What will change for YOU if the medical changes go through?

Here's the place to ask all of your medical questions. But don't believe everything you read!

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Nomore767
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by Nomore767 »

CTLSi wrote:The plain fact still remains. The FAA is arbitrary and capricious in regard to the entire premise of medical exams for pilot certifications.

That's what the FAA's role IS…to be the ruling/policing authority and thus sets the standards for pilot qualifications.

Still the FAA has jurisdiction. It doesn't matter the rules are illogical and irrational. No one can justify the split in policy. That some require a medical exam to fly, and others do not and are left to their own unqualified medical judgement.

Not true. There are NO pilots who are allowed to fly without some sort of medical. The fact that YOU can't get YOUR head round that doesn't change it. Sport pilots have the medical standard decreed by their state's DL. But then sport pilots also don't have the flying privileges that PPLs have either. It's not a 'split in "policy"…it's the RULE.
You are twisting 'self-certifying (which ALL pilots are required to do EVERY flight) by suggesting that some pilots are allowed to make 'un-qualified medical judgements". Not true…if you don't feel good, have the flu, a fever, sick to the stomach, whatever…'medically' the pilot should take themselves off flying status until they're fit to fly. This rule goes across the board for every pilot, every flight.

It is true that I personally will benefit in the near future if the FAA relaxes the medical requirements for PP. But that does not negate the fact that there are guys flying right now under sport pilot privilege that could not pass at least the 3rd class medical and are arguably unfit, medically, to fly.

There are guys flying at EVERY LEVEL of medical certificate that could not pass the third class medical, if they're sick. You can take your medical, then get sick, recover and got back to flying status with your doctor's approval and when you self -assess. You can argue this moot point as long as your personal agenda feels like, it just doesn't reflect the law, the Rules, or the current medical certificate climate and culture.
The FAA is going to be making an NPRM this FALL on this subject. This would be your chance to voice your concerns and feelings about all the sick pilots flying around recklessly in LSAs.

So, unless the FAA takes away all medical exams, or restores medical exams for all flyers, the mission of the FAA is undermined and erratic. And aviation safety is likewise undermined by inference.
The 'mission' of the FAA is to ensure that the Sport Pilot standards are maintained and that safety is foremost. You can argue differently, but the record shows that the Sport Pilot community has a see and responsible record and that LSAs aren't falling out of the sky because old sick geezers can't fly them safely.

There are irresponsible idiots in all sorts of planes with all sorts of licenses…fortunately, they are very few, and need to be removed.
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by Jack Tyler »

One point that seems to be overlooked is that the FAA has not written exemption language as their proposal, as made clear by the Administrator. They have authored a new rule related to medical exam requirements. That's what makes this such an interesting outcome of the original EAA/AOPA exemption proposal, at least to me. They have staked a large canvas on which to generate the new language.
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MovingOn
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by MovingOn »

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Last edited by MovingOn on Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dstclair
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by dstclair »

I liked the 3 requirements proposed by AOPA and EAA: DL, self-certification and annual awareness health training.
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by Jack Tyler »

I did (and do) as well, Dave. Of course, that's the 'how' of the change and, even if modified by the FAA, will probably be acceptable to most folks so long as the 3rd class medical itself is eliminated. It's the 'what' of the change - what kinds of flying and for which kinds of aircraft - that we're all pondering.

So where's the leak from within the DOT that I was hoping would materialize?!
Jack
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MrMorden
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by MrMorden »

Nomore767 wrote:
The 'mission' of the FAA is to ensure that the Sport Pilot standards are maintained and that safety is foremost. You can argue differently, but the record shows that the Sport Pilot community has a see and responsible record and that LSAs aren't falling out of the sky because old sick geezers can't fly them safely.

There are irresponsible idiots in all sorts of planes with all sorts of licenses…fortunately, they are very few, and need to be removed.
Agreed. I remember a pilot that lost his ticket a few years ago after he posted pictures of himself doing coke, drinking, and getting a BJ...while flying a helicopter. :shock:

A third class medical does not confer good judgment or a safety mindset on anybody.

I spent last week at Oshkosh, and I was astounded by the people there. 500,000+ attendees, and not one time did I see anybody drunk to the point of embarrassment, doing something stupid (other than the arguably insane airshow pilots), or otherwise making themselves a menace. Overall I think the aviation community is one of the safest groups with the best judgment on the planet. Exceptions happen, but generally what I'm saying is true.
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FastEddieB
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by FastEddieB »

And what would you say the average age of the attendees was?
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MrMorden
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by MrMorden »

FastEddieB wrote:And what would you say the average age of the attendees was?
Hard to say...older than the general population, as expected. Probably 45-50 as an overall average. Many older, but a lot of younger folks too.

But go to a tractor pull and compare the behavior of 50 year olds in that setting... ;)
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by 3Dreaming »

FastEddieB wrote:And what would you say the average age of the attendees was?
I think the crowd was younger than in the past, with lots of people from outside the US.
charlesl46
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by charlesl46 »

I'm 68 yrs. old with history of heart attack. Bottom line-I'd start flying again.
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drseti
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by drseti »

Charles, we're the same age. Assuming that your cardiovascular health is now good, and ylou've checked in with (and been cleared by)your cardiologist, and your FAA medical was never revoked, and you self-assess before every flight, you can still start flying again. (You would of course be restricted to LSAs and Sport Pilot limitations, but there's a lot you can do now inder those conditions).
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
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designrs
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by designrs »

MrMorden wrote:Agreed. I remember a pilot that lost his ticket a few years ago after he posted pictures of himself doing coke, drinking, and getting a BJ...while flying a helicopter. :shock:
Well we've all heard of the "Mile High Club" guess this can be referred to as the "Hover Club".
That's one way to go out in style!
:lol:
Last edited by designrs on Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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designrs
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by designrs »

I'd get a Private Certificate along with extra instrument training and fly at night. After building experience and more training, I would also consider a higher performance aircraft with faster cruise and aerobatic capability.... if permitted by the new regs.
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by RotorRambler »

I enjoy flying different kinds of aircraft, including fixed-wing, but especially rotorcraft. Gyroplanes are a lot of fun and if new regulations allowed flying them without a medical, I'd also fly helicopters more.
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drseti
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Re: What will change for YOU if the medical changes go throu

Post by drseti »

Welcome to the forum, Ira - it's nice to see you posting here. As it happens, I bought your book a few months back, and have enjoyed it immensely. Although I am not gyroplane rated (and actually have yet to fly one), I've been friends with Ralph Taggart (father of the Gyrobee) for about 40 years, and he's always encouraging me to try them out.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
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