Better to accept a small compromise or two, than not get the thing passed.
Talk is cheap, so I'm still not holding my breath, but I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping.

hotrod180 wrote:Better to accept a small compromise or two, than not get the thing passed.

X2 on that. Getting 3/4 of what you wanted... from the federal government... is not exactly a failed effort.

Yeah, I can live with it if they can get it passed.

It does appear this is close to passing and that's a good thing for those with a PPL. So, where did all the data come from that will help those with a PPL? It came from the Sport Pilot Certificate community. Sport Pilots have safely self-regulated medical issues for 10 years and proven it can be done. THEY did it. Way to go guys!! Good job!! Thanks for doing a great job!! And what does the Sport Pilot community get for supplying all this data and proving pilots can, and do fly safely without a 3rd class medical? NOTHING. No changes what-so-ever for Sport Pilots. So thanks a lot guys, you just keep flying those little bitty planes safely ... oh, and stay out of everyone else's way. After all, the PPL community is getting most of what they wanted, the rest of you are just out of luck.

I will say thanks,however I do not believe as long as there are democrates running the show it won't happen. I got a response from a letter I sent to Senator Rubio on the subject and it was as usual the same old doubble talking bull s.. I guess they don't realize we are talking 600 thousand plus votes for the candidate that accomplishes this. Actually I think all the new president would have to do is call in the FAA guy/gal and say do it or be replaced. It would get done over night. If the pen and phone can do what it has done, I don't see why not. But I'm sure some Dem would have an excuse. After all it is a control thing. Just think of all the new planes that would be ordered and the tax money. Did I say tax,omg. But you should be thanked, keep flying and enjoying your fine aircraft.

SkySteve wrote:
And what does the Sport Pilot community get for supplying all this data and proving pilots can, and do fly safely without a 3rd class medical? NOTHING.

Horseshit.

We ALL get a stronger aviation community, with more voters, more pilots, more industry, more political power. We ALL get an opportunity to get back thousands of older pilots who quit. We all get less airport closures. We all get more positive visibility in the community. We get more Young Eagles kids to have a chance at a future for aviation. We get tens of thousands of more parents and relatives who vote against closing an airport. We get more chances to build airplanes without being squashed. YOU LSA guys get a whole lot of new supporters, "big brothers", etc.

And you LSA guys get many many many more choices in airplanes, the ability to move into higher performance aircraft, etc. without medical barriers. What you get is sincere thanks from ALL of aviation for providing a majority of the data that (hopefully) got this passed.

That's like having Al Capone and Meyer Lansky say thank you and we owe you a favor

We ALL get a stronger aviation community, with more voters, more pilots, more industry, more political power. We ALL get an opportunity to get back thousands of older pilots who quit. We all get less airport closures. We all get more positive visibility in the community. We get more Young Eagles kids to have a chance at a future for aviation. We get tens of thousands of more parents and relatives who vote against closing an airport. We get more chances to build airplanes without being squashed. YOU LSA guys get a whole lot of new supporters, "big brothers", etc.

And you LSA guys get many many many more choices in airplanes, the ability to move into higher performance aircraft, etc. without medical barriers. What you get is sincere thanks from ALL of aviation for providing a majority of the data that (hopefully) got this passed.

Well said

EZFlap wrote:

SkySteve wrote:
And what does the Sport Pilot community get for supplying all this data and proving pilots can, and do fly safely without a 3rd class medical? NOTHING.

Horseshit.

We ALL get a stronger aviation community, with more voters, more pilots, more industry, more political power. We ALL get an opportunity to get back thousands of older pilots who quit. We all get less airport closures. We all get more positive visibility in the community. We get more Young Eagles kids to have a chance at a future for aviation. We get tens of thousands of more parents and relatives who vote against closing an airport. We get more chances to build airplanes without being squashed. YOU LSA guys get a whole lot of new supporters, "big brothers", etc.

And you LSA guys get many many many more choices in airplanes, the ability to move into higher performance aircraft, etc. without medical barriers. What you get is sincere thanks from ALL of aviation for providing a majority of the data that (hopefully) got this passed.

That's like having Al Capone and Meyer Lansky say thank you and we owe you a favor

Actually, read the new proposed regulation. His point was that current LS pilots may not be able to qualify to fly larger airplanes because they can't pass a flight physical. If they've held a medical in the last ten years, yes, but there are a lot of LS pilots who may have never held a medical, and they won't be able to fly larger airplanes under this new proposal.

And, that is in fact, horseshit, in my opinion. As he said, the primary argument for eliminating the 3rd class medical is that LS pilots have been flying safely for several years now. To leave many of those folks out of the process sucks.

But, then, even if this were to pass the Congress and be signed by the Pres today, the FAA would still have to write a set of regulations to implement the law......and I'm sure they'd jump right on that. Note that Congress told them a couple years ago to implement regulations to operate drones in the NAS by September, 2015. See any rules out there on that yet?

