Third Class Medical Exemption Request - Joint filing by EAA and AOPA

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Anyone have any updates of the progress of the EAA/AOPA 3rd class medical exemption proposal yet?

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One of the FAA CAMI employees I know jokes that it takes longer for the FAA to review a proposal than it does to gestate a fetus. I would be shocked if we hear anything positive before the end of the year. The fact that they've let it stand for three months or so is at least a possible sign that they didn't outright reject the proposal.

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Seems like a pretty poor showing to me given how many pilots are likely to be affected by this proposal.

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It's not a poll on someone's Facebook page. I honestly don't see a reason for posting a comment unless you have something practical or significant to add beyond a longer winded version of "I support this idea. Please pass it. Thank you.".

Last time I checked, the FAA really doesn't seem to base its regulatory practices on the opinions of the group being effected unless that group can offer scientific evidence to back up their stances. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having this discussion at all. If it makes you feel better, go for it but if it doesn't pass this time around, I wouldn't put too much clout behind an "insufficient" number of comments being to blame for it. Getting your state's politicians (at the national level) on board to support the various actions of the EAA and AOPA (the General Aviation Caucus is the term for the political supporters of our hobby if I recall correctly) is far more likely to be a beneficial and productive way to support this.

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Originally Posted by tmc31

I know this probably early yet, but. Anyone have any updates of the progress of the EAA/AOPA 3rd class medical exemption proposal yet? I was looking at the comments a little while ago and saw that there were only about 1700 comments made. Seems like a pretty poor showing to me given how many pilots are likely to be affected by this proposal.

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I don't think it does reflect a poor showing. I think it reflects the low number of pilots that this would have any effect on and hopefully why the FAA shouldn't allow it to happen. As far as I'm concerned, it will do nothing, other than making the regulatory environment even more strict on what can and can't be done. Personally, I think it's fortunate that the sport pilot hasn't required some sort of medical yet.

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Personally, I think it's fortunate that the sport pilot hasn't required some sort of medical yet.

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The guys I know at CAMI are arguing staunchly against that. There's no justification for it on scientific grounds when you're talking a single digit percentage of crashes having any evidence of medical involvement beyond alcohol or "recreational" (prescribed or illicit) drug use.

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Originally Posted by kscessnadriver

I don't think it does reflect a poor showing. I think it reflects the low number of pilots that this would have any effect on and hopefully why the FAA shouldn't allow it to happen. As far as I'm concerned, it will do nothing, other than making the regulatory environment even more strict on what can and can't be done. Personally, I think it's fortunate that the sport pilot hasn't required some sort of medical yet.

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I see you are against this. I hate be one that wishes that something in your life occurs that makes you end your flying life, but I will bet your mind changes when the day comes that you are sidelined due to an issue you have no control over. Funny how this happens to people..... I have seen it happen more than once, then they whine about it and think THEY are above the rules in place for everyone else.

I totally disagree with you. It affects many more pilots than most want to admit. It is ironic how the young healthy pilot sneers at any change. As he ages, or has the slightest medical issue that may ground him, he is looking for the exemption because HE is 'special' and he should still be allowed to fly. But then in the same breath says that everyone else that has any issues needs to suck it up and move on. There a lot more pilots out there than most people know that are flying without valid medicals. These guys have been flying for decades and most of them are smart enough to know when they aren't 100%, they do not fly. This goes for any pilot though. Granted you are always going to have the one that flies no mater if he is sick or not. That is the person that always feels he is better than anyone else and the type that will break any rules that they feel doesn't apply to them. The pilots this affects will be very happy if this proposal passes. They are the typical recreational pilot already and I personally know a few that when the time came that they started having to get a special issuance they have just given up flying all together. A lot of times these issues are minor but they still require the pilot to spend massive amounts of money to get a special issuance. Is this what the older guy on a retirement income needs? No, he will just quit and we have lost another pilot in our dwindling pilot community. This is NOT what the flying community needs. We need more ambassadors out there...not less!!!

Personally I feel that some of these petty regulations are all about power and authority. Someone is always out there that has that innate desire to feel they need to be the authority and in power of what people do. I have been around the military and government work for well over 30 years and generally a lot of decisions aren't made on common sense...they are made due to how can someone control and rule over others. The one in power rarely will relinquish any of that control. They gladly will enact more rules but to amend rules in effect is a rare occasion. Some people may lose their job due to less enforcement and as in any government bureaucracy that is like opening a can of worms.

Okay, time to get off my soapbox.

Well said Keith. I'm 73 next month, I take a physical every year and have absolutely no health concerns according to my MD but I'm not going to fly if I don't feel well or have a health concern. I'm flying sport pilot right now although I wouldn't mind moving up to a 150 or 172 if the notion hit me.

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Originally Posted by WWhunter

I see you are against this. I hate be one that wishes that something in your life occurs that makes you end your flying life, but I will bet your mind changes when the day comes that you are sidelined due to an issue you have no control over. Funny how this happens to people..... I have seen it happen more than once, then they whine about it and think THEY are above the rules in place for everyone else.

