Medical Requirement Update

[dick b]

What is the latest information on status of request to the FAA for deleting the requirement for a third class medical? Is any kind of timeline expected or proposed?

Dick B

[Hal Bryan]

Here's the most recent update, published last month:

http://eaa.org/news/2013/2013-01-10_...on-request.asp

[kscessnadriver]

Why does EAA and AOPA keep posting this as if it's going to happen. Aeromedical has said it is opposed to it, and as such, probably will not happen. Why the false advertising?

[WLIU]

Has FAA Aeromedical officially opposed the current proposal/petition? Is there a pointer or reference to a memo or input?

Thanks,

Wes
N78PS

[kscessnadriver]

Has FAA Aeromedical officially opposed the current proposal/petition? Is there a pointer or reference to a memo or input?

Thanks,

Wes
N78PS

Doc Bruce over on the AOPA forums, who is a very prominent AME who does lots of great work for SI's, has basically said that aeromedical has zero intention of letting the requirement for a medical go away.

I feel like that's great news. There is no reason to go against ICAO and potentially end up with a bunch of pilot certificates that aren't internationally recognized.

[martymayes]

Has FAA Aeromedical officially opposed the current proposal/petition?

The official answer to that is NO.


However, reputable word on the street is that at the end of the review it will be stamped "FAA REJECTS PROPOSAL"

[WLIU]

Interesting comment on ICAO. I do not see the issue as the requirement would simply be that to fly in another country on a US pilot certificate it must be accompanied by a US FAA Medical Certificate. I don't think that AME's will go out of business so pilots who need to can get medical certificates.

As for the FAA medical branch resisting, I suspect that like most things involving the FAA, AOPA and EAA will simply refile with yet another batch of data. Its what the members want and when dealing with the government, you can not be successful if you take NO for an answer. Its a game of last man standing....

Thanks for the info.

Wes
N78PS

[martymayes]

Word from the physician side is a relaxed standards medical certificate is obtainable under the current political atmosphere but the alphabet groups won't have anything to do with it.

This would require a visit to any medical practioner for a CDL type physical. Austrailia currently has such a program here

So yes, continue to resubmit the petition, 10 yrs or so it may pass or go for something now that is obtainable and keep pluggin away for the grand prize. Wonder what the member consensus would be?

[Tom Charpentier]

First off, we have never represented this issue "as if it's going to happen." Are we optimistic? Sure, but we recognize there's a long way to go before we pop the champagne. We continue to keep a sharp eye on this and apply pressure where appropriate.

Second, the aeromedical establishment may or may not support this proposal, but they don't get to make the decision. Any ruling on this issue would come from the Administrator. We believe that the Administrator and his staff will follow the reasonable logic that given the track record of Sport Pilot, applying a similar medical standard (with the added requirement of a self-certification course) to the simple, familiar GA aircraft most pilots fly would not be a detriment to flight safety.

This exemption would have no bearing on ICAO acceptance of US licenses. It would simply remove the requirement to possess a medical while flying in certain aircraft under certain conditions in the US with a Private Pilot rating. If at any point you want to fly outside the US, your PPL is still perfectly valid as long as you pick up a medical.

[dewi8095]

The official answer to that is NO.


However, reputable word on the street is that at the end of the review it will be stamped "FAA REJECTS PROPOSAL"

If the FAA is going to reject the proposal outright, why should it delay? I think that the pending governmental budget crisis is influencing the final decision to some extent. Unloading the cost for processing a sizable portion of medical certificates would save the agency a bundle.

Don