Hey TC maybe this is a good time to extend pilot's medical validity

[TintinaAirHR]

How about TC extending the validity period of all pilot's medicals by 3 or 4 months. Do we really need pilots taking up valuable doctor's time with the Covid issue growing by the day? Do we really need pilots, who are probably more likely to be infected than the general population, going into the GP's office and spreading germs or pilots going into the GP's office and getting exposed to germs there themselves.
Leave the doctors to help the virus patients plus all the usual cancer patients etc. It's just an aviation medical.

[flyinhigh]

While there is no way TC would ever think this way, I do think your spot on.

Great thought

[GhostRider6]

If there’s an aviation industry left where pilots are needed... seems to be the general consensus around avcan

[Lost Lake]

My doctor is the head surgeon at the hospital. Visitors not allowed. Hmmm. Usually get it in Apr. so that it lasts the float season. An extension would be nice.

[NovaBoy]

Won’t need a medical or a type rating (sched to go to KTEB for Falcon recurrent in May) if there is no one or nowhere to fly.

[Jerry Boyle]

Some have refused to do medicals on the east coast and some are closing their offices for a couple weeks. I suspect extensions will be needed.

[photofly]

You can get a sixty day extension on application prior to expiration if you can demonstrate there was no reasonable way to get a renewal in the ninety days prior to expiration.

[DHC-1 Jockey]

I had my medical scheduled for today, and the doctor cancelled it. He called Transport asking for guidance on extensions but couldn't get through. I finally got through to Transport myself after an hour, and they said "talk to your doctor."

[PilotDAR]

You can get a sixty day extension on application prior to expiration if you can demonstrate there was no reasonable way to get a renewal in the ninety days prior to expiration.

Here's the ticket (pun intended). I have found the Toronto TC doctor to be entirely reasonable (and I sort of put the poor fellow to the test!). I would think that after receiving the first few written requests, suitably in advance, TC might figure that a blanket extension is worth publishing. Everything begins with an ask....

[Scudrunner703]

I got a 60 day extension

[Eric Janson]

Some EU countries are giving extensions. On the complete Licence - not just the medical.

My Airline is actively contacting various CAAs to clarify this as they have Pilots with Licences from all over the EU.

[vrefplus5]

TC has issued an exemption....NCR 021-2020.

Extensions valid till August 1st.

[vrefplus5]

APPLICATION
EXEMPTION FROM SUBSECTIONS 404.03(1) OF THE CANADIAN A VIA lYON REGULATIONS
Pursuant to subsection 5.9(2) of the Aeronautics Act, and after having taken into account that the exemption is in the public interest and is not likely to adversely affect aviation safety or security, I hereby exempt persons exercising the privileges of a permit, licence or rating who cease to hold a valid medical certificate of a category specified in section 404.10 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) solely because of the expiry of the validity period of their medical certificate, from the requirements of subsection 404.03(1) of the CARs, subject to the conditions set out below.
Subsection 404.03(1) and section 404.10 of the CARs, and those provisions cited in the conditions below, are reproduced in Appendix A.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this exemption is to adopt temporary measures in the public interest to reduce the regulatory demand on healthcare resources in Canada following the declaration of a pandemic outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization on March 11Ih, 2020 and unnecessary risk exposing healthy medical certificate holders to potentially hazardous healthcare settings.
This exemption applies only to the holders of currently valid medical certificates issued or renewed by the Minister of Transport under subsections 404.04(1) and (1.1) of the CARs which have a validity period that will end on a date on or before 01 June 2020.
This exemption ceases to apply to a holder of currently valid medical certificates issued or renewed by the Minister of Transport under subsections 404.04(1) and (1.1) of the CARs who breaches a condition of this exemption.
CONDITIONS
This exemption is subject to the following conditions:
1.
Persons exercising the privileges of a licence, permit or rating pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Exemption shall comply with the CARs in all respects, and the CARs shall continue to apply in all respects other than the specific exemption set out herein.
2.
Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing and for greater certainty, persons exercising a privilege of a permit, licence or rating who cease to hold a valid medical certificate shall not exercise their privilege if they satisfy any of the circumstances set
NCR 021-2020

out in section 404.06 of the CARs.
VALIDITY
This exemption is in effect until the earliest of the following:
a) August Pt, 2020, at 23:59 (EST);
b) the date on which any condition set out in this exemption is breached; or
c) The date on which this exemption is cancelled in writing by the Minister where he is of the opinion that it is no longer in the public interest or that it is likely to affect aviation safety or security.
DATED at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada this jf~ay of March 2020, on behalf of the Minister of Transport.
Transport Canada

