What is actual text of PBOR2?

[phavriluk]

EAA approves this useless bill as amended? And EAA claims to advocate for the pilot members? And wants to get us flying again? Some driver's license medical this is. All the member effort in petitioning our elected representatives undone with the amended bill. What a waste.

Somebody at EAA forgot the core principles of medical reform, which are trashed. There are none. Even worse, if someone wants to fly a 4-passenger airplane he can lose his LSA privileges by failing the forced 3rd class medical.

The PBOR as amended has wasted all our time and effort. And EAA institutionally approves this? My stomach churns. No wonder there's so many co-sponsors. Nothing will change. The FAA gets to institutionalize 'democratically' their dictatorial and unjustifiable policies. There's no relaxation of rules, there's casting them in legislative concrete.

[cub builder]

While I would prefer to get the FAA out of my life, even with the language changes, it still gets rid of the medical for the vast majority of us. Senator Inhoffe said there are 3 things needed in the new language. First time or new pilots must take a medical as a baseline, pilots must take an online course every 2 years and make a log book entry and document medical visits to their Dr. and treatment received. Pilots that have lapsed in a medical over 10 yrs need to retake a medical. The question is why is AOPA and EAA endorsing this with these changes?

This will push out the medicals to 10 years, including special issuance, which is where the real nightmare currently exists. While it's less than ideal, it relieves many pilots of ridiculously expensive medical tests annually for special issuance medicals and pushes them out to 10 years. Would I rather be rid of medicals all together? Of course. Are we being sold out? I guess we'll have to wait and see on that issue, but it may be the only way to get this through at all. Would I accept this rather than forging ahead and losing the battle? In a heart beat.

-Cub Builder

[wyoranch]

While I would prefer to get the FAA out of my life, even with the language changes, it still gets rid of the medical for the vast majority of us. Senator Inhoffe said there are 3 things needed in the new language. First time or new pilots must take a medical as a baseline, pilots must take an online course every 2 years and make a log book entry and document medical visits to their Dr. and treatment received. Pilots that have lapsed in a medical over 10 yrs need to retake a medical. The question is why is AOPA and EAA endorsing this with these changes?

This will push out the medicals to 10 years, including special issuance, which is where the real nightmare currently exists. While it's less than ideal, it relieves many pilots of ridiculously expensive medical tests annually for special issuance medicals and pushes them out to 10 years. Would I rather be rid of medicals all together? Of course. Are we being sold out? I guess we'll have to wait and see on that issue, but it may be the only way to get this through at all. Would I accept this rather than forging ahead and losing the battle? In a heart beat.

-Cub Builder

Opinions will vary depending on which way you are looking through the 10 year 'window'

[lynnlpitts]

This isn't what I worked so hard for...another Sell Out by EAA and AOPA...the FAA will make the Special Issuance impossible to get and we will risk Sport Pilot privileges to obtain it...Funny it doesn't take 100% of the Senators to past taxes and encumbrances and the process only takes a few days...this medical issue 'slight of hand' has been going on for years!

[JimRice85]

Everything I've heard and seen agrees with what Ron has said. I can certainly appreciate the disappointment of many though. This isn't what all had hoped for, but it is going to be a pretty big change for many.

I understand and as I just rolled the dice and went through the SI process. I went in well armed after consulting with a Senior AME who does nothing but FAA flight physicals. Had he not told me he was 99% certain I would be issued! I would have likely stayed Light Sport, though it wasn't what I wanted. It was a scary process, but over 98% are issued. The fear of being the 2% is terrifying thought to most of us.

What at really needs to change is a denial eliminating Sport Pilot privileges, IMHO.

[wyoranch]

Jim,
i completely agree with you about the 'fail the medical and you are done for good' reform. I for one would sell a kidney to fund my SI if there was no fear of never flying again as a sport pilot. Is one kidney a disqualifying condition? Kidding!
rick

[rwanttaja]

Jim,
i completely agree with you about the 'fail the medical and you are done for good' reform.

To quote the immortal Curly (of the Three Stooges): "Me three." The "Pass or you can't fly at all" provision is a bit draconian. Would be nice if they eased up on it.

