Could I get a Cat 4 done while waiting for my Cat 1 results?

[crypticweirdo]

This fall I'm starting the aviation program at Confederation, and I just got the Cat 1 medical done last week as it's one of the requirements. However, I heard that it could take over 6 months to get the results, and I wanted to start flight training right now and maybe get my recreational permit as I have nothing much to do over the next seven months and want to be better prepared for college. Would it be possible/a good idea to send in my Cat 4 medical form while waiting for the Cat 1 results so I can get started on my flight training sooner? I assume I would get the Cat 4 results sooner since it's just a declaration.

[Bede]

That would likely screw something up since they'd process a cat 4 application with no file number after they processed the cat 1.

[photofly]

I would do it.

Get your category 4 declaration countersigned, then call TC civil aviation admin (NOT the medical office) and ask if you’ve been assigned a file number yet. If you haven’t then your cat 1 application has not been entered into the system yet.

If you do have a file number put that at the top of your cat 4 declaration somewhere, and in the subject of your email to TC when you submit the declaration - eg “878331 category 4 medical application”.

It’s still possible for things to go wrong but there’s no sensible reason you should have to wait months before making a solo flight.

[broken_slinky]

As photofly said, go for it. With your cat 4, you'll be able to train and do everything up to the point of being issued your PPL. Hopefully by then, your cat 1 is complete, you can be issued your PPL and able to start your CPL training.

[geneticistx]

I'm a bit confused. Before someone applied for a CAT1 medical, wouldn't they have had a CAT3 medical and qualified for that already? Im guessing I'm wrong, but can't you fly under the privileges of the CAT3 (non commercial)? What is the actual difference in the medical exam between a CAT3 and CAT1 medical. If someone has a CAT1 medical and doesn't renew after 6 months, doesn't it revert to a CAT3 with no commercial privileges? I'm setting myself up for being educated on these regs, but that's fine.

[7ECA]

Not necessarily. One can go and apply for whichever category of medical certificate you'd like. Some people will start off with a Category 3 if they are working on their PPL, and then upgrade to a Cat. 1 when they decide to do their CPL. Others will just go for the Cat. 1 right off the bat, to make sure they can actually get the higher level medical. Although, realistically one doesn't have to be a supreme specimen of physical fitness to get a Cat. 1...

Validity periods are laid out in the CARS, section 404.04(6) onwards. If you hold an ATPL/CPL and are under 40 years of age the medical is valid for 12 months. Over 40, the validity period is reduced to 6 months if conducting single pilot operations; or, when the holder is 60 years of age or older.

Outside of the 12 month/6 month validity period an ATPL/CPL holder may exercise the privileges of a PPL until the end of the applicable validity period. Your medical doesn't downgrade or revert to a Cat. 3 per say, but it essentially does... sort of...

https://lois-laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/reg ... l#s-404.01

Here is Standard 424 - Medical Requirements:

https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-servi ... tions-cars

Finally, medical fitness for aviation:

https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/medica ... s-aviation

[photofly]

I'm a bit confused. Before someone applied for a CAT1 medical, wouldn't they have had a CAT3 medical and qualified for that already?

No. Why would you wait a year for a cat 3 medical, then wait another year for a cat 1 medical?

Secondly if you want to work as a pilot, a category 3 medical won't do. You could pass your category 3 medical, do a whole bunch of training, then fail the stricter standards for a category 1 medical, in which case you've wasted a whole lot of time and money.

In the before-times, it was better to get the category of medical for the privileges you wanted to finish with before you spent much time or money on training, but the ridiculous processing times for category 1 medicals have changed that decision somewhat. Even so, in this scenario, it's still possible the OP could get a cat 4 medical and still be rejected for a category 1 a year later, although one hopes the examining CAME would have told him if this was likely at the time of examination. The only reason a category 4 medical is worth considering is because the processing time is merely ridiculously long, compared to a category 1, whose waiting time is insane.

What is the actual difference in the medical exam between a CAT3 and CAT1 medical.

Only stricter standards.

If someone has a CAT1 medical and doesn't renew after 6 months, doesn't it revert to a CAT3 with no commercial privileges?

No. A cat 1 medical is a cat 1 medical, forever, and you keep it until you die, you surrender it or until the minister withdraws it. The privileges you wish to exercise determine the length of time that can have elapsed since your last renewal to do so legally.

Specifically:

If you wish to exercise CPL privileges, you must hold a CPL with category 1 medical that has been renewed within the last 6 months/1 year/2 years as appropriate to your age.

To exercise PPL privileges you must hold either a CPL with a category 1 medical, or a PPL with a category 1 or 3 medical, and regardless of which medical you hold it must have been renewed in the last 2 years/5 years as appropriate to your age. (Side note: a category 3 medical never validates a CPL, not even for PPL privileges only.)

And a Student Pilot Permit is validated by a category 1, 3 or 4 medical for five years after the date of examination or declaration, regardless of your age.

The one medical never "turns into" the other.

[geneticistx]

If I want to get my and use the CPL, i will have to do my CAT1 medical. I already hold a CAT3. So, I get my CAT1 medical done, then it's sent off to TC, and I can fly as a private pilot under my CAT3 until my CAT1 is approved? I don't give up my CAT3, correct? Im reading this that I can have both my CAT1 and CAT3 at the same time.

[Conflicting Traffic]

If I want to get my and use the CPL, i will have to do my CAT1 medical. I already hold a CAT3. So, I get my CAT1 medical done, then it's sent off to TC, and I can fly as a private pilot under my CAT3 until my CAT1 is approved? I don't give up my CAT3, correct? Im reading this that I can have both my CAT1 and CAT3 at the same time.

Yes. If you already hold a Cat 3, then the when you see the CAME for your Cat 1 upgrade, it also counts as the renewal for your CAT 3. So you're Cat 3 remains valid/renewed, but you need to wait for the Cat 1 approval.

[7ECA]

If you held/hold a CPL, that means you had/have a Cat. 1 medical. Your medical "expires" and you can no longer exercise the privileges of your CPL, but instead you can exercise the privileges of your PPL until the end of the applicable validity period vis-a-vis your age and a Cat.3 medical.

But, you have not downgraded or lost your Cat.1 medical - it is just no longer valid for the exercising of privileges of your CPL/ATPL. You can go years with your Cat.1 medical being "expired" and when you go back to your CAME to renew your medical - it is just that, a renewal of your Cat.1...

The only way to actually downgrade from a Cat.1 to a Cat.3, is to physically write to Transport Canada and have them downgrade your medical on your licensing file.

[photofly]

Im reading this that I can have both my CAT1 and CAT3 at the same time.

You can't have a CAT3 and a CAT1 at the same time. You have a category 3 medical until TC sends you a new sticker (or other document) showing you have a category 1 medical, and then you don't have a category 3 medical any more. Until then, you still only have a category 3 medical. It doesn't make any difference because every privilege you exercise that needs a category 3 medical is also validated by a category 1 medical.

I believe you can have a category 2 medical and a category 3 medical at the same time though; that would be if you were an ATCO with a PPL.

[geneticistx]

thanks to all

[anotheremptykitchen]

If you're worried about not receiving your medical in time, PM me.
I have a contact that got me my medical in a couple of weeks when I was trying to get mine done.

PS you can start flying without a medical at confed... at least for the first little bit, but you need it to solo.