[. . •1
[. . .1
3
Appendix A
Pertinent provisions of the Canadian Aviation Regulations
404.03(1) No person shall exercise or attempt to exercise the privileges of a permit, licence or rating unless the person holds a valid medical certificate of a category that is appropriate for that permit, licence or rating, as specified in section 404.10.
404.10 (1) A Category 1 medical certificate is required for the following licences: (a) commercial pilot licence — aeroplane or helicopter;
(b) multi-crew pilot licence — aeroplane;
(c) airline transport pilot licence — aeroplane or helicopter; and
(d) flight engineer licence.
(2) A Category I or 2 medical certificate is required for an air traffic controller licence.
(3) A Category I or 3 medical certificate is required for the following permits, licences and ratings: (a) student pilot permit — helicopter;
(b) pilot permit — gyroplane;
(b.1) student pilot permit — gyroplane or balloon;
(c) private pilot licence — aeroplane or helicopter; (d) pilot licence — balloon;
(e) flight instructor rating — glider; and
(f) flight instructor rating — ultra-light aeroplane.
(4) A Category 1, 3 or 4 medical certificate is required for the following permits and licences: (a) student pilot permit - aeroplane;
(b) pilot permit — recreational;
(c) student pilot permit or pilot permit —
(d) student pilot permit — glider; and (e) pilot licence — glider.
404.06 (1) Subject to subsection (3), no holder of a permit, licence or rating shall exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating if
ultra-light aeroplane;
(a) one of the following circumstances exists and could impair the holder’s ability to exercise those privileges safely:
(i) the holder suffers from an illness, injury or disability, (ii) the holder is taking a drug, or
(iii) the holder is receiving medical treatment;
(b) the holder has been involved in an aircraft accident that is wholly or partially the result

of any of the circumstances referred to in paragraph (a);
(c) the holder has entered the thirtieth week of pregnancy, unless the medical certificate is issued in connection with an air traffic controller licence, in which case the holder may exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating until the onset of labour; or
(d) the holder has given birth in the preceding six weeks.
(2) No holder of a permit, licence or rating who is referred to in paragraph (lXb), (c) or (d) shall exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating unless
(a) the holder has undergone a medical examination referred to in section 404.18; and
(b) the medical examiner has indicated on the holder’s medical certificate that the holder is medically fit to exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating.
(3) The Minister may, in writing, authorize the holder of a medical certificate to exercise, under the circumstances described in paragraph (I )(a) or (d), the privileges of the permit, licence or rating to which the medical certificate relates if such authorization is in the public interest and is not likely to affect aviation safety.

[nine sixteenths]

Link to the original source please?

[kiaszceski]

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviati ... cates.html

[tvguru]

https://www.cbaa-acaa.ca/CBAADocs/NCR-021-2020.pdf

[confusedalot]

I am one of the recipients of the decree. Two doctors were told to not give medicals, and more.....So go figure, an old guy is deemed to be OK because of all of this panic and does not need a medical. No medical issues mind you, so I guess the the risk is low.

I dunno.....can anyone say ''panic'' ?

[7ECA]

I dunno.....can anyone say ''panic'' ?

Not really. Being that many CAMEs are family doctors or work out of a practice that on most normal days sees a hundred or more patients, one would think that lessening the burden on doctors for non-essential business would be prudent. Aviation medicals may only make up a small portion of any given CAMEs day, but why add an additional burden when the medical system in general is attempting to curtail all non-essential visits/procedures, etc.?

It's a simple move by TC that alleviates the need for a large amount of pilots to go and potentially expose themselves to a contagious disease. I mean, do you really want to go sit in the waiting room of your CAME these days?

So, no medical exams for pilots until (at least) May 1st. If your medical was set to expire on or before June 1st, it will be extended until August 1st.

[Big Pistons Forever]

My Aviation Medical Doctor's day job is as at a hospital, he does pilot medicals one day a week. I think given what is going on he is way more useful in there than giving me my 53 rd pilot medical......

[phillyfan]

So how can one look at this as a seasonal float pilot who is over 40? Who generally does a medical in April in order for it to be valid for the six month season?