Free Flying Lessons

[jedi]

Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said at a campaign event in Seattle that every person in the United States should have the opportunity to learn to fly … and that the lessons should be free.

So says http://www.aero-news.net/ANNTicker.c...b-a3799ec9d8ef

Continuing:

“The ability to learn to fly an airplane should not be limited to those with a lot of money.” Sanders said. “Every person who desires to learn to fly and maybe pursue a career as a pilot shouldn’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for it. The joy of flight should not be reserved for the top one percent,” Sanders said. “Here in Boeing’s back yard, you know there is going to be a pilot shortage that could be very damaging to the industry. The government needs aviation to be strong, so we should make it possible for young people to pursue this career without the burden of a huge debt at the end of the process. We’ve proposed that other education should be free, and this just makes sense.”

Sanders said that it only makes sense that if the training is going to be provided free, then the airplanes should be free as well. “We know that not everyone in the country is going to want to learn to fly, so we should be able to provide the airplanes as well,” Sanders said. “This is a possible career path, so we need to make as many tools as possible available to give them the best chance at success.

I would like to see the pilot community pick up on this and carry the issue to the public. Truth is the FAA is responsible for issuing pilot certificates and can not, by law, charge for their services. The FAA flatlly refuses to do their required job and instead farms this obligation out to private contractors who can and due charge for their services. Sanders has a seat in the US Senate and is a position to do something about this.

What action has he actually attempted towards this issue?

Please join the cause to advance or expose this issue. Is it a scam or a genuine issue and goal? How does it fit with the FAA reauthorization and the third class medical reform?

Do not let statements like this stand without followup.

[Dana]

Did you happen to note the date on the article?

[jedi]

Did you happen to note the date on the article?

ANN April 1 Special Edition

Help! Have I been Campbelled again?

But, the issue remains.

The FAA exists to protect the public and should be financed from the general fund and should perform their designated functions. Why do private contractors make a profit from government mandated actions? This is the crony politics that Burney gets votes from.

[cliffo]

FAA part of "the good ole boy conglomerate" who coulda guessed it? If you want a free pilot's education join the military after you get out of college. Or at 14 you can get into CAP (civil air patrol) and they will steer you in the direction. And there is ROTC to start your path. One with a strong determination will find a way.

[1600vw]

Do what good ole Bruce did and change your gender. From what I have read there is a group in California who help women get a Certificate at a reduced rate or almost free. But they only do this for women. You would need to remove the kick stand first.

Tony

[VFR-on-top]

Do what good ole Bruce did and change your gender. From what I have read there is a group in California who help women get a Certificate at a reduced rate or almost free. But they only do this for women. You would need to remove the kick stand first.

Tony

Is this supposed to be funny? Since when this forum become a venue for you to take potshots at marginalized populations? Please take your bigoted behavior off this forum and post it on your Facebook page instead where you can be blocked by those not wishing to see your brand of hate. Saying it's a "joke" is NOT an excuse.

Good day.

[Mike M]

The FAA exists to protect the public and should be financed from the general fund and should perform their designated functions. Why do private contractors make a profit from government mandated actions? This is the crony politics that Burney gets votes from.

This comment was written by a person who has tried to book a sport pilot practical exam with an FAA examiner, perhaps?

[jedi]

This comment was written by a person who has tried to book a sport pilot practical exam with an FAA examiner, perhaps?

I have most all of my ratings and cringe when I see what todays students must pay. I encourage my students to bug the FAA about check rides but they give up too easily.

Did you pay $2.00 for your plastic certificate? I got mine with no charge. Thanks FAA. Did your "good forever" aircraft registration expire? Too bad. Can you guess why the aviation industry is in decline?

Last month I visited the FAA Regional Office and picked up a 2014 calendar "at no cost to me". There was a more than adequate supply on the shelf. Also, I got a few copies of the FAA Safety rag. Plenty of money for crap like that but try and get somebody to do their mandated function and good luck with that. Any wonder there are so many planes and pilots with outdated paperwork? Nobody answers the phone. They do 20 minutes of work (renew a CFI certificate) twice a day at most. And yes, the CFI I was issued in 1968 never expired when issued. Now it costs $500 every two years.


My pilot "Yoda" friend walked into the Region Office many years ago to renew his long expired CFI cause he "started getting to many students for spin training" and was ridiculed for how long the "New Renewable Certificate" had been mandated. He walked out of the office with his old certificate after remarking that he "did not have a certificate when he started flying and he would not have a certificate when he quit flying and he didn't see any reason to get one now". He had built and flown some unique aircraft before there was such a thing as an ultralight. Most were well ahead of their time.

Hope 103 lasts a few more years. More info available on request.

[martymayes]

Now it costs $500 every two years.

Who am I supposed to be paying the $500 to every two years? I just renewed my CFI in January and didn't pay anything. I need to find out where to mail the check.

[griffin800]

This is really pretty silly. >>Truth is the FAA is responsible for issuing pilot certificates and can not, by law, charge for their services. << Yes the FAA issues pilot licences, it does not do pilot training, never was intended to do that, nor was it ever promised.

Bill H.