CASA earlier this week said a post-implementation review (PIR) into the Class 5 self-declared medical standard showed the system was working as intended but has declined make changes to the limitations.
According to a CASA statement, the decision came after a post-implementation review into the standard revealed the self-declared medical system was working as intended.
"It is supporting a large part of the recreational and private flying community while maintaining an appropriate level of safety," the safety regulator said. "The review also showed that many suggested changes would be better addressed through a different medical framework."
CASA has said the decision was based on three considerations:
- the current limits appropriately manage risk for the activities Class 5 is designed for
- expanding Class 5 would add complexity and blur the distinction between medical classes
- keeping Class 5 stable gives pilots confidence in how the rules apply
CASA established a Class 5 technical working group (TWG) as part of the PIR, which recommended amendments to several restrictions, among which were:
- POB be increased from two to four
- aerobatics be permitted with no passengers
- formation flying be permitted with one passenger only
- the requirement for a medical to never have been refused be removed.
CASA has made the decision not to implement any of the recommended changes to the limitations but is expected to announce soon that they will remove a ban on medical stimulants to treat ADHD across all medical standards.
The TWG met in November 2025, and in April this year, CASA made public the recommendations after the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) met in March this year when CASA Principal Medical Officer Kate Manderson briefed the panel on the status of Class 5, noting that "The post implementation review reaffirmed the that the policy should remain in place and not be reversed."
A CASA spokesperson told Australian Flying that the TWG recommendations were made without sufficient supporting evidence.
“Given the amount of safety analysis needed to implement the TWG suggestions and the lack of long-term data, it was decided to focus on other reforms with broader benefits before looking later at whether Class 5 can be fine-tuned,” the spokesperson said.
“Overall, the review found that Class 5 is working as intended. It supports recreational and private flying while maintaining an appropriate level of safety. It broke new ground as the only medical anywhere in the world where there can be no involvement by a doctor.”
The spokesperson also said that CASA valued the work of the TWG despite not adopting any of the proposed amendments.
“TWGs provide valuable specialist expertise and stakeholder perspectives which form an important part of our decision-making process.
“As with any consultation process, their advice is considered alongside all available evidence, safety considerations, regulatory requirements and policy objectives. The advice from this TWG will be available for any future examination of Class 5.
“CASA remains committed to consulting with industry and stakeholders on future aviation medical policy proposals.”
- Steve Hitchen