Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The UK CAA has today published guidance covering pilot and ATC medicals, following months of complaints and concern about the impact of cardiovascular risk assessments on older pilots. Once you reach your late 50s and 60s and if you have common conditions such as hypertension, or are a little overweight, it's been increasingly difficult to maintain a class 2 medical without undergoing costly tests and assessments with a cardiologist.
Representative bodies including AMEs and AOPA have been pushing the CAA to review its reliance on the NHS Q-RISK scoring algorithm, which is used to estimate the 10 year risk of a heart attack or stroke. It uses factors such as your weight, BMI, age and general health to produce a score. Until now, a 10% risk score was the threshold triggering an exercise ECG or worse. It has lead to many pilots ditching their Class 2 medicals and opting instead for a Pilot Medical Declaration. While this keeps them flying, it limits their privileges and also removes them from any medical oversight or assessment.
Today the CAA has relented it seems, and is now increasing the threshold for tests and assessments for Class 2 medical holders, from a 10% risk to a 15% risk. That's not the complete story, and so we explain all and discuss the other implications in our monthly Members' Club Pilot Briefing, which I'm sharing publicly here today as this information will be useful to a much wider community.
I publish these briefings monthly for Flight deck members and above on Flying Reporter Members' Club - if you find this video useful, please be sure to join our club here for a modest monthly fee.
patreon.com/join/theflyingreporter
You'll also get access to exclusive events, discounts and bonus content from The Flying Reporter. If you don't want to join the club, then why not donate a few quid, or buy a raffle ticket for our charity fundraiser for Aerobility here instead. flyingreporter.co.uk
Resources
Cardiovascular risk assessment for pilots and air traffic controllers
caa.co.uk/aeromedical-examiners/medical-standards/pilots/medical-conditions/cardiology/cardiovascular-system-general
Lasham gliding competition RA(T)
nats-uk.ead-it.com/cms-nats/opencms/en/Publications/aip-supplements/EG_Circ_2026_M_062_en.pdf
Cessna 150 spin AAIB report
gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-cessna-fra150l-g-ppfs
I make inspirational videos about my flying adventures around the UK and Europe. I'm also currently on a mission to criss-cross the North Atlantic Ocean in aid of Aerobility. Subscribe to my channel for more inspirational flying vlogs and honest post-flight debrief videos.
About me: flyingreporter.co.uk
Bonus content and member benefits on Patreon: patreon.com/join/theflyingreporter
Facebook: facebook.com/theflyingreporter
Instagram: instagram.com/flyingreporteruk
My channel advertisers and sponsors
Aero Anglia - A light aircraft maintenance organisation at Elmsett in Suffolk.
aeroanglia.com
Aerobytes - Aerobytes provide Flight Data Monitoring services to the airlines.
aerobytes.co.uk
AOPA UK - securing our freedom to fly - Get 25% off your membership here.
aopa.co.uk/flying-reporter-discount-membership-offer
Anglian Flight Centres - Train for your PPL/CBIR/IMC/NIGHT
anglianflightcentres.co.uk
CloudbaseGA - Flight logging and share/syndicate management
https://www.cloudbasega.aero/
Echo 3 - flight operations support
echo3.com
Heathrow Medical - CAA and EASA approved Aero-Medical Centre (AeMC)
heathrowmedical.com
Norvic Aero Engines - Engine overhaul services
norvic.com
Signature Aviation
signatureaviation.com
Vertigo Covers - lightweight, affordable, weatherproof aircraft covers.
vertigocovers.co.uk
#generalaviation #flying #privatepilot #pilot #atc #airtrafficcontrol #aviation #pa28 #flight #debrief #travel
The UK CAA has today published guidance covering pilot and ATC medicals, following months of complaints and concern about the impact of cardiovascular risk assessments on older pilots. Once you reach your late 50s and 60s and if you have common conditions such as hypertension, or are a little overweight, it's been increasingly difficult to maintain a class 2 medical without undergoing costly tests and assessments with a cardiologist.
Representative bodies including AMEs and AOPA have been pushing the CAA to review its reliance on the NHS Q-RISK scoring algorithm, which is used to estimate the 10 year risk of a heart attack or stroke. It uses factors such as your weight, BMI, age and general health to produce a score. Until now, a 10% risk score was the threshold triggering an exercise ECG or worse. It has lead to many pilots ditching their Class 2 medicals and opting instead for a Pilot Medical Declaration. While this keeps them flying, it limits their privileges and also removes them from any medical oversight or assessment.
Today the CAA has relented it seems, and is now increasing the threshold for tests and assessments for Class 2 medical holders, from a 10% risk to a 15% risk. That's not the complete story, and so we explain all and discuss the other implications in our monthly Members' Club Pilot Briefing, which I'm sharing publicly here today as this information will be useful to a much wider community.
I publish these briefings monthly for Flight deck members and above on Flying Reporter Members' Club - if you find this video useful, please be sure to join our club here for a modest monthly fee.
patreon.com/join/theflyingreporter
You'll also get access to exclusive events, discounts and bonus content from The Flying Reporter. If you don't want to join the club, then why not donate a few quid, or buy a raffle ticket for our charity fundraiser for Aerobility here instead. flyingreporter.co.uk
Resources
Cardiovascular risk assessment for pilots and air traffic controllers
caa.co.uk/aeromedical-examiners/medical-standards/pilots/medical-conditions/cardiology/cardiovascular-system-general
Lasham gliding competition RA(T)
nats-uk.ead-it.com/cms-nats/opencms/en/Publications/aip-supplements/EG_Circ_2026_M_062_en.pdf
Cessna 150 spin AAIB report
gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-cessna-fra150l-g-ppfs
I make inspirational videos about my flying adventures around the UK and Europe. I'm also currently on a mission to criss-cross the North Atlantic Ocean in aid of Aerobility. Subscribe to my channel for more inspirational flying vlogs and honest post-flight debrief videos.
About me: flyingreporter.co.uk
Bonus content and member benefits on Patreon: patreon.com/join/theflyingreporter
Facebook: facebook.com/theflyingreporter
Instagram: instagram.com/flyingreporteruk
My channel advertisers and sponsors
Aero Anglia - A light aircraft maintenance organisation at Elmsett in Suffolk.
aeroanglia.com
Aerobytes - Aerobytes provide Flight Data Monitoring services to the airlines.
aerobytes.co.uk
AOPA UK - securing our freedom to fly - Get 25% off your membership here.
aopa.co.uk/flying-reporter-discount-membership-offer
Anglian Flight Centres - Train for your PPL/CBIR/IMC/NIGHT
anglianflightcentres.co.uk
CloudbaseGA - Flight logging and share/syndicate management
https://www.cloudbasega.aero/
Echo 3 - flight operations support
echo3.com
Heathrow Medical - CAA and EASA approved Aero-Medical Centre (AeMC)
heathrowmedical.com
Norvic Aero Engines - Engine overhaul services
norvic.com
Signature Aviation
signatureaviation.com
Vertigo Covers - lightweight, affordable, weatherproof aircraft covers.
vertigocovers.co.uk
#generalaviation #flying #privatepilot #pilot #atc #airtrafficcontrol #aviation #pa28 #flight #debrief #travel
