SkyHigh

I read an article on the AOPA website that said that in December the EAA and AOPA are going to approach the FAA with a request to exempt pilots who fly as a hobby from having to get a medical. The idea is that hobby guys who fly 180hp or less and carry a maximum of one passenger be allowed to fly on their drivers license alone.

Anyone else here know if this? I think this could be a huge benefit to GA.

Skyhigh

CaptainCarl

I don't know man, it ain't exactly hard to get a third class medical. Basically show up with a pulse.

SkyHigh

Wait till you hit your mid-40's. People get nervous about medicals from then on. Fear and concern about the medical is a major detriment to hobby pilots. As it stands now older pilots have to play medical roulette each time they have to visit the doctor. If they go and fail then they can not fly a light sport. Fighting the FAA on simple medical issues is an expensive and time consuming prospect. Many I am sure simply choose to let aviation go in hopes of flying light sport one day. The problem is that light sport is expensive and usually can not accommodate the weight and size of two 250 pound old timers.

No medical for hobby guys means that an old timer can buy a Cessna 172 and fly around with his buddies with similar medical concerns faced by auto drivers. I think it would have a major positive impact on hobby flying.

Skyhigh

Cubdriver

Not a bad idea Sky. There should be some data out there showing a fairly minor difference in health issues between the class III medical holders and the rest of the driving population. Maybe restrict the drivers-license pilots to class C or smaller airspace would be my thought.

SkyHigh

The idea is to restrict hobby guys from flying anything over 180HP and to carry only one passenger.

Skyhigh

Cubdriver

Not sure I agree with that idea. A small slow airplane doing the wrong thing because the pilot has vision, hearing, and 4 meds in his system is much more troubling in busy airspace than out in the sticks. There was a reason he didn't want to go for that class III medical in the first place, and it wasn't his great health. The question in my mind is, will pilots who probably cannot pass a class III medical be able to safely fly among airliners and I don't think having one less passenger aboard has much to do with it when they take out a Boeing on final.

SkyHigh

Write the FAA and ask them to add a non-controlled airspace restriction to the proposed exemption.

Skyhigh

captain152

I think this is a fantastic idea. But I agree that there should be airspace restrictions.

I'd love to be able to take my Grandkids up flying 4 decades from now when I don't want to bother with a medical anymore!

Most every where you want to go has a GA airport that can get you there

SkyHigh

Personally I think that a no-medical option would be a big help to GA. Much of the hype for light sport is in regards to the fact that only a drivers license is needed. It is true that a guy with thin grip on his health would be a hazard to the sky but those same people hit the roads everyday with the potential of taking out a bus stop of kids. We already live with that risk everyday.

The medical is becoming more invasive overtime. Mention to the doctor that you snore and you could be in a fight with the FAA over sleep apnea. To a career pilot whose career is on the line they will hire the attorney and get their medical back however few hobby guys will go through the trouble.

I believe that if hobby GA was free from the medical things would have a better chance of turning around.

Skyhigh

Cubdriver

I hate to be a pessimist in the very area I make a living, but it is unlikely this situation will turn around any time soon. Litigation and fuel prices are the worst obstacles. A huge force that could overturn the litigation issue no longer exists, the former need in this country for piston airplanes to get around. Perhaps EAA and AOPA will continue to get some of the hassles rolled back and I hope they do. But a piston airplane remains too expensive for the average family and fuel is still too high. There is some hope that biofuel may lead to cheaper fuel within our lifetimes.