If you’ve done some research, then you might have an idea of what an aviation medical is. For those of you who don’t know, a Pilot licence is usually endorsed by a medical certificate. The different levels of licences require different categories of medical validation. ICAO member States have similar requirements for you to be declared medically fit to fly, created based on limitations set out in the ICAO Manual of Civil Aviation Medicine.
As an aspiring career pilot, one of the first steps you should take is finding a CAME in your Province/Country and booking a Category 1 medical examination.
Medical endorsements go by different names and come in different physical forms depending on the issuing Country. In Canada, it’s a medical certificate and exists in three physical forms;
- A piece of paper with your information when you get it for the first time. (Do not laminate it!)
- A printed page on your licence booklet which you receive upon successful completion of your first permit or licence.
- A maple leafed shaped stamp accompanied by the date and signature of the assessing CAME (Civil Aviation Medical Examiner).
There are four Aviation Medical certificate categories in Canada. Of the four, we will be talking about the 2 which are the most relevant when pursuing a professional career in aviation: Category 1 (CAT 1) and Category 3 (CAT 3).
A CAT 1 medical certificate is the highest and most stringent level of medical fitness assessment used by Pilots in Canada. You must have a CAT 1 medical to be able to perform any flying duty for which you will be paid. It endorses a CPL and ATPL.
A CAT 3 medical certificate is a medical fitness assessment that endorses a PPL. This is the minimum medical certificate that you will be required to maintain through your flight training up to and excluding your CPL. It allows you to fly any airplane you are rated for, provided you are not getting paid for your flying duty.
As an aspiring career pilot, one of the first steps you should take is finding a CAME in your Province/Country and booking a Category 1 medical examination. This is especially the case for international students. Quite a number of students choose to begin training with the minimum CAT 3 certificate only to realize mid-way through training that they are ineligible for a CAT 1 due to an underlying medical condition.
To find out if there is a CAME near you, please visit one of the links below.
For Canada https://preview.tinyurl.com/yfjr7tb8
For USA https://designee.faa.gov/#/designeeLocator
Have a question about aviation medicals? Send us a message.