3rd class medical - drivers license comments

[rosiejerryrosie]

Interesting, I was wondering if this new EAA/AOPA 3rd class medical initiative would leave those poor slobs with failed medicals out in the cold like the Sport Pilot License. Maybe in another 10 years or so we can get to FAA to cut people some slack on that one.

I think it's a legal issue that the lawyers would have a fit over. Just think of it as one day the FAA says "You can't fly because you have a dangerous medical condition" and then the rules change and they say, "Your condition remains the same but now you can fly because you can drive a car and we changed the rules". The lawyers would have a field day with that one....

[rockwoodrv9a]

I think it's a legal issue that the lawyers would have a fit over. Just think of it as one day the FAA says "You can't fly because you have a dangerous medical condition" and then the rules change and they say, "Your condition remains the same but now you can fly because you can drive a car and we changed the rules". The lawyers would have a field day with that one....

I believe there is a much stronger argument against requiring a class 3 medical than to change the rules or eliminate it. I have no problem with restrictions on private or sport licensed pilots. It could be argued that the current rules restricting the power, speed, etc for the LSA airplanes puts pilots, passengers, and those on the ground at risk in higher elevation areas such as where I live - Colorado.

It makes no sense - either there have been a large number of LSA sport pilots crashing their planes because they had a medical condition or there haven't been. If there have been, then why have a sport pilot license at all? If the class 3 medical is saving so many people, prove it to me. If not - get the FAA out of the way so many pilots who own planes that are not LSA or fly in areas where artificial limits placed on the airplanes they can legally fly can put them in danger. It is all political - and I am getting so tired of political crap or "good intentions" getting in the way of just about everything.

I am not a stupid person and I realize that there are some medical conditions that if I had, I would not put myself in the left seat. There also are many medical conditions and medications that automatically disqualify you that should not be a disqualifying condition. I have a friend that has ADD. He could be the poster adult. His life and finances were ok, but he did not get things done and concentrating was difficult. His doctor prescribed adderall. He had been flying for over 20 years, over 4000 hours, without problems. He has a plane(Mooney) with a partner. Now he is on adderall and that disqualifies him from a class 3 medical. His business has improved, relationships have improved, and he actually remembers to fill out his flight log and refuel the plane. Why is it less safe for him to not fly now when he is much more attentive to details and a much better pilot? Why is is ok for the military to hand out “go pills” to their pilots on a mission or long flight but not ok for my friend to take the exact same medication to help his medical condition?

It the FAA, EAA, and AOPA want to reduce risk in flying - make sure the instructors and instruction materials are better. I am getting back into flying after 30 years of raising kids and getting to the point in my life when I can afford to fly again. The ground school - pilot courses online and DVD are nothing like they should be - in my opinion. So much of it is things a person does not need to fly a plane safely. I pulled my old Piper flight school manuals out I had in the late 70's. There are changes, but much of it is the same. In the 30+ years, navigation, weather, radios, instruments, etc, have changes so much - teach how to use them.

Teach the type of panel the pilot will be flying. If the panel is upgraded – require a check ride to make sure the pilot has figured it out. Get a fuel gage attachment that slaps the pilot in the face when they get low on fuel. Requiring a medical restriction that was put in place years ago before the advances in medication and health care does nothing but makes flying more expensive for all of us and eliminates it from many that have the financial capability of giving a much need boost to general aviation.

If you want restrictions such as the sport pilot rules, LSA airplane restrictions, whatever you want – fine, do it. BUT, don’t restrict the chance of a pilot that starts in an LSA – with a sport pilot license, gets the hours and training necessary, to advance to a private pilot license. Eliminating that chance because of a dated medical requirement will do nothing to improve general aviation safety and a good argument can be made that it increases the risk for the general public and pilots.

Sorry for the long winded post. I have never been accused of not having an opinion! I am passionate about this because it is restricting me from building the plane I want and that I feel is the safest for where I live and the type of flying I plan to do. In the end, if the rules don’t change how I believe they should, I can stop taking a medication, get my medical, let it expire, and be fine. I am not sure how that increases the safety for me or anyone else and I hate jumping through hoops that have no real point.