I totally disagree with you. It affects many more pilots than most want to admit. It is ironic how the young healthy pilot sneers at any change. As he ages, or has the slightest medical issue that may ground him, he is looking for the exemption because HE is 'special' and he should still be allowed to fly. But then in the same breath says that everyone else that has any issues needs to suck it up and move on. There a lot more pilots out there than most people know that are flying without valid medicals. These guys have been flying for decades and most of them are smart enough to know when they aren't 100%, they do not fly. This goes for any pilot though. Granted you are always going to have the one that flies no mater if he is sick or not. That is the person that always feels he is better than anyone else and the type that will break any rules that they feel doesn't apply to them. The pilots this affects will be very happy if this proposal passes. They are the typical recreational pilot already and I personally know a few that when the time came that they started having to get a special issuance they have just given up flying all together. A lot of times these issues are minor but they still require the pilot to spend massive amounts of money to get a special issuance. Is this what the older guy on a retirement income needs? No, he will just quit and we have lost another pilot in our dwindling pilot community. This is NOT what the flying community needs. We need more ambassadors out there...not less!!!

Personally I feel that some of these petty regulations are all about power and authority. Someone is always out there that has that innate desire to feel they need to be the authority and in power of what people do. I have been around the military and government work for well over 30 years and generally a lot of decisions aren't made on common sense...they are made due to how can someone control and rule over others. The one in power rarely will relinquish any of that control. They gladly will enact more rules but to amend rules in effect is a rare occasion. Some people may lose their job due to less enforcement and as in any government bureaucracy that is like opening a can of worms.

Okay, time to get off my soapbox.

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100% true, I couldn't agree more.

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Originally Posted by WWhunter

It is ironic how the young healthy pilot sneers at any change. As he ages, or has the slightest medical issue that may ground him, he is looking for the exemption because HE is 'special' and he should still be allowed to fly.

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The medical conditions that preclude the issuance of a third class medical certificate are clearly listed on AOPA forum pages, yet in the majority of cases denials for these specific conditions may be circumvented with the help of AMEs specializing in "difficult cases." These circumventions fall under the FAA heading of Special Issuances and are, in fact, exemptions to the regulations. Some special issues such as hypertension are relatively easy to overcome, others require multitudinous tests that cost a lot of dollars. The bottom line appears to be that most pilots who don't qualify under the existing guidelines are granted an exemption by the FAA. Here is a quote from AOPA's home page about the number of denials made:

"The FAA processes about 450,000 medical applications each year. Only about 0.7% of applicants are denied, and many of those just accept the denial and don’t continue to pursue certification. Of those who do provide additional information to the FAA, about 0.1% of them receive a final denial. So, that boils down to about 300-400 final denials each year."

One can probably get an exemption with money, persistence, and the right AME. I would like to see the FAA just grant the exemption up front for recreational flying and save a lot of pilots a lot of dollars and a lot of anxiety about being denied the medical certificate. I think the health self-certification program would be effective enough to keep most at-risk pilots on the ground. It seems like it would be worth a try. After all, could not the FAA arbitrarily revoke the exemption if the accident/fatality rate skyrocketed because of health issues?

Don

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Originally Posted by WWhunter

I see you are against this. I hate be one that wishes that something in your life occurs that makes you end your flying life, but I will bet your mind changes when the day comes that you are sidelined due to an issue you have no control over. Funny how this happens to people..... I have seen it happen more than once, then they whine about it and think THEY are above the rules in place for everyone else.

I totally disagree with you. It affects many more pilots than most want to admit. It is ironic how the young healthy pilot sneers at any change. As he ages, or has the slightest medical issue that may ground him, he is looking for the exemption because HE is 'special' and he should still be allowed to fly. But then in the same breath says that everyone else that has any issues needs to suck it up and move on. There a lot more pilots out there than most people know that are flying without valid medicals. These guys have been flying for decades and most of them are smart enough to know when they aren't 100%, they do not fly. This goes for any pilot though. Granted you are always going to have the one that flies no mater if he is sick or not. That is the person that always feels he is better than anyone else and the type that will break any rules that they feel doesn't apply to them. The pilots this affects will be very happy if this proposal passes. They are the typical recreational pilot already and I personally know a few that when the time came that they started having to get a special issuance they have just given up flying all together. A lot of times these issues are minor but they still require the pilot to spend massive amounts of money to get a special issuance. Is this what the older guy on a retirement income needs? No, he will just quit and we have lost another pilot in our dwindling pilot community. This is NOT what the flying community needs. We need more ambassadors out there...not less!!!

Personally I feel that some of these petty regulations are all about power and authority. Someone is always out there that has that innate desire to feel they need to be the authority and in power of what people do. I have been around the military and government work for well over 30 years and generally a lot of decisions aren't made on common sense...they are made due to how can someone control and rule over others. The one in power rarely will relinquish any of that control. They gladly will enact more rules but to amend rules in effect is a rare occasion. Some people may lose their job due to less enforcement and as in any government bureaucracy that is like opening a can of worms.

Okay, time to get off my soapbox.

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Excellent Post WW

Lots of differing opinions on this medical exemption petition, as usual. If you favor it, you only have a week's time to register your opinion. An article today said there have been 3300 comments on the petition. The FAA says they process 600,000 medicals a year. If AOPA and EAA, with their hundreds of thousands of members, can only muster 3300 comments, then if I were the FAA I don't think I'd feel too guilty about turning it down, citing lack of interest.

To comment on the petition, go to www.regulations.gov and put Docket No. FAA-2012-0350 in the search box. It takes only a few minutes.

And if you don't like the petition, have your say, too.

I've already commented, even though I decided, years ago, to go the Sport Pilot route. Just want to help out the rest of you......