem
Instructor aware of problem
11
Vision impairment issues to
consider





Reduced vision in one eye
True monocular
Visual fields impairment
Double vision with certain eye movements
Near vision issues
Colour vision deficiency is not suitable for in flight
testing
Hearing impairment
Applicants need to
demonstrate a hearing
performance sufficient for
the safe exercise of their
licence and rating
privileges.
 Screening audiogram
 Speech
discrimination test
 Flight test
Important hearing issues for pilots
 Being able to fully understand and comprehend all




radio communications
Ability to hear all alarms in cockpit
Being able to communicate effectively with other
crew members
Being able to communicate effectively with
passengers
Ability to hear sounds of safety significance eg.
In flight hearing test according to protocol if
concern with hearing or use of hearing aids
Musculoskeletal Impairment
 Degenerative conditions
– hands , feet , knees,
spine – with pain and
limitation of movement
of the affected joints
i.e. difficulty turning their
head sufficiently to gain all
round good vision as a
consequence of neck
arthritis
Musculoskeletal Impairment
 Partial or complete
amputation of a limb
 Muscle weakness –
usually due to nerve
damage
 Paralysis due to spinal
fracture (i.e. after
helico accident)
Spinal cord injuries
Spinal cord injuries
 Loss of sensations
 Loss of power
 Loss of bladder control (self catheterisation)
 Loss of bowel control (manual evacuation)
 Urinary infections
 Muscles spams
 Loss or autonomic control (low tolerance to
Gs)
7/5/2017
18
Spinal cord injuries
 Cessna 152
 Cessna 172
Hand control
for rudder and
brakes
Examples
 Pilot reported to become confused
 Penetrating eye injury
 Deaf pilot with hearing aids
 Weakness of left arm for pushing movements
 Shoulder limitation
 Amputee lower leg
 Partial paralysis of lower leg (inability to flex
down the foot)
 Stiff ankle following fracture
Conclusion
 Functional in-flight testing is a useful
assessment tool
 It is not a test to flight standards, rather a
test of physical ability to do the task
 When asked to conduct such test, please
liaise with CAA medics to learn about the
functional concern and what answers are
sought
 Report accordingly
Statement on line by
www.freedomintheair.org
 “Pilots with a range of disabilities are able to fly all
kinds of airplanes; for example:
 Cessna: 150, 172, 182, 210, 337, Cardinal, Cutlass.
 Piper: Cherokee 140, 180, 235, Warrior, Arrow, Six,
Saratoga, Lance Beechcraft: Bonanza, Debonair, A-36,
Baron, Duke.
 All of these planes have been successfully equipped
with a hand control for pilots with reduced lower limb
mobility.”
7/5/2017
22
More information about Pilots with Disabilities
The British Disabled Flying Association - www.bdfa.net
Accessible Aviation - www.accessibleaviation.com
Thirty-Thousand Feet - www.thirtythousandfeet.com/pilots.htm
Today - www.airventure.org/news/2008/3tue29/ableflight.html
Citation: Disabled World News (2009-04-10) - Many times pilots with
disabilities train alongside non-disabled pilots at local flying clubs:
http://www.disabled-world.com/entertainment/hobby/pilotsdisabilities.php#ixzz23eTWayDn
7/5/2017
23
 “Suzi Duncan, creator
of the Vision air hand
control for pilots with
lower limb disabilities, a
Commercial Pilot &
Flight Instructor who
herself has a disability.
She is a pioneer in the
world of disabled
aviation and our
inspiration”
7/5/2017
24