Pilot Medical Requirements BGA Mar 15
PILOT MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
Note – These are BGA requirements. Pilots who are exercising NPPL or Part-FCL licence privileges are reminded of the need to ensure that they hold the relevant valid medical certificate.
Contents: 1. General 2. Pre-solo requirements 3. Acceptable evidence for pilots 4. Instructor Requirements 5. Older/Less Fit Instructors 6. Passenger Carrying 7. Competition Pilots 8. Disabled Pilots 9. Powered Aircraft Pilots 10. NPPL 11. Higher Standards Set by Clubs 12. Further Information 13. Appeals and Disputes 14. Self-Declaration Form
1. General
It is a personal responsibility of pilots to be fit for flight. Especially to recognise the adverse effects of short term illness, alcohol, drugs, or fatigue. It is an offence to fly with more than 20mg/100ml of blood alcohol; that is far less than the level permitted to private road drivers. Following recovery from serious illness or accident, future fitness to fly will require review. The BGA accepts differing levels of fitness matched to various risk exposures as stated below. Photocopies of medical certification of members, including driving licences, should be obtained and retained by clubs.
2. Pre-solo pilots - medical requirements before first solo
While there are no specific requirements and almost anyone can safely be taken into the air, the membership application form should require the applicant to ‘declare, in confidence to their instructor, any medical condition that might adversely affect the flight’.
3. Acceptable evidence of fitness for pilots of gliders; solo flight or with another pilot*
Any one of the following:  A driving licence issued by an EU nation  A UK NPPL medical  An aviation medical certificate issued in compliance with ICAO, although any
limitation on the licence applies equally to gliding  An Air Cadet gliding medical certificate or any NATO military aircrew employment
standard  For those under the age of 25, a self-declaration to DVLA group 1 standard to be
held by the club  For students or visitors, any ICAO or non-ICAO medical document valid for gliding in
their own country is acceptable but similarly restricted to flight solo or with another pilot. Foreign (non EU) certificates are not accepted for permanent UK residents.

Pilot Medical Requirements BGA Mar 15
*Another pilot is defined as one who is competent to recover the aircraft in the circumstances of the proposed flight.
4. Medical Requirements for Instructors
Instructors in gliders normally need to hold an unrestricted NPPL, an EASA Class 1, 2 or LAPL, or an ICAO medical certificate that would be recognised by the UK CAA. An Air Cadet gliding medical certificate or a NATO military aircrew employment standard is also acceptable. Individual limitations applied to these licenses also apply to gliding unless otherwise authorised. Professional BGA instructors are required by the BGA, as previously agreed with the CAA, to hold an EASA Class 1 or 2 medical certificate or an ICAO certificate that would be recognised by the UK CAA. Professional Instructors are defined, for this purpose only, as a person receiving a wage/salary for instructing in gliders for any consecutive employment period of 12 calendar weeks or more.
5. Older and less fit instructors
If an instructor is aged 75 or over, or is younger and just holds either a driving licence or a restricted NPPL, that instructor may continue as a BGA Restricted Instructor (undertaking ground supervision and instructing advanced pupils competent to recover the aircraft) subject to the consent of the Senior Regional Examiner. Instructors holding an EASA medical certificate without a precluding limitation may continue to instruct within the limits of their ratings after reaching their 75th birthday.
6. Acceptable evidence of fitness for pilots of gliders carrying passengers
A UK NPPL medical without restriction, an EASA Class 1, 2 or LAPL, and any ICAO medical certificate that would be recognised by the UK CAA. A current Air Cadet gliding medical certificate or a NATO military aircrew employment standard is also acceptable. Individual limitations applied to these licenses also apply to gliding unless otherwise authorised. The age limit and condition applied to older instructors also applies to pilots carrying passengers.
7. Competition pilots
Special provisions apply to competition pilots who come under the jurisdiction of the World Anti-Doping Agency. International competition pilots may be subject to testing at any time and some ‘recreational drugs’ may be detectable for a very long time after use. Other competition pilots may be subject to testing during competitions.
8. Disabled Pilots
It is the policy of the BGA to encourage disabled pilots to fly within the limits of their disability and subject only to the limits of public safety. However these pilots will require individual consideration and perhaps aircraft modification.
9. Pilots of powered aircraft
These must comply with the requirements of their CAA issued licence.
10. The National Private Pilot Licence
The NPPL medical requirement is a declaration of fitness to be endorsed by a general practitioner with access to previous clinical records. For this statement of fact the GP is entitled to charge a fee. The NPPL permits two levels of fitness, an unrestricted level corresponding to the DVLA Group 2 (professional) driver and a restricted level that

Pilot Medical Requirements BGA Mar 15
corresponds to the DVLA Group 1 (private) driver. This restricted NPPL permits the same privileges as flying with a driving licence. An unrestricted NPPL or other approved medical certificate is normally required for instructors and those authorised to carry passengers. Details of the DVLA medical standards are well known to general practitioners. The few variations, mostly ophthalmic, are shown on the CAA web site.
11. Freedom for a BGA Club to Set its Own Standards
BGA member clubs are free to impose any medical standards that they wish, as long as the minimum standards above are met. However it is recommended that this is done only in individual cases and then following medical advice. In cases of concern, a club can require a member to seek and follow medical advice.
12. Further information
Further notes on the NPPL relating to specific medical conditions are on the CAA web site. Guidance concerning the driving licence standards is on the DVLA web site. Advice on specific problems can be obtained by clubs, general practitioners or individual pilots from a BGA medical adviser.
http://www.caa.co.uk/medical
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/current-medical-guidelines-dvla-guidance-forprofessionals
office@gliding.co.uk
13. Appeals and Disputes
In the event of uncertainty, complaint or dispute, reference can be made to a BGA Medical Advisor. If this fails to produce a resolution, the BGA can assist in seeking arbitration.
14. Self-declaration form
Declaration of fitness (BGA only – not valid for NPPL)
This may be signed as an alternative to the holding of a driving licence by glider pilots under the age of 25 years. It expires on the 25th birthday and if by then a driving licence is not held, a NPPL or other medical certificate must be obtained.
I declare that I can read a car number plate at 20 m and do not suffer any medical condition that would disqualify from holding a private driving licence. (In cases of doubt, guidance on the medical standards required can be obtained from the DVLA web site).
Club holding declaration
Full name…………………………………………………………………Date of birth………………
Signature…………………………………………………………………………………….
Signature of parent or guardian if under the age of 18 yrs……………………………..
Date signed……………………………………………….