Drivers license - Third Class Medical Proposal

[Esser]

I am a COPA member and while I feel the organize does indeed contribute, I was more referring to the individuals that do nothing.

On the front page of the COPA website and the COPA newspaper, COPA asked everyone to write to Transport Canada to not pass off the airport approval process to municipalities. Out of 20,000 members, TC received 14 replies and not all of those 14 were COPA members.

In contrast, it looks like a lot of individuals in the US are pitching in personally to change this 3rd class medical.

That being said, I feel that COPA needs some serious change but that might not be a topic for this thread.

[MotReklaw]

Happy to have had the chance to speak out on this proposal. Thanks for posting the link. I sent it to several friends as well.

[Av8r3400]

More communications announced from the FAA.

Link

We need to keep up the pressure to our elected officials on this! Movement is beginning to happen.

[Av8r3400]

Link

Here comes the voice of the beurocrats and people who make vast amounts of money with medical denials and re-certification (attempts).

We need to continue to send our letters to both houses of congress in support of this legislation. This is the way these things go, the special interests stepping in the way of the public's attempt at streamlining an out of control government in order to protect their own gravy trains.

If you haven't signed the petition or sent letters to your congressional representatives, please, please follow the link in the previous posts to do so. We can not allow this to be quashed.

[mr bill]

If this thing is ever passed, I'll bet it won't include anyone who has ever had a special issuance. Which to my mind, is the point of the whole thing.

[Agfoxflyer]

Just got a letter from one of my Senators. Said he would take my views into consideration if/when the bill comes for vote. Didn't say he would support it! Typical non committal politician.

[RobS]

This is a lengthy post, but I thought you might be interested in seeing where one of my State's Senators stands on this issue. It's not where I hoped he'd land on this - and I hope it's not indicative of the opinion of the rest of congress. Here is his reply to me:

"I think that a middle ground exists between the current FAA requirements and the driver's license standard that the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act would institute. Currently, general aviation pilots must obtain a Third Class Medical Certificate by passing a physical administered by a physician certified as an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). The scarcity of AMEs enables them to charge high prices for their services and often places an extra burden on those general aviation pilots who must travel a great distance to reach the nearest AME's office.

FAA regulations specify physical and mental fitness standards that pilots seeking a Third Class Medical Certificate must meet. Most of these standards mandate that a pilot be free of certain medical conditions. I believe that doctors who complete Third Class Medical Certificates should have a thorough knowledge of their patients' histories in order to best evaluate whether or not their patients exhibit signs of certain proscribed conditions. Internal and family physicians have the patient knowledge, familiarity, and accessibility necessary to most effectively render Third Class Medical Certificate decisions. So, I would support a bill that enables internal and family physicians – whether or not they hold an AME certification – to complete Third Class Medical Certificates.

I cannot support the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act in its current form because I think that the driver's license standard that it specifies does not adequately protect pilots, their passengers, and the general population. I am open, though, to discussing the system that I propose above with the Act's authors as a potential improvement to their bill. Please be in touch as this issue develops."

[old flyer 86]

It is just the way the goverment does things. Back in 1959 when ex general Quesada was faa administrator Eastern Airlines had a Lockheed Electra crash into Boston Harbor on takeoff due to Swallow ingestion into two engines on one side. Well the general arrived personally on the scene from DC and voiced the opinion that migratory birds caused the accident before the wreckage was brought up. This turned out to be the cause, however on the way back to DC the general voiced the opinion that Airline Pilots should not fly beyond age 60. The regulation came out shortly without any research being done and we were forced into retirement at 60 for the next 53 years where upon the age was raised to 65 without further research. All during this time foriegn carriers were overflying US airspace without age restriction. What made them safer than us? OLD FLYER 86 (Forced into early retirment Airline Captain)
ATR 32,000 hrs.
F/E 1988
A&E CAA 1955
CFII 1954
FAA Master Pilot award 2011
Considering Kitfox IV this fall