34.30 Fitness to Fly

34.30.2 Describe the term fitness to fly.

Fitness to fly means being physically and mentally capable of safely operating an aircraft and coping with the demands of the flying environment.

A pilot should be free from any:

• illness or disease;

• injury or disability;

• excessive fatigue;

• mental or emotional condition; or

• medication, drug or alcohol effect

that could suddenly or subtly impair their ability to operate the aircraft safely.

Pilots must be able to recognise when they are fit to fly and, equally importantly, when they are not fit to fly.

Because the aviation environment can affect the human body differently from normal day-to-day conditions, medical advice should be obtained from a doctor familiar with aviation medicine when appropriate.

Key point

A pilot must be physically and mentally fit to safely operate the aircraft.

34.30.4 Explain the responsibilities of pilots towards medical fitness for flight.

Pilots are responsible for ensuring that they are medically fit to fly before operating an aircraft.

If a pilot becomes ill, suffers a serious injury, requires surgery, or develops another significant medical condition, they must consider whether the condition could affect their ability to fly safely.