Certain conditions disqualify you for flight under any provisions, and, I think, the problem is that once the FAA finds out about them, they have to take action. If a guy has a disqualifying condition but doesn't formally bring it to the FAA's attention (via a medical application), they don't officially know about it so they don't have to react.

Still, the whole purpose of the Light Sport aircraft definition was to produce slower, lighter airplanes. These slower, lighter machines will cause less damage in a crash, so the risk to those outside the aircraft is less. Seems like the FAA would be able to back off a a bit.

If PBOR2 passes in its current form, the pilot and his own doctor are responsible for ensuring the pilot's fitness for flight. This is true even if a pilot has a nominally disqualifying condition...that is, once he or she receives a SA, all further monitoring is just by the pilot's physician.

With that logic in place, seems like the FAA might be able to stop banning pilots from flying as Sport Pilots if they have a (third-class medical) disqualifying condition.... with the provision, for example, that Sport Pilots with nominally disqualifying conditions log doctor visits every four years, like the medical requirements under the new program.

Will it happen? I dunno. One advantage is that Sport Pilot is not a "law", it's policy defined by the FAA and thus can be RE-defined if the FAA chooses. It'd be nice if the EAA went into Sport Pilot reform after PBOR2 is enacted (when and if). Seems like they'd need another windmill to tilt at once PBOR2 gets clear.

Ron Wanttaja

[rwanttaja]

This isn't what I worked so hard for...another Sell Out by EAA and AOPA...the FAA will make the Special Issuance impossible to get and we will risk Sport Pilot privileges to obtain it...Funny it doesn't take 100% of the Senators to past taxes and encumbrances and the process only takes a few days...

To quote another old dead guy, "The only sure things in life are death and taxes...and you don't see death getting worse every time Congress meets!"

Ron Wanttaja

[Mike M]

Fear not that this latest revision will pass as proposed. The most recent posts here explain why. Discontent and controversy. This will percolate through the 114th session (campaign contribution address .................) with discussion, amendments, press releases (membership renewal address .............) more discussion, letters calls and faxes to representatives (campaign contributions address ...............) and be appended to "must-pass" bills then stripped before passage until the midnight hour when Congress adjourns and don't worry it will be reintroduced as the first item of business in the 115th session (campaign contribution address ............) because our strong alphabet organizations (membership renewal address .............) will ensure each candidate is individually apprised how essential, such that our collective voice will be heard when we vote as a monolithic bloc on this litmus test issue. All 593, 499 of us scattered all over the country. Oh, except ALPA members, of course, who will vote in lockstep with their demon union thug bosses to ground all octogenarians and kill blue eyed babies.

(Campaign contribution and membership renewal addresses ................ and ....................)

In case you can't tell this ain't my first rodeo. Lighten up, folks, it's gonna get worse before it gets .......well, keep sending in those cards and letters.

[rwanttaja]

Fear not that this latest revision will pass as proposed. The most recent posts here explain why. Discontent and controversy. This will percolate through the 114th session (campaign contribution address .................) with discussion, amendments, press releases (membership renewal address .............) more discussion, letters calls and faxes to representatives (campaign contributions address ...............) and be appended to "must-pass" bills then stripped before passage until the midnight hour when Congress adjourns and don't worry it will be reintroduced as the first item of business in the 115th session (campaign contribution address ............) because our strong alphabet organizations (membership renewal address .............) will ensure each candidate is individually apprised how essential, such that our collective voice will be heard when we vote as a monolithic bloc on this litmus test issue. All 593, 499 of us scattered all over the country. Oh, except ALPA members, of course, who will vote in lockstep with their demon union thug bosses to ground all octogenarians and kill blue eyed babies.

(Campaign contribution and membership renewal addresses ................ and ....................)

In case you can't tell this ain't my first rodeo. Lighten up, folks, it's gonna get worse before it gets .......well, keep sending in those cards and letters.

Good points. And with the Presidential election season in full swing, little issues like this are likely to be kicked to the gutter.

It's quite likely that *no* version of the PBOR will be passed this session. Which would mean another year's wait, at least. By that point, Inhofe may have lost interest.

Ron Wanttaja