A copy of a Government Gazette regarding these issues has been published on the Aero Club SA website - see the button on the front page.
This Gazette addresses both the Class 4 GP (medical) issue, as well as the proposed amendment of the aircraft registration regulation.
Kind regards
Neil De Lange
Release Note: 1/20/09/07
Date: 20 September 2007
Dear All
With all the problems experienced at the CAA to get aircraft registered, more specifically NTCA, the CAA apparently realised that the particular provision in the regulation needs to be amended, and attempted such amendment.
Before this could be promulgated, I noticed this effort and managed to stop the promulgation. The proposal was incomprehensible as the numbering and content did not correspond.
I undertook to assist in redrafting the idea, which is not bad, and then agreed with CARCOM to have it re-published for comment. (There was no comment previously, and I do not know how consultation took place)
Attached is what I proposed, and this now needs to be taken apart to make sure the NTCA industry is catered for properly.
The last paragraph (subsection (5)) I added as there are no provision for vintage/ex-military. This did not go down well with them.
I argue that it at least provides the Commissioner with discression (in the absence of any provision)
This amendment will be published in the Government Gazette tomorrow - 21-09-07 (so I am told) for 30 days for comment.
Johan Lok, RP Technical, is engaging the CAA on the ex-military issue as I write this. Any inputs may be send directly to me to allow me to include such comment, but must be send to the CARCOM Secretariat once the Gazette is out.
Thank you
Neil de Lange
Aero Club of SA
Release Note: 2/20/09/07
Date 20 September 2007
Dear All
CLASS 4 MEDICALS and the EXAMINER
Two years ago the CAA held that the Medical General Practitioner, as registered with section 17 of the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974) - (now Health Professions Act) were not suitably qualified to conduct a Class 4 medical examination.
The Aero Club, along with affected sections, and particularly the Soaring Society, objected to the proposed amendment which would disqualify the GP.
After many CARCOM (Civil Aviation Regulations Committee - Part 11) meetings, the Committee decided that no amendment was required.
Somehow, the entire provision qualifying the GP to do such examination was deleted from the regulations.
At the CARCOM meeting of 30 August 2007, the Aero Club placed the matter on the agenda, and requested the reversal of the deletion, alternatively for the entire deletion to be republished in the Government Gazette for purposes of promulgation.
This was agreed by CARCOM, although the system dictates that it lies for 30 days for comment.
During this time the reference to the Medical Act will be changed.
A subsequent meeting held with AvMed (Aviation Medicine section of CAA) produced a constructive way forward:
They wish for some additional training for GPs (Both content and administration) so that the GP knows what the tolerances of the tests allow, and to know where to get the relevant admin forms and how to contact the Institute for Aviation Medicine to file the report.
This seems reasonable, providing the course can be concluded in one day (GPs from far may not want to take two weeks from their practices for this - and we need as many GPs to assist as possible)
The undertaking from the CAA is that this (attached) regulation will be published tomorrow (21-09-07) for comment, and any inputs can be sent to me for coordination, and to the CARCOM secretariat directly.
Yours faithfully
Neil de Lange
Aero Club of South Africa