3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

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: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by Nomore767 »

drseti wrote:
MrMorden wrote: If NTSB had their way, we'd all be flying airplanes made entirely of airbags and bubble wrap
<cynacism>
No, if NTSB had their way, none of us would be flying at all. That way, they could point proudly to the zero aviation accident rate, pat themselves on the back for a job well done, and ask Congress for money so they could keep doing it.
</cynacism>
I can see it now…the NTSB's final report on the probable cause of the 'death of GA Aviation'…the NTSB. Oh the irony!! :P
CTLSi
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by CTLSi »

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Last edited by CTLSi on Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dstclair
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by dstclair »

Notice on this board for instance. every commentor is exactly that, either a private flying LSA (in my case), or a former commercial/private/atp flying as a sport pilot and LSA. Very few people able to pass a 3rd class and choose to fly as sport pilot. The only guy I know of like that is GravityKnight.
At least one more, me. Medical concerns were not part of my decision criteria for purchasing an LSA. My mission is what determined my purchase. I've been current on my medical for most of my LSA flying although I've been flying with my DL for the last 6 months or so. VFR on top is a nice option when taking longer trips and night (more like late evening) flying comes in handy when the days get shorter. A may get my third class again in the fall if I want these options or I may just save the $100 and fill the plane up with my savings. Depends on my mission.

And there is a cost to the FAA for processing third class medicals. I believe the quote was somewhere between $5-10million.
dave
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MrMorden
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by MrMorden »

CTLSi wrote: The cost of an AME medical exam is not born by the govt, it born by the pilot. I wasn't around when the LSA and Sport Pilot revolution happened. And that does seem to fly (pun intended) in the face of the current trend to explode the size and reach and oppression of the federal government.

But it remains suspicious that the FAA would relax the 3rd class medical given they already gave guys that can't pass the medical a way to fly as sport pilots. If they let them fly as privates again (and in essence that is what happens) then there seems to be no reason to have sport pilot and LSA... at that point, the manufacturing market for factory built two seaters will vaporize in favor of the EAB kits. And the often cited availability of aging Cessnas and Pipers for under $50k out there.

Notice on this board for instance. every commentor is exactly that, either a private flying LSA (in my case), or a former commercial/private/atp flying as a sport pilot and LSA. Very few people able to pass a 3rd class and choose to fly as sport pilot. The only guy I know of like that is GravityKnight.

Are you one of those MrMorden, can you pass a 3rd class and fly as PP? I know you are not that old.
The cost of the exam is borne by the pilot, but who processes the paperwork? Who manages compliance of 300,000 PPs with medicals, does medicals records checks, issues SIs, and initiates and follows through on enforcement actions? That's all done by the FAA, and it's nowhere near free. :)

When I went through a very prominent AME, I was told he thought there was an 80% chance he could get me certified. But because I didn't like the 20% chance of not being able to fly anything except ultralights and gliders, I decided to just go SP. That minimized my flying hassles with the Feds as well, which I love.

Is your resistance to all this just because you don't want your CT to lose value? I'm not sure that would happen, but even if it did, it would not change the utility of the airplane, and the chance to get many more pilots flying would be worth it to me to take the hit.
Andy Walker
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MovingOn
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by MovingOn »

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Last edited by MovingOn on Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
3Dreaming
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by 3Dreaming »

MovingOn wrote:This whole thread is bogus. The FAA is close to approving something. I think we'll be back in certified, fixed gear, 180 hp, vfr, daytime, soon. The only difference from the tried and proven Sport Pilot rule would be a little heavier max gross weight and a little more horsepower. If Sport Pilots can safely fly LSA without a medical, experienced Privates and up can fly C172's and Cherokee 180's safely without a medical. (Don't misread what I'm saying. I don't expect anything to change for Sport Pilots).
I don't think the FAA is close to approving anything. It has to go through the whole rule making process. I do think they are about ready to issue a NPRM on the medical issue, but with comment period and revised NPRM it will still take a couple years before we get any new rules.
MovingOn
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by MovingOn »

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Last edited by MovingOn on Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Jim Stewart
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by Jim Stewart »

When did sportpilottalk.com turn into such a circlejerk?
PP-ASEL, Flight Design CTSW owner.
Nomore767
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by Nomore767 »

Interesting, this article appeared today:-


Stop the 3rd Class Medical Madness


Doing away with the 3rd class medical for private pilots makes sense. It's time to stop the fear-mongering.
By Stephen Pope / Published: Aug 07, 2014


There's been a lot of nervous hand wringing over the idea of letting more recreational pilots self-certify that they are fit for flight by forgoing the formal FAA medical process.

