Driver's License Medical

[rwtucker]

For now, this is a US issue and not a topic limited to flying Diamonds but . . .

I wonder what DAN members think about the possible elimination of the Class III Medical for the medical certification requirements for most private pilots. AOPA and EAA have been promoting this idea with the FAA for years. Last year the FAA said, in effect, "Don't hold your breath." This year, S. 2103 and H.R. 3708 were introduced to bypass the FAA. If passed in its current form, this legislation would direct the FAA to allow those holding a private pilot's license to fly aircraft up to 6,000 lbs. and six passengers using self-certification and a valid driver's license as evidence of medical fitness. Once these Bills were introduced, the FAA suddenly showed interest in the topic (overnight) and said they had planned all along to conduct a rule making session (for non-US members, this is a process to solicit input, appoint a committee, have meetings, and propose a rule change). So far, they have been dragging their feet on initiating the session.

Is this proposed change a good idea? If we like the idea, is there anything more we can do to support it? (Other than contacting our elected representatives; see Tombs post http://www.diamondaviators.net/forum/ge ... t4789.html.) How does it compare with the medical certification requirements for non-US DAN members?

[Rick]

In its' current form, H.R. 3708 only allows VFR flights, so if you have an instrument rating, this unfortunately won't change anything.

[rwtucker]

In its' current form, H.R. 3708 only allows VFR flights, so if you have an instrument rating, this unfortunately won't change anything.

Thanks! I forgot to mention that and the 14,000 MSL limit (probably with AGL allowances). The last I heard, the strategy was to go for VFR first. I'm OK with IFR but, personally, I think 6000/6 is a tad high; 3000/4 would pretty much cover the majority of the aging GA population and might do something to slow the serious decline in our ranks. HS would like to see non-commercial GA go away. If we don't create more pilots, I think it will.

The Bills:
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-con ... /2103/text
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-con ... /3708/text

[LTek1]

I wouldn't be especially sad to see the Drivers' License medical come along, but going to the doctor once every five years is about the bottom thing on my list of barriers to entry. I suppose if I had a medical disqualification, it would certainly be a huge barrier. But of course, I prefer to know that those overhead are medically fit to fly. I think the statistical likelihood of some pilot keeling over suddenly and crashing into a movie theater is pretty low, though, so I'm really not invested in the medical question either way.

That said:

I'd prefer to see AOPA spend their lobbying efforts elsewhere; streamlining equipment certification processes, I believe, would put a much larger dent in the costs associated with flying. There are parallel bills directing the FAA to implement the recommendations of a study thereof, so I'm happy with that.

I also think the industry needs some assistance with mogas compatibility; it seems like the dirt simplest way for manufacturers to get more people buying their engines, but the gears are turning insanely slowly.

That's a pretty good triumvirate: Make it easier to be a pilot, make it easier to build a plane, and make it easier to fuel it. Some action on all three of those would be excellent. So while the medical question is on the bottom of my personal list of concerned, I'll gladly take movement, here, as part of the overall strategy of preserving and promoting General Aviation.

[Rick]

Well said, Lee - and I agree 100%.

[Rich]

I wouldn't be especially sad to see the Drivers' License medical come along, but going to the doctor once every five years is about the bottom thing on my list of barriers to entry.

Ya must be a young dude. It's 24 months for those of us over 40.

If the new rule stays limited to VFR, it won't help me much. Other than the minor hassle and a bit of expense, the current state of affairs is not a problem for me, despite the fact that 40 years old is waaayyy in my rear view mirror. But it is a problem for a lot of folks who actually are OK and get their medicals renewed, but who have to go through significant, repeated, added expense and paperwork to prove it and get reissued. I've met guys who have a class 3 medical that expires after every 12 months, when they have to submit to more tests to get a new one.

Auto drivers having an episode that causes a crash is a statistical rarity, even though cars and motorcycles have millions of "near misses" of a serious collision every single day. And even those with FAA medicals have been known to have medically-based incidents, rare as they are. So a FAA medical is no assurance that something won't pop up in flight unexpectedly.

[rwtucker]

Lee, I agree with your list, especially because all three will address cost, which is probably the biggest barrier to entry for new, young pilots. Given that we have expanded the focus, I would also add measures to specifically address cost. Some of the expenses passed off as certification costs are actually manufacturers taking advantage of the cover. We need more competition and that takes more pilots, thus the vicious cycle.

As for the medical, I guess you know that the vast majority of private pilots are on the two-year medical plan. Personally, I don't have any medical issues but the Class III is an inconvenience, a needless cost, and far from a real physical examination, especially considering that there is no evidence of predictive validity.

The real problem here is addressed by Rich. I know guys -- not just a few -- who are harassed endlessly for trivial medical issues that have no proximate relation to flight safety. My uncle, who is basically healthy and has flown all his life, was subjected to so many surprise calls from Oklahoma to report to an examiner for another medical test that he finally dropped down to Light Sport. All it takes is one overzealous DME to get you on the FAA's radar. After that, all of the more reasonable DMEs can't get you off that watch list. This process is one of the greatest fears and problems of most of my fellow pilots who are way past the 40 mark. I'm glad you don't have to deal with it and I hope it is fixed before you would.

[LTek1]

Yeah, I'm in my 30s, so it's been of minimal impact to me. That said, I'm in the middle of an aircraft purchase at the moment, and lost my partner (my 60ish-year old uncle) due to a medical disqualification. In his case, it would have been relatively easy to fight (it was an old prescription that he was no longer taking), but it was the fly that broke the camel's back in his desire to get back into flying. After the third or fourth round of letters, he just just said, f* it, and bought a convertible.

[carym]

. I'm OK with IFR but, personally, I think 6000/6 is a tad high; 3000/4 would pretty much cover the majority of the aging GA population and might do something to slow the serious decline in our ranks. HS would like to see non-commercial GA go away. If we don't create more pilots, I think it will.

3000/4 won't work for those of us with DA42's. My simple to fly and safe DA42 would be eliminated by 3000 since that is close to the BEW before fuel and passengers, unless you think that the rule should only apply to very light single engine planes. For what it's worth, I feel a lot safer and comfortable flying my DA42 than I did flying my SR22.

[carym]

I wouldn't be especially sad to see the Drivers' License medical come along, but going to the doctor once every five years is about the bottom thing on my list of barriers to entry.

Ya must be a young dude. It's 24 months for those of us over 40.

If the new rule stays limited to VFR, it won't help me much. Other than the minor hassle and a bit of expense, the current state of affairs is not a problem for me, despite the fact that 40 years old is waaayyy in my rear view mirror. But it is a problem for a lot of folks who actually are OK and get their medicals renewed, but who have to go through significant, repeated, added expense and paperwork to prove it and get reissued. I've met guys who have a class 3 medical that expires after every 12 months, when they have to submit to more tests to get a new one.

Every 5 years, boy would I love that. I have been flying for 22 years and have had to have a yearly medical for my class 2 or class 3.