Medical Reform

[Onex33]

While I agree that drones above a certain size should be registered, I was amazed how fast the FAA could move on creating a new regulation to require that. Yet they have sat on medical reform for years making one excuse after another for not doing anything. While I am hopeful that the PBOR 2 will get through the House of Representatives, it still has to be signed by the President and there is no guarantee he will sign it.

[rwanttaja]

While I agree that drones above a certain size should be registered, I was amazed how fast the FAA could move on creating a new regulation to require that. Yet they have sat on medical reform for years making one excuse after another for not doing anything. While I am hopeful that the PBOR 2 will get through the House of Representatives, it still has to be signed by the President and there is no guarantee he will sign it.
You're amazed that a Government agency works faster to REGULATE something than to DEREGULATE something? What planet have you been living on? :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[Onex33]

I was being facetious Ron except for the part about Obama signing it.

[rwanttaja]

I was being facetious Ron except for the part about Obama signing it.
He signed the last GA-friendly act that made it all the way through Congress (Part 23 reform act).

But, of course, it's all politics. The President has only another year left to serve; he probably COULD get away with irritating a bunch of Congresscritters and vetoing the medical reform. But one needs a *political* reason for him to do so (i.e., not just an ad hominem claim). The only ones who don't want it are the doctors and the airline pilots, and I think they tend more towards the conservative side of the political fence. Vetoing the act is not likely to build votes for the Democrats next fall.

The act itself had major bipartisan support; if he vetos it, he ticks off members of his own party as well. Again, as a lame duck, he's not likely to be directly affected. But staying on good terms with his own party is good policy; he might be a kingmaker down the road. And, of course, he's got a large staff that'll be looking for work in a year. Any disputes within his own party will make it tougher on them.

People seem to think that "politics" is a hot passionate shouting match, like an Internet flame war. It's not. It's cold, it's ruthless, and it's done mostly out of sight. A politician my use rhetoric to inflame his or her supporters, but the decisions that matter are made with hard logic.

The President may veto the act, but he'll need a very, VERY good reason...hard logic, not just "He's an a-hole"... why a veto will help him or his supporters. I don't think one exists. But I'm (thankfully) not a politician.

Ron Wanttaja

[TedK]

I have to admit to being a bit perplexed. DOT (not FAA) seems to be the impediment to the FAA's Third Class Medical Reform Proposed Rule. It has sat in DOT since Summer 2014. Yet in conversations with some VERY senior folks in DOT (who I know and trust implicitly), they are watching the PBOR2 legislation move through the Hill, and seem quite receptive to it.

Perhaps DOT/FAA has become so dysfunctional that they can't help themselves, yet they truly seem to want to see PBOR2 succeed.

If these weren't folks that I trust as much as my own blood, I wouldn't believe it with my own eyes.

So it seems to me that if we want Medical Reform, we have to earn it by now convincing the House to vote for it.

Ted

[rwanttaja]

I have to admit to being a bit perplexed. DOT (not FAA) seems to be the impediment to the FAA's Third Class Medical Reform Proposed Rule. It has sat in DOT since Summer 2014. Yet in conversations with some VERY senior folks in DOT (who I know and trust implicitly), they are watching the PBOR2 legislation move through the Hill, and seem quite receptive to it.

Perhaps DOT/FAA has become so dysfunctional that they can't help themselves, yet they truly seem to want to see PBOR2 succeed.
I'm not at all surprised by this. If the DOT approved the FAA's reform and something bad happened, it would be DOT's fault. If they implement PBOR2, then if something goes wrong it's Congress' fault.

PBOR2 is more restrictive than the DOT had been asked to approve, too.

Ron Wanttaja

[MEdwards]

PBOR2 is more restrictive than the DOT had been asked to approve, too.Ron, how do you know that? Have you read the FAA's proposal? My understanding is nobody was allowed to know what was in it until it was released after DOT approved it, which ever happened.
Mike E

[rwanttaja]

Ron, how do you know that? Have you read the FAA's proposal? My understanding is nobody was allowed to know what was in it until it was released after DOT approved it, which ever happened.
Mike E
The draft NPRM was RIN 2120-AK45, but all the links to it on the Government site seem to be outdated. IIRC, we were discussing the contents a year ago. It basically had what people wanted for the third class (e.g., not required for pleasure flying), and didn't include a lot of the goofy provisions that found their way into PBOR2.

Ron Wanttaja

[Bob H]

I fly out of a 7000' airport, L35, 100 mi outside Los Angeles. On weekends, we get many "flatlanders" flying up for vactions and just high altitude flying experience. We can almost guarantee that many times each summer, pilots will fly in and completely ignore basic rules of flying to an uncontrolled airport. They won't use radio, or use a non-working 20 yr old frequency, won't listen to AWOS for wind and runway direction, won't lean engine and will try to land opposite traffic direction with planes taking off. When approached on the ground and made aware of their mistakes, these pilots get very defensive and almost invariably, they are white haired old guys who have been flying for many years and will not accept any criticisim. Perhaps if they were required to keep getting 3rd class medicals, an AME might spot the diminishing cognitive skills and refuse their medical and keep such pilots from killing someone. I'm an old guy too but when my mental skills degrade and I can't pass a medical, I'll quit flying.

[JimRice85]

I'm an old guy too but when my mental skills degrade and I can't pass a medical, I'll quit flying.

That is what all those guys are saying too. Do you wanna turn-in your medical now and quit or go LSA?

Stereotyping sucks, huh?

[skyfixer8]

Not sure if this is where to bring up, but is anyone at EAA keeping track on PBOR2 ? Is Congress still on vacation or did I miss something ? Don t recall seeing anything about it on here or AOPA site since Senate approved it.

.....Bill L

[Jim Heffelfinger]

Several threads re this topic.
http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?6392-Pbr-2