Christopher Hart, the acting head of the National Transportation Safety Board, told lawmakers recently he is "very concerned about pilots flying without adequate medical standards," pronouncing before a House subcommittee that doing away with the 3rd class medical, among other worrying things, would make pilots less likely "to pay attention to the FAA's list of prohibited drugs."

To that, I respond, what is the NTSB smoking?

The GA pilots who would fall under the new so-called driver's license medical standards only need to be checked by an FAA medical examiner once every two years as the rule stands now – and once every five years if the pilot is under 40.

Is Hart not also "very concerned" about these time gaps between medicals? He didn't say, but he did submit to Congress that he has absolutely no data to back up his nebulous assertions about 3rd class medicals and flight safety. "So far we haven't seen enough accidents to warrant an agency position on it," he said, according to Roll Call.

Really.

Hart's assertion that pilots who need only self-certify fitness to fly, as is the case with recreational sport pilots today, would then skirt FAA rules with regard to prohibited drugs is, quite frankly, insulting to pilots everywhere. That he makes such a claim with no evidence or data to back up his premise makes his argument hard to take seriously.

In the United States today, people operate motorboats, wave runners, snowmobiles, ATVs and countless other recreational vehicles without having to submit to the same medical screening standards that pilots are subjected to. For commercial pilots, yes, there is an obvious public safety consideration in conducting periodic medical exams. For a private pilot who is flying for his or her own pleasure or business, self-assessment is good enough.

How do I know? We GA pilots do it now, before every single flight we take.
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MrMorden
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by MrMorden »

Jim Stewart wrote:When did sportpilottalk.com turn into such a circlejerk?
Is this your first day on the Interwebs? :mrgreen:
Andy Walker
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MovingOn
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by MovingOn »

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Last edited by MovingOn on Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jim Stewart
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by Jim Stewart »

MrMorden wrote:
Jim Stewart wrote:When did sportpilottalk.com turn into such a circlejerk?
Is this your first day on the Interwebs? :mrgreen:
No. Been on the internets since 98, on sportpilottalk since day one.

Used to be people helping each other. Now seems to be just a bunch of folks with too much time on their hands looking for arguments.
PP-ASEL, Flight Design CTSW owner.
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by Wm.Ince »

CTLSi wrote: . . . "Notice on this board for instance. every commentor is exactly that, either a private flying LSA (in my case), or a former commercial/private/atp flying as a sport pilot and LSA. Very few people able to pass a 3rd class and choose to fly as sport pilot." . . .
It is amazing how you dream this stuff up. Absolutely amazing.
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drseti
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by drseti »

CTLSi wrote: every commentor is exactly that, either a private flying LSA (in my case), or a former commercial/private/atp flying as a sport pilot
For the record, the folks flying with lapsed medicals are not former anything. They are rated private, commercial, or airline transport Pilots. Pilot certificates are issued for life. The only way to be a former pilot is to commit a serious enough offense that the FAA rescinds your certificate. One can be a rated PP, CP, or ATP choosing to operate within the SP limitations, but he or she is still a rated PP, CP, or ATP.

A flight instructor's certificate, for example, says right on it that is only valid when accompanied by a CP certificate. FAA has made it very clear that a Subpart H CFI can still instruct with a lapsed medical (either in an LSA, or when not acting as PIC). Thus, FAA considers such a CFI to still be a CP, even with a lapsed medical. Not a former CP.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
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CTLSi
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Re: 3rd Class Medical Change Dead?

Post by CTLSi »

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Last edited by CTLSi on Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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