(1) The agenda for GA medical reform is the same agenda that AOPA and the general aviation community has had for many years. The difference today is the movement has finally obtained some traction in and around Washington. After pushing the issue for over ten years, the house and senate have introduced the "Pilot's bill of rights 2", a set of rules designed to protect pilots flying for public interest, representatives of the FAA, and pilots that risk losing their freedom to fly based on outdated medical requirements (Tennyson, 2015). AOPA has a list of senators and state representatives from both parties that have endorsed these changes, and is very confident that the changes will go through.
(2)Currently, the pilot's bill of rights 2 is a bill that is being mulled over by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. The committee will vote on the laws, as well as possible amendments to the laws, and once it passes (if it passes?) the house and senate will vote on passing the bill into legislation (Tennyson, 2015). If it passes through congress, the president will then have to sign the bill to make it officially legal legislation. Then, the administrator will follow the letters of the laws to write proper regulations (or amend regulations) into the FAR's for the aviation community to follow accordingly.
(3)In my opinion, the biggest aspect to the new rules would be the financial impact. I will say, though, that that is a sad statement considering the rules are being built around an individuals health and its effect on public safety. Low balling the estimate, the FAA alone stands to save at least $2.49 million each year by cutting out the processes associated with approving third class medicals. Furthermore, pilots will save around $20 million nation wide, all of which would likely be put directly back into the industry which provides about $219 billion to the U.S. economy each year (Stanley, 2015). The negative side of this aspect is the small likelihood that someone operating an aircraft in an unsafe manor (after smoking marijuana or losing his mental stability), and you "can't put a price tag on the public safety". There are some senators, as well as members of the NTSB that are so afraid of this that they will fight for the third class medical until the president signs off on it. I would say that I agree that safety shouldn't have a price tag that's too far out of reach. However, safety has never been effected by individuals with expired or non-existent medical forms, meaning no aviation accident in the NTSB archive was caused by a pilot (or otherwise) that was flying on an expired or non-existent medical certificate. Furthermore, there are multiple instances where non-pilots and co-pilots, from general aviation all the way up to 121 major carriers, were forced to land an aircraft because the pilot flying became incapacitated or died while flying with a current and valid medical certificate. Even the germanwings pilot voids this argument, as he was an individual who did report his issues, who was documented as possibly suspect, and he was still allowed to fly his passengers into the Alps. Something as simple as a third class medical screening is not going to prevent things like this from happening, but it will prevent many thousands of ageing pilots and upcoming hopeful's from experiencing the love of flight due to minor health problems that have no consequence on their flying.
(4)I believe that reform is necessary because too many people are being turned away from a slowly dying industry that used to be so beautiful when thriving. With manufacturing costs skyrocketing from regulations and fuel prices costing more than quality draft beer at high priced bars, its difficult enough to fly for those of us who can easily pass the current medical requirements. We need all the income we can get at FBO's and public use airports by allowing as many people as possible to fly, especially those with the means and the passion who might be just a bit older or a bit heavier than the rest of us.
References:
Stanely, C. (2015, February 28). The FAA and NTSB vs. Common Sense: Part Deux. Retrieved
December 1, 2015, from http://jonathanturley.org/2015/02/28/the-faa-and-ntsb-vs-common-
sense- part-deux/
Tennyson, E. (2015, November 18). Closer than ever. Retrieved December 1, 2015, from
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/November/18/Closer-than-ever
I couldn't agree more. People are slaving for years on these high priced flight schools only to be told they aren't eligible to do what they spent nearly half their life pursuing. For there not to be amendments to the reform you're already setting young pilots up for failure. The cost of FBO operations is like you said, skyrocketing and in today's economy it’s hard to tell what prices will do next. WE NEED MEDICAL REFORM NOW.
ReplyDeleteYour post is longer than mine but I believe we need to bring life back into the aviation industry but I don’t know if we should bring that life back via the driver’s license. Some people are hell on wheel and should not operate a motor “land” vehicle so why should they be able to operate an airplane.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read from your post that the FAA would actually save money from cutting out the process of approving a third class medical. I thought they would actually make money from third class medicals just as the doctors do for providing the services of examinations. I agree that the reform is necessary, which will help the industry gain and maintain pilots with small issues, so the industry can gain more advocates.
ReplyDeleteUnless you come from a well-to-do family, contract overseas and not burn through your coffers, or win the lotto, it usually takes a while to accrue enough discretionary funds to purchase ones own aircraft. In those “golden years”, it would be nice to not be pinned down to such black and white medical requirements, and leave it up to the PIC to determine his or her fitness to fly. Since its harder to revoke regulation than it is to enact it, I still believe the revocation of the third class medical is due to AME’s losing their “quick buck” engine, and regulators fear of relinquishing power and control.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting you brought up the German Wings accident. It is true that this pilot had a first class medical. Even with this first class medical the pilot was not medically fit. So the medical even still does not prevent all health related events in flight.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting you brought up the German Wings accident. It is true that this pilot had a first class medical. Even with this first class medical the pilot was not medically fit. So the medical even still does not prevent all health related events in flight.
ReplyDelete