I am not sure that it is quite as easy as that. The BGA self declaration
medical form countersigned by your own doctor is a requirement for the UK
NPPL, i.e. for UK recreational pilots flying simple UK registered
aircraft, including gliders, in UK airspace. We may have a special
arrangement with the Irish, or maybe this just wasn't spotted!

At some point in the future this, or something similar, will become a
European wide arrangement under EASA, as part of a Recreational Pilots
Licence. At the moment the French won't accept my UK NPPL medical
certificate, and would require that I undergo a medical by one of their
own aviation doctors before flying there, although most of the other EC
countries will, but only if I am flying a UK registered glider. UK NPPL
holders are not even allowed to fly foreign registered aircraft in the UK,
as my club found out when we imported a German registered towplane. It
could only be flown by pilots with full CAA or JAR medical certificates.

Obviously we will accept any recognised aviation medical certificate
issued by a National or International Aviation Authority. Otherwise it
would be a good idea to check with the BGA before coming. Their website is
www.gliding.co.uk

Derek Copeland


At 20:31 09 July 2009, Bartek K. wrote:
The BGA rules say that your medical practitioner must sign the
relevant
form which can be downloaded from the BGA website, nowhere does it say
that your medical practitioner has to be in the UK so get the form
signed
by your doctor in the US and that complies with the rules.

Yep, I had no problems flying solo in the UK with the form signed by
an Irish GP.

Bart