Hearing

[liamey]

Good day,

I am not an aviator, but a parent with a question if I may, so I apologize in advance if the language is not quite correct.

Long story short, my child was born with mild/moderate hearing loss in one ear. The hearing in the ear has remained stable with no deterioration. My child passed the whisper test at the CAME when applying for 3MC. When completing the form my child declared a prior hearing issue, which promptly had Civil Aviation Medicine requesting a report from an ENT, which was duly provided.

Civil Aviation Medicine got back with a letter reporting my child is assessed for a 4MC. The letter went on to state a PFT-Hearing test would be required for a 3CM and the Dr. also indicated they have asked their consultant ENT whether further medical reports would be required.

My question(s) would be:

Is there any reason that Civil Aviation medicine did not ask for an audiogram using a hearing aid (which would bring my child within the normal hearing range) and issue a 3CM with a restriction instead of the 4MC?

In the letter, they mention the PFT-Hearing test would have to be conducted in a cockpit noise environment (power fixed-wing) that can only be arranged once ready for a solo flight with enough training in radios in a circuit without guidance from an instructor. My child is wanting to fly a glider, although I understand with the 3CM you can also fly a fixed-wing of a certain size. This is understandable, but are they saying my child would almost have to be qualified in a powered aircraft (lots more expense than glider) before they could take the test?

Could my child learn how to fly a glider and then maybe sit in a club fixed-wing aircraft just on the radio?

How do they assess for the radio hearing? Would I have to arrange for a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner to come to the airfield to assess?

I apologize for so many questions, especially being my first post, but as a parent, I feel so helpless for my child at the moment.

If someone would be so kind to assist with my questions it would be more appreciated than you ever know.

Thank you.

Liamey

[GIMD]

Two suggestions/points:

I would suggest getting your child’s audiologist to provide a report indicating that their hearing is appropriately corrected with the hearing aids. Give this to the appropriate people.

I imagine the local flight school could provide an aircraft and instructor for the practical hearing test. I am not familiar with how these tests are conducted however.

[7ECA]

(4) Where a hearing aid is required to meet the requirements of paras. 3.31 or 3.32 the validation certificate shall be endorsed "Valid only when wearing a satisfactory hearing aid".

From the below link to the "chart" that plots the various medical categories and their various requirements.

https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-servi ... training-1

[yhz41]

Pretty much any school can do the hearing test for you, you just have to provide the letter from TC requesting it.