Have a great flight!
rockwood

[rosiejerryrosie]

Yo - Rockwood. Not that I agree with it but one reason that some folks are restricted when they are prescribed medication is not, necessarly, that the medication, itself, is a danger. The thought probably goes along the lines of, "Well, he's on medication, that probably means that he has been diagnosed with a condition that requires the medication. Gee, we didn't know about that before, but now we do. We better withould his medical because now we know he has a dangereous condition. True, the medication controls it, but what happens if he stops taking the medication? We better err on the safe side." Again, I don't particularly agree with the thought process, just trying to understand what it might be. Not sure if it's the Docs or the Lawyers, but.......

[rockwoodrv9a]

Yo - Rockwood. Not that I agree with it but one reason that some folks are restricted when they are prescribed medication is not, necessary, that the medication, itself, is a danger. The thought probably goes along the lines of, "Well, he's on medication, that probably means that he has been diagnosed with a condition that requires the medication. Gee, we didn't know about that before, but now we do. We better withould his medical because now we know he has a dangerous condition. True, the medication controls it, but what happens if he stops taking the medication? We better err on the safe side." Again, I don't particularly agree with the thought process, just trying to understand what it might be. Not sure if it's the Docs or the Lawyers, but.......

Thanks for the response. In the instance I was talking about, you make my point. If my friend stops taking the adderall, he is much more likely to have troubles flying than if he continues to take it. The problem is to pass the medical, the FAA requires him to stop taking adderall. How does that make the sky safer? I guess my rant or strong opinion on this is mostly about this particular medication because that is the only one I know about that has caused an otherwise good, responsible, pilot to be forced out of the left seat. I have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure - along with millions of others. Medications for those health issues I take are ok by the FAA. In my opinion, I have a much greater chance of having a health issue that could cause me difficulties by not taking my medication than he has by not taking his. The funny thing is he has to make a point of remembering to take it!

I don't want to hijack this thread limiting it to the 3rd class medical issues. I think this is the right place to discuss it, but there is so much to talk about for those learning to fly and help improve our safety record. I really appreciate your comments and take on the issue. I sometimes have tunnel vision on issues and discussing an issue helps me understand that their may actually be other opinions than mine! My problem with the FAA is that they have no common sense. With the swipe of a pen, they can change a persons life. Have a great day and thanks again for the discussion.

[johnnytoofat]

...the number of sport pilots having an accident because of a medical problem is VERY LOW. I'm sure it has happened, but I have not seen a report that confirms that as the call.

As of quite recently, the actual number of such accidents is zero. (AOPA president states this at 6:25 in this video.)

I sure would like to fly at a higher gross and over 120 knots...

JTF

[rockwoodrv9a]

As of quite recently, the actual number of such accidents is zero. (AOPA president states this at 6:25 in this video.)

I sure would like to fly at a higher gross and over 120 knots...

JTF

JTF - I did see that today. How many accidents have happened because the pilot ran out of fuel? How about buzzing a friend or flying when the weather is crappy? It is obvious that the FAA is using the medical as a way to limit general aviation. There is no way they can justify keeping the 3rd class medical. As i have said - I do not have a problem if they want to have stepping stones to higher performance airplanes - and when I say higher performance, Im talking about a C 150!!!! Is there anything more unbelievable than referring to a 150 as higher performance!

The answer is to give a pilot incentives to improve their skills. Without that chance, unless a prospective pilot is satisfied with the LSA planes and rules, there is no reason to start flying. Just don't stop those who are in good health - good enough to drive a bus, truck, car, scuba dive, etc., from flying. People are not stupid - especially those who fly.

Maybe now that the EAA is hardly Experimental anymore and changed to be mostly General aviation, they will realize that there are not that many affordable general aviation airplanes and that the industry will die without new pilots. Experimental is the hope and getting rid of the medical is the only way for general aviation to survive. Even though the new "fee for service" per flight planned by the administration does not include piston aircraft, how long do you think that exemption will last? If we do not get more pilots and a bigger voting and activist voice, we are doomed.