Here's a summary of the "driver's license" medical certification process implemented in the UK. It's an interesting contrast to the "BasicMed" requirement soon to be implemented here:
"The rules in the UK are rather complicated, as (1) the country has been in the slow process of switching over to a harmonized European system of pilot licensing, (2) that European system itself has been evolving, and (3) at least for the time being the UK has been maintaining multiple UK-only systems for licensing pilots of smaller aircraft and those rules have also been evolving. The fact that the UK is pulling out of the EU (but possibly not out of the European aviation agency EASA) certainly won't simplify things.
Anyway, assuming you are a new pilot (there are some additional privileges that pilots with the old "UK PPL"--which you can no longer get--will have, but let's ignore that complication), you can get a UK National PPL with Simple Single-Engine Aeroplane (SSEA) rating and night rating. That gives you the ability to fly airplanes up to 2000 kg (4400 pounds) certificated max take-off mass, maximum of 4 seats, single engine, day/night VFR.
That's pretty liberal and covers a wide range of aircraft. It is certainly much broader than the FAA Sport Pilot limitations (day-only, generally 600 kg weight, two seats, 120 knots, fixed gear and prop), but not as generous as the PBOR2 medical provisions (IFR allowed up to 18000 feet, six seats, multiple engines allowed, etc.).
As for the actual medical rules in the new UK system, they are dirt simple, if you have a relatively clean medical record. You never have to even visit a doctor (though you will need a color vision test to get the night rating). You just do a one-time on-line self declaration that you meet the medical requirements for an ordinary UK driver's license, and that's it. Once you reach age 70, you need to do the declaration again every 3 years. But, you could conceivably go 50+ years from when you are a teenager until you reach 70, without having to do a single thing to remain medically qualified. That's much simpler than the PBOR2 system of checklists, doctor exams and sign-offs, and online courses.
The catch, though, is that you can't use the one-time self-declaration system at all if you have any history of one of a list of conditions, including: medication for a psychiatric condition, bipolar disorder, psychosis, substance abuse, certain severe cardiac conditions, severe lung disease, epilepsy, neurological condition requiring medication, insulin treatment, etc. If you've ever had any of these conditions, you can't use the self declaration option. This is sort of similar to the PBOR2 system, with a few important differences. Lung disease and insulin treatment are on the UK disqualifying list, but not the PBOR2's. A simple myocardial infarction (heart attack) is on the PBOR2's disqualifying list, but not the UK's. For the cardiac conditions, in the PBOR2 system, you only need a one-time Special Issuance, and then you can start using the normal PBOR2 system again, but in the UK system you are stuck getting a medical certificate for the rest of your life. But, the most important difference, I think is in the treatment of psychiatric conditions. In the UK system, if you have ever in your life taken medical for a psychiatric condition, you cannot rely on self-declaration and you need to get a medical certificate from an AME.
That difference disqualifies a big chunk of the UK population, as something like 10% of the population there is currently on antidepressants. I suspect this is a reaction to the Germanwings crash, at least in part.
On balance, I think that the US system--after the PBOR2 changes--is a more liberal system. Even folks with history of cardiac surgery, insulin-dependent diabetes, or a history of significant mental illness can fly under the sport pilot rules without ever seeing a doctor. And for heavier aircraft, the PBOR2 rules offer substantially greater privileges (IFR, six seats, multi-engine)* and are available to those with a wider range of medical conditions without ever needing to deal with an AME or with the FAA medical bureaucracy. The downside to the PBOR2 rules is that everyone has to see a doctor at least once ever four years and to do the online course every two years. That's more to keep track of for the 100% healthy pilots, but it's probably not a bad idea for anybody.
If you want to read some of the nitty-gritty, take a look at the following:
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP 1397 APR16.pdf
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/765/article/163/made
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/765/schedule/8/part/1/chapter/3/made
* Folks with the old "UK PPL" (no longer available for new applicants), will actually have broader privileges under the new rules, including the ability to fly in IMC and in aircraft up to 5700 kg (12500 pounds). But, those privileges are all scheduled to go away in 2018, based upon changes in the EASA rules. A very odd quirk in the rules. Also, as currently planned, the UK National PPL (the license that you can still get) will lose privileges to fly most aircraft that in the U.S. would have standard airworthiness certificates (e.g., typical Cessnas, Pipers, Cirruses, etc.) and be limited to only microlights, vintage, and home-built aircraft after 2018. I doubt that is actually going to happen. But, who can be sure what will actually end up happening, particularly with the UK leaving the EU."
