| GENERAL INFORMATION
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| KEYWORDS
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Category 1 aviation medical certificate, heart disease, coronary artery disease
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| FILE NO.
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Q-2714-01
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| SECTOR (Marine or Aviation)
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Aviation
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| SPECIFIC JOB
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Private pilot
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| DIAGNOSIS (Primary, Secondary, etc.)
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Coronary artery disease
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| REVIEW
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| DATE OF DETERMINATION
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March 31, 2004
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| MEMBER
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Dr. Michael Richard
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| DETERMINATION
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The Minister’s decision to suspend the applicant’s medical certificate is upheld.
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| REASONS FOR THE DETERMINATION
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Suspension of a category 1 aviation medical certificate — The applicant’s significant coronary artery disease renders his condition unacceptable for holding a pilot licence. Confirmation of this condition is well documented in the submitted medical reports from the applicant’s own physicians as well as the Minister of Transport’s physicians. Based on the evidence from both parties, the member is of the view that the applicant does have a coronary condition significant enough to render him unfit. The Minister’s decision to suspend the applicant’s medical certificate is upheld.
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| APPEAL
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| DATE OF DECISION
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August 6, 2004
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| MEMBERS
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Faye Smith, Suzanne Racine, Dr. Anne Thériault
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| DECISION
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The appeal is dismissed. The Minister’s decision is confirmed.
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| REASONS FOR THE DECISION
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The appellant is not contesting the documents placed in evidence at the review hearing and does not deny that he has a heart condition. He considers Transport Canada’s standards too exacting and wants Transport Canada to reconsider its decision not to grant a category 3 medical certificate, with or without restrictions, since his cardiologist believes he is fit to fly.
In the aviation community, in order to fly, the risk of coronary event cannot be above 2% a year. The appeal panel assumes that if the risk in the appellant’s case diverged slightly from this standard, a licence restricting him to flying with or as a co-pilot could be issued, but in this case, the panel lacks certain elements in order to assess the risk he presents: the lipid profile, blood sugar, abdominal girth measurements, and compliance with prescribed treatment. Although the present risk seems relatively high to the panel, a drastic change in certain risk factors could bring his coronary event risk close to the required 2% a year.
Accordingly, the appeal panel does not feel the information supplied to date is sufficient to allow the appellant to fly without concern. It seems to the panel that the risk of sudden impairment in flight is too high and could endanger his co-pilot by placing additional stress upon them. The appeal is accordingly dismissed, and the Tribunal confirms the Minister of Transport’s decision to suspend the appellant’s category 1 medical certificate on medical grounds.
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| OTHER/COMMENTS
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