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Change of medical condition: what pilots/ controllers should know and do

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Change of medical condition: what pilots/ controllers should know and do.

Step 1

Where a pilot/ air traffic controller has a medically significant condition that will impair his or her ability to do an act authorised by their licence

You should:

  • Ground yourself for the period this occurs
  • If the condition lasts longer than seven days (Class 1) or 30 days (Classes 2 and 3), you must notify a DAME or CASA and not exercise the privileges of your licence until a DAME gives you a certificate stating your ability to use your licence is no longer impaired.
  • Collect as many medical reports about your condition as possible and provide them to the DAME.

The DAME will:

  • Notify CASA, if you have not already done so, and forward any information you have provided about your condition.

CASA will:

  • Assess the severity of your condition. If the condition is considered non-serious, CASA will advise the DAME can give you a certificate stating your ability to use your licence is no longer impaired.

Step 2

Where CASA considers that a safety relevant condition exists

CASA will:

  • Advise you in writing what further information about your condition, such as specialist reports, should be provided.
  • Consider the reports and evidence, then give advice to your DAME as to whether to give you a certificate stating your ability to use your licence is no longer impaired.

You should:

  • Remain grounded - let your DAME know of any further change in your condition.
  • Book specialist reviews/ tests specified by CASA, and a DAME appointment, as soon as possible (as specified by CASA). Check with your DAME to see if any additional information is required. Take the CASA letter to your specialist appointments.
  • Once all specialist reports have been obtained, take the reports to your DAME appointment. Provide a copy of the reports to CASA directly or through your DAME.

The DAME will:

  • Send his/ her assessment report regarding your medical condition to CASA together with copies of required specialist reports (if you have not already provided them to CASA directly).
  • Act on advice received from CASA as to whether to give you a certificate stating your ability to use your licence is no longer impaired.
Footnotes:
  1. See reg 67.010 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998. A medically significant condition includes (a) any of the following (no matter how minor): (i) any illness or injury; (ii) any bodily infirmity, defect or incapacity; (iii) any mental infirmity, defect or incapacity; (iv) any sequela of an illness, injury, infirmity, defect or incapacity mentioned in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii); and (b) any abnormal psychological state; and (c) drug addiction and drug dependence; and (d) for a woman—pregnancy and the physiological and psychological consequences of pregnancy or of termination of pregnancy.

  2. Information about significant medical conditions may be found in CASA’s DAME Clinical Practice Guidelines.