I think what we holders of Third Class certificates were asking for was closer to the UK requirement. I wonder how reciprocity will work.
"The rules in the UK are rather complicated, as (1) the country has been in the slow process of switching over to a harmonized European system of pilot licensing, (2) that European system itself has been evolving, and (3) at least for the time being the UK has been maintaining multiple UK-only systems for licensing pilots of smaller aircraft and those rules have also been evolving. The fact that the UK is pulling out of the EU (but possibly not out of the European aviation agency EASA) certainly won't simplify things.
Anyway, assuming you are a new pilot (there are some additional privileges that pilots with the old "UK PPL"--which you can no longer get--will have, but let's ignore that complication), you can get a UK National PPL with Simple Single-Engine Aeroplane (SSEA) rating and night rating. That gives you the ability to fly airplanes up to 2000 kg (4400 pounds) certificated max take-off mass, maximum of 4 seats, single engine, day/night VFR.
That's pretty liberal and covers a wide range of aircraft. It is certainly much broader than the FAA Sport Pilot limitations (day-only, generally 600 kg weight, two seats, 120 knots, fixed gear and prop), but not as generous as the PBOR2 medical provisions (IFR allowed up to 18000 feet, six seats, multiple engines allowed, etc.).
As for the actual medical rules in the new UK system, they are dirt simple, if you have a relatively clean medical record. You never have to even visit a doctor (though you will need a color vision test to get the night rating). You just do a one-time on-line self declaration that you meet the medical requirements for an ordinary UK driver's license, and that's it. Once you reach age 70, you need to do the declaration again every 3 years. But, you could conceivably go 50+ years from when you are a teenager until you reach 70, without having to do a single thing to remain medically qualified. That's much simpler than the PBOR2 system of checklists, doctor exams and sign-offs, and online courses.
The catch, though, is that you can't use the one-time self-declaration system at all if you have any history of one of a list of conditions, including: medication for a psychiatric condition, bipolar disorder, psychosis, substance abuse, certain severe cardiac conditions, severe lung disease, epilepsy, neurological condition requiring medication, insulin treatment, etc. If you've ever had any of these conditions, you can't use the self declaration option. This is sort of similar to the PBOR2 system, with a few important differences. Lung disease and insulin treatment are on the UK disqualifying list, but not the PBOR2's. A simple myocardial infarction (heart attack) is on the PBOR2's disqualifying list, but not the UK's. For the cardiac conditions, in the PBOR2 system, you only need a one-time Special Issuance, and then you can start using the normal PBOR2 system again, but in the UK system you are stuck getting a medical certificate for the rest of your life. But, the most important difference, I think is in the treatment of psychiatric conditions. In the UK system, if you have ever in your life taken medical for a psychiatric condition, you cannot rely on self-declaration and you need to get a medical certificate from an AME.
That difference disqualifies a big chunk of the UK population, as something like 10% of the population there is currently on antidepressants. I suspect this is a reaction to the Germanwings crash, at least in part.
On balance, I think that the US system--after the PBOR2 changes--is a more liberal system. Even folks with history of cardiac surgery, insulin-dependent diabetes, or a history of significant mental illness can fly under the sport pilot rules without ever seeing a doctor. And for heavier aircraft, the PBOR2 rules offer substantially greater privileges (IFR, six seats, multi-engine)* and are available to those with a wider range of medical conditions without ever needing to deal with an AME or with the FAA medical bureaucracy. The downside to the PBOR2 rules is that everyone has to see a doctor at least once ever four years and to do the online course every two years. That's more to keep track of for the 100% healthy pilots, but it's probably not a bad idea for anybody.
If you want to read some of the nitty-gritty, take a look at the following:
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP 1397 APR16.pdf
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/765/article/163/made
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/765/schedule/8/part/1/chapter/3/made
* Folks with the old "UK PPL" (no longer available for new applicants), will actually have broader privileges under the new rules, including the ability to fly in IMC and in aircraft up to 5700 kg (12500 pounds). But, those privileges are all scheduled to go away in 2018, based upon changes in the EASA rules. A very odd quirk in the rules. Also, as currently planned, the UK National PPL (the license that you can still get) will lose privileges to fly most aircraft that in the U.S. would have standard airworthiness certificates (e.g., typical Cessnas, Pipers, Cirruses, etc.) and be limited to only microlights, vintage, and home-built aircraft after 2018. I doubt that is actually going to happen. But, who can be sure what will actually end up happening, particularly with the UK leaving the EU."
I think what we holders of Third Class certificates were asking for was closer to the UK requirement. I wonder how reciprocity will work.
