Pilots are required to be medically fit throughout their career, as they are subjected to challenging environments and altitudes ranging from sea level to 45,000 feet above ground. In order to tackle the physically demanding career, they should undergo strenuous medical tests too, in regular intervals. Given below are the types of medical examinations pilots are supposed to undergo.
Class 2 medicals
This is the first step of your medicals. It consists of a series of tests like:
- Vision test
- Audiometry
- ECG
- Chest X-ray
- Blood routine checkup
- Urine culture test
This medical is valid for 2 years. Cadets undergoing training should get their Class 2 medicals done before starting their flying.
Class 1 Medicals
Apart from the tests to be conducted for Class 2, Class 1 has got a few more stringent tests including Ultrasound scanning of abdomen, blood sugar monitoring etc. Class 1 medical is the real medical examination a pilot should undergo continuously throughout their career. After getting their Class 2 medical assessment from DGCA, they can go for their Class 1 medicals. Class 1 medical is valid for 1 year, and should be renewed yearly, till the candidate reaches 45 years. Then it will be reduced to 6 months until 60 years of age and thereafter 3 months. Class 1 renewals can be done from any Class 1 medical centers. however, initials and re-initials must be conducted from Indian Air Force Medical Establishments only.
Where to conduct medical tests?
Apart from initial and re-initial medicals, which are to be conducted from Indian Air Force medical establishments in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, other medicals may be conducted from any approved Class 1 centres throughout the country. Many well-known private hospitals have approvals for conducting Class 1 medicals.
While doing medical tests by your own, from labs or hospitals, make sure they are NABL or NABH certified, respectively. Also, the test reports given from the labs should bear QR codes, while scanning will lead to digital verification of the certificates. This is required by DGCA to prevent tampering of test reports.