CASA has announced the long-awaited industry feedback consultation hub for the proposal of a new Class 5 medical self-declaration policy.
The Class 5 medical will allow private pilots to self-assess and self-declare without requiring a medical assessment if they meet fitness requirements and operate in accordance with specified operational limitations.
The policy aims to improve accessibility to a streamlined medical self-certification pathway for the general aviation and recreational aviation community.
To support the implementation of the new Class 5 medical self-declaration, there will be comprehensive guidance material for applicants, certificate-holders and healthcare practitioners.
"We are proposing to enact the policy through an exemption instrument to the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASRs). This will enable industry to access the new Class 5 medical self-declaration as soon as practical," said CASA in a media release.
The proposal has been developed with input from the aviation community, including the aviation medicine technical working group and is also one of the initiatives CASA's General Aviation Workplan for simplifying health arrangements.
The Technical Working Group consists of representatives from across the aviation community bringing diverse and different perspectives, AOPA's CEO, Ben Morgan, departed the group in June due to a clash with Principal Medical Officer Kate Manderson. Morgan said he did not support the TWG's attempt to recommend an arbitrary weight limit on self-certification and accused Manderson of "doing what's easy, not what's right."
CASA has maintained for several years that pilots operating in CTA would always need Class 1 or Class 2 medical certificates, but the requirement has been brought under scrutiny by the projects to permit PPLs to fly on self-declared medical standards (Class 5) and to grant Recreational Aviation Australia's (RAAus) pilots access to CTA.
RAAus CEO Matt Bouttell told Australian Flying in June that he believed his members would be able to fly in CTA without needing the Class 2 medical that is currently required of PPLs.
"As far as the medical is concerned, RAAus has been operating safely with our self-declared system for 40 years, so much so that CASA is looking at emulating this," he said. "On this basis I am confident that RAAus pilots will have access to CTA without the need for a Class 2 pilot medical."
If Bouttell and RAAus get their wish, it will be very hard to see how CASA could continue to demand that PPLs still require a medical in CTA.
Submit your feedback here.
Access to CTA for Sport and Recreation Aircraft
In conjunction with to the Class 5 medical consultation portal, CASA is also seeking a separate consultation on access to Class C and Class D controlled airspace for sport and recreation aircraft.
"We are seeking feedback on a discussion paper about controlled airspace separately as part of our commitment to facilitate greater operational opportunities for sport and recreational aviation activities when safe to do so, as outlined in our General Aviation Workplan," said CASA in the same media release.
Claiming comments from the industry has fed back that sport and recreational aviation’s access to controlled airspace is too restricted, the consultation will inform future policy on access to controlled airspace.
Topics for discussion
Pilots operating in controlled airspace currently must meet standards in relation to:
- pilot competencies
- radio competencies and English language proficiency
- medical fitness
- aircraft equipment
- priorities for airspace access.
These aim to ensure pilots can operate in controlled airspace safely.
Discussion Paper (DP) 2314OS examines the various requirements for users of controlled airspace and controlled aerodromes in Australia and the objectives underpinning the requirements.
CASA is seeking input on whether:
- the objectives are appropriate and reasonable
- the current requirements reflect the objectives
- there are alternative ways we could achieve the objectives.
The controlled airspace discussion paper is available here:
The Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD) used in the UK and BasicMed in the USA both have restrictions on operations without medical certificates, but neither of them bar operations in CTA.
In March this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a review report into BasicMed after three years of operation. The report showed "no difference in accident risk between flights conducted by pilots operating under BasicMed and flights conducted by pilots holding third-class [Class 2 in Australia] medical certificates."
The report also found that BasicMed had no impact on the slow decline in general aviation
Industry feedback will inform the finalisation of the proposed policy, supporting documents, and the regulatory review process.