At some point in your flight training you will be required to pass an aviation medical.

To gain a JAA licence you will be required to pass a JAR approved medical. The class of medical you will have to take will depend on what JAA licence you are aiming for.

There are two types of JAR medicals, a class one and a class two medical.

The class two is the lesser of the medicals and is required by private pilots hoping to gain a PPL. Where as a class one medical is a more strict version and is necessary for those of you wishing to pursue a professional flying career.

Where Can I get a JAR medical

A class two medical must be performed by a CAA approved doctor in the UK. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) can provide you with a list of locally approved doctors in your area.

The class one medical must be performed at the CAA Areomedical Centre (AMC) based at Gatwick Airport. Expect to pay around £300 to obtain your class one certificate.

Class Two Medical Requirements

A class 2 medical examination will involve the following:

• Medical History, about your medical past such as serious illnesses.
• Physical Examination, including heart, lungs, blood pressure, stomach and nervous system.
• Hearing, your ability to understand someone speaking to metres behind you will be checked.
• Blood Test, for Haemoglobin.
• Urinal Test, for diabetes etc.
• Electrocardiogram, checks heart functionality using electrical impulses.
• Lung Functionality, checks for respiratory problems caused by conditions such as asthma.
• Vision, must fit the JAR Class 2 standards for eyesight.

Class One Medical Requirements

The class one medical will include all the aspects of the class two medical with the following differences:

• Hearing, a full audiogram will be performed checking certain fequencies and decibels.

Validation Periods and Renewals

The main difference between a class one and two medical is the frequency at which they have to be renewed.