MTV

My last medical expired in 1998. Sport pilot rules did not exist then. I was building an airplane and not flying. I planned to renew my medical when I finished building. Sport pilot rules came along about the time I finished building my kitfox which met the definition of LSA so I saw no reason to renew the medical. I thought, what luck, I can save the money and hassle of a medical.

I'm not going to risk failing a medical now but consider myself lucky to be able to continue flying. I say good for you guys that are flying sport pilot rules and can move up to larger planes if you want to, and have the money, and this passes.

As he said, the primary argument for eliminating the 3rd class medical is that LS pilots have been flying safely for several years now. To leave many of those folks out of the process sucks.

Yes, that's exactly my point. Many of us were looking forward to moving forward with our PPL and flying larger planes so we would be able to take more than one person with us and carry more substantial camping gear, etc.

SkySteve wrote:........Sport Pilots have safely self-regulated medical issues for 10 years and proven it can be done. THEY did it. Way to go guys!! Good job!! Thanks for doing a great job!! And what does the Sport Pilot community get for supplying all this data and proving pilots can, and do fly safely without a 3rd class medical? NOTHING. ........

What do you want? At least (if it goes through) we'll be getting something, and something is better than nothing. Those of us who will benefit will be thankful if it passes.

tcj wrote:....I'm not going to risk failing a medical now but consider myself lucky to be able to continue flying. I say good for you guys that are flying sport pilot rules and can move up to larger planes if you want to, and have the money, and this passes.

What risk? Get a copy of the AME book and take it to your personal doc, and ask him if you'd pass a third class medical. If he says you can pass, make an appt with an AME. If not, keep flying LSA / SP.

Oh, if the new version actually passes (and I'm skeptical that the Pres would sign it anyway) it will certainly be an improvement, but the point is, it'll still leave a lot of people out. And, I for one think that's unfortunate.

And, wouldn't it be nice if those folks now flying a LS airplane might actually be legal to fly a Cessna 150?

Any progress would be an improvement, but....

MTV

I live in Northern Virginia...ie. the Washington, DC Suburbs. I am not that far from the US Congressional buildings. Only one of the two VA. Senators has given support to this Bill.

I am thinking of getting say three or four private pilot folks from VA to actually go and schedule a visit withg my Senator and/or his LA. Maybe that is a nutty idea. I just hate hate hate all the foot dragging that has gone on with this bill. ALPA's move sure didn't help things either.

Presidential candidates Senators Paul of Kentucky and Rubio of Florida have not added their names as cosponsors of S571. It would seem appropriate for folks across the nation to contact their campaigns to urge such. And let's keep up pressure on the House end on HR1062 as well.

It passed the Senate! Now on to the House. Identify your reps and make sure they know you support this.

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... cal-reform

Good FAQ on the revised bill/rule:

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... dical-FAQs

Good news, I think.

I don't know if I were a general practice physician I would be all that fired up to accept the liability of signing off on a pilot with no aerospace medicine training.

I can just see the lawsuits lining up when my name shows up on a medical form of the PIC who plows into school or public building.

Unless there is some sort of protection for the docs, I can see some of them not signing off during a routine exam.

We will have to see how it plays out.

TD

Zzz wrote: ......Good FAQ on the revised bill/rule:
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... dical-FAQs

There is some ambiguity on the 10 year window from your last medical-- this article says 10 years since it was issued in one place, and 10 years since it expired in another. They need to clear that up.

Also, that "simple form" is morphing-- it started out as a list of stuff your doc had to discuss with you. Now it's "The doctor will have to indicate that he or she has made the necessary checks, and that he or she is not aware of any medical conditions, as they are now being treated, that will prevent the pilot from flying safely. Both the pilot and doctor will need to sign the form." Not quite the same thing-- more like a medical certificate with a different name.

Also, say this thing passes. My 2-year medical was issued in 2015. In 2017 it will have been less than 4 years since I saw a doc, but I will no longer have a current medical and I will not have the required-every-four-years "form" either. Do I need to see a doc and get that new form signed off? Or will I be able to wait until 2019?

TomD wrote:Good news, I think.

I can just see the lawsuits lining up when my name shows up on a medical form of the PIC who plows into school or public building.

Unless there is some sort of protection for the docs, I can see some of them not signing off during a routine exam.

There may indeed have to be some sort of add-on language in the bill, to the effect that the physician cannot be held any more (or less) responsible than he or she would have been held responsible for any other routine medical examination. Meaning that the law sees this physician as bearing the same (Hippocratic Oath) responsibility as any other routine physical exam.

So a doctor who tells some clear high risk individual (psychotic, sociopath, super high blood pressure, crackhead, raging alcoholic) that they're just fine to go out and drive a car down the street in front of a schoolyard - would bear some responsibility, and that doctor would rightfully have a reason to not look forward to the legal summons. The legalese language added to PBOR should rightly hold the doctor to the same standard for signing the form for a pilot.

Hey Mtn. Doc. ! You want to add an educated comment to this?