Consultant Occupational Medicine Physician and Aeromedical Examiner
MSc MBChB MFOM MRCGP Dip Av Med DRCOG
Dr Nigel Dowdall joined the Royal Air Force in 1979 and during his service completed training in General Practice, Aviation and Occupational Medicine. He qualified as a Flight Medical Officer in 1990 and, during a career spent mostly on flying stations, gained extensive experience in fast jet, rotary and multi-engine operations.
Nigel retired from the Royal Air Force in the rank of Wing Commander in 1996 and subsequently joined British Airways Health Services (BAHS) as an occupational physician. As a CAA Class 1 AME, he gained considerable experience of civilian pilot medical certification and fitness assessment. He was also responsible for many other aspects of BA’s flight operations, including Concorde pilot pressure-breathing training, aircrew human factors training, development of aircraft medical equipment and kits, cabin crew medical training and passenger medical fitness to fly. He was appointed as Director Health Services at BA in 2004.
Nigel left BA in 2010 and, following part-time appointments as CMO to AXA Assistance UK and as a medical officer at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), he was appointed as Head of the Aviation Health Unit at the CAA in 2011. This role combined responsibilities as principal Government advisor on all aspects of aviation health with that of a senior Medical Assessor in the Medical Department.
Nigel retired from the CAA in 2022 and, having set up his own company, Aviation Medical Consultancy Limited, is now working as an independent consultant in occupational and aviation medicine. He has been re-certificated by the CAA as a Class 1 AME and is looking forward to utilising his many years of aviation medical experience in working with organisations, colleagues and aviation professionals in the coming years.
During his career he has played an active role as a member of the Aerospace Medical Association, served on the International Air Transport Association Medical Advisers Group and been an examiner for the Diploma in Aviation Medicine. He is also a member of the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine.