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.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.
There are irresponsible idiots in all sorts of planes with all sorts of licenses…fortunately, they are very few, and need to be removed.