Medical in SE Asia

[Just another canuck]

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[bmc]

Have you posted on the pprune? Lots of Canadian pilots overseas that face this every year. There might be something there or it could be a good place to post.

[Panama Jack]

Not a big problem.

Depending on which Southeast Asian country you live in, there are some Transport Canada Medical Examiners available (Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brunei, Bangladesh, Fiji, Vanuatu, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea). Check listings on the following web address:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/aviation/applicatio ... p?x_lang=e

These doctors can conduct the examination and stamp the back of it for revalidation.

If you cannot find a TC Medical Examiner close to where you are, or prefer not to use the one who is available, you can use any medical examiner who is authorized by the local civil aeronautical authority provided it is an ICAO State. This is provided for in CAR 424.116:

424.16 Authority to Conduct Medical Examinations

(1) Authorization is issued to physicians who are appointed on an individual basis to provide the Civil Aviation Medical Examiner service in a particular area. Authorization may also be issued to Flight Surgeons of the Canadian Forces for the examination of applicants who are regular members of the Canadian Forces or Air Cadets.

(2) A physician in another country, provided the physician is authorized as a civil aviation medical examiner by a Contracting State may also be authorized to examine the medical fitness of applicants. However, these physicians may not extend the validity period of an existing Medical Certificate.

In this case, you need to provide the Canadian medical form (you can write TC and request them), and it is a good idea to bring with you a copy of the required standard for the examiner to consult. It can be viewed here:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/Regse ... t42402.htm


As you can see, CAR 424.16 allows the examiner to conduct the exam, however, if he is not Transport Canada certified he cannot renew your Medical Certificate. For this, he will have to mail the Medical Form back to Transport Canada. They will check out the form and if everything is satisfactory, Transport Canada will mail you a new medical. Depending on where you live and how fast the mail is, this can take about one month or longer. However, if you plan ahead (do your medical a month or two before expiration) it should not be a problem.

I have done it via this second method a number of times (mostly using FAA doctors in various foreign countries) and recently confirmed it is still on-going by writing to Medical branch of Transport Canada in Ottawa. The doctor informed me that they will accept any medical done by a properly certified foreign aviation medical examiner (good idea to include in the application a copy of the medical examiner's proof that he is certificied, such as his licence or certificate) so long as it is done to a standard and in good faith.