Addendum – EASA Part-FCL & Part-MED — Page 558, Lesson 753

Right, let's pick this up with the medical certificate rules. We're looking at the validity, revalidation, and renewal of medical certificates under EASA Part-MED. First, a quick note on who can issue these certificates, because that sets the scene. A Class 1 medical certificate — that's the one for professional pilots — must be initially issued by an AeMC, which is an Aero-medical Centre. A Class 2 certificate, for private pilots, can be initially issued by an AeMC or an AME, an Aero-medical Examiner. And the LAPL, the Light Aircraft Pilot Licence, can be initially issued by an AeMC, an AME, or — if national law permits — a GMP, which is a General Medical Practitioner. Now, when it comes to revalidation and renewal — that's keeping the certificate current or getting it back after it lapses — Class 1 and Class 2 certificates can be handled by an AeMC or an AME. The LAPL again can be done by an AeMC, an AME, or a GMP if national law allows. Now let's get into the validity periods, because these are precise and you need them exact. For Class 1, the basic validity is 12 months. But that's reduced to 6 months for two groups of holders: those engaged in single-pilot CAT operations — that's commercial air transport — carrying passengers, who have reached the age of 40, and anyone who has reached the age of 60. For Class 2, it's a sliding scale by age. Up to age 40, the certificate is valid for 60 months. But here's a subtle point: if the certificate is issued before you reach 40, it can only be valid up to the age of 42 — so it can't run a full 60 months past your 40th birthday. Between ages 40 and 50, validity drops to 24 months, and again, if issued before you turn 50, it can only be valid to age 51. After age 50, it's 12 months. The LAPL follows a similar pattern: 60 months until age 40, with the same cap at age 42 if issued early, and then 24 months after age 40. One crucial point that applies across all of these: validity is calculated from the date of the medical examination — not from the date the certificate is printed or issued. Now, revalidation. This is how you keep a current certificate going. The examination and/or assessments for revalidation may be undertaken up to 45 days prior to the expiry date of the medical certificate. So you have a window — you can do it early, within that 45-day period, and it counts as revalidation. If you don't comply with that window, then a renewal examination and/or assessment is required instead. And finally, renewal — that's for when the certificate has lapsed. For Class 1 and Class 2 certificates, if the holder allows the medical certificate to expire for more than 2 years, the AeMC or AME shall only conduct the renewal examination after an assessment of the aero-medical records of the applicant. So there's a mandatory review of the records before the exam can even go ahead. One more thing on the medical fitness side: holders of LAPL medical certificates who have a question about their fitness shall seek the advice of the AeMC, AME, or GMP who signed the medical certificate. That person then assesses the medical fitness of the licence holder and decides whether they are fit to resume the exercise of their privileges. So the key distinctions to hold onto: validity periods differ by class and age, revalidation has that 45-day early window, and renewal after more than 2 years expired triggers a mandatory records assessment.