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Now Taking Comments On 3rd Class Medical

Geico266

Geico266

Well Known Member
Read about the EAA/AOPA proposal here.

http://www.eaa.org/news/2012/2012-03-20_exemption.asp

"Currently, FAA regulations require all pilots to hold at least a third-class medical certificate to exercise the privileges of a private or recreational certificate. EAA and AOPA are asking the FAA for an exemption to that rule, which would give pilots who fly recreationally the option of getting a third-class medical or, instead, participating in a recurrent online education program that will teach them how to self-asses their fitness to fly.

The education program will cover aeromedical factors and exceed the training presently mandated by the FAA. Participating pilots would also be required to hold a valid driver's license and conduct a meaningful self-assessment prior to flight. The self-assessment required in the exemption will be similar to what pilots do now between AME visits. The difference is that pilots will have a higher level of knowledge to do the self-assessment after completion of the required education program.

The requested exemption would help to mitigate the increased risk inherent in transitioning to unfamiliar and sometimes distinctly different aircraft, which is the only current available alternative to the FAA's third class medical.

This exemption request has been built upon substantial evidence obtained over the past 20 years, most recently proven through the successful medical safety standards allowed under the sport pilot certificate, which currently utilizes the driver's license medical standard in lieu of an FAA medical certificate"

Then take a moment and send your comments to the FAA via one of the following methods. Use some of the words from the paragraphs above.

I received the following from Randy Hansen at EAA Hq today on the best ways to voice your comment.

"The EAA does not have a ?sign a petition? web site like the AOPA. The primary reason is that the FAA views a petition with signatures as a single (e.g., one) comment, even if the petition has 30,000 signatures on it. So EAA elected not to follow the petition route that AOPA is using."

Here are the four other options for submitting your comments.

1. By US mail:

U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System Attn: Comments to FAA-2012-0350 400 7th Street, S.W., Room PL 401 Washington, D.C. 20590-0001

2. By the worldwide web:

www.regulations.gov, then enter "FAA-2012-0350-0001" in the search block, then follow the "submit a comment" icon on the right side of the page.

3. By fax - 202-493-2251 Reference: FAA-2012-0350-0001 Comments

The DOT Docket system does not accept comments by e-mail.

4. The fourth option is to send your comments directly to EAA by e-mail and specifically state that you wish EAA to submit your comments on your behalf. If you prefer this option send your comments to Catherine Lute, EAA Member Services, [email protected]

SEND your comment today to support this proposal!!

IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF ANOTHER CHAPTER, PLEASE FORWARD THIS ITEM TO YOUR MEMBERSHIP!
 
Comments have been open for 20 days and only 26 people responded???? Do we want to show the FAA that we care about having this option?

Thanks Larry, for posting this. I hope we will get a few hundred comments form the VAF family.
 
gasman said:
Comments have been open for 20 days and only 26 people responded???? Do we want to show the FAA that we care about having this option?

Thanks Larry, for posting this. I hope we will get a few hundred comments form the VAF family.
Click to expand...

Maybe they don't display all postings as I didn't see my comment on the list.
 
Done

Just finished submitting my comments. Lets hear from the others. This is our chance to voice our opinion and even if you are on the downside of 60, someday this may benefit you as well.
 
Did my share

Your Comment Tracking Number: 80ff3367

Still show 26 comments only. They are just not showing all the comments.
 
The EAA Chapter Newsletter that got emailed to me on Tuesday stated that over 500 comments had been submitted.
 
comment submitted...

I wish to be included in SUPPORT of the foregoing "Exemption/Rulemaking (Document ID FAA-2012-0350-0001)". I am a Private Pilot SEL, having over 750 hours flying time. I always assess my health and the current weather conditions, plus extended weather in the area of my flight plans - if "conditions"; either health (tired or otherwise distracted) or weather seem unsatisfactory, I defer to fly another day. I personally moniter my health, having a annual physical by a local Internist and eye exam with an Ophalmologist. If the FAA were to approve this "Exemption", I believe it would improve the participation and continued enjoyment in private aviation - i.e.: Recreational flying.
Click to expand...
 
Done.

There was a notation that popped up after my comment was submitted that said that all comments are reviewed before posting online and can take WEEKS for comments to appear online. So, I'm guessing that there are indeed hundreds of comments but, given that this is a government agency we're dealing with, it might be awhile before they appear on that website. Imagine that.:D

The strongest argument that can be made in support of this change is that we pilots self-certify every time we start the engine. Before that, actually.

Unfortunately, this change makes perfect sense -- which is exactly why I doubt it ever gets adopted. :rolleyes:
 
I did mine.

My number 80ff358f. If these are sequential assigned number then there has been 1718 submitted sense Dan Landry submitted his.

Lets keep this going..

Kent
 
80ff363b

Looks like 1890 since post #2 in this thread. (that is if the tracking number is, in fact, a sequential hexadecimal number.)
 
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If you click on "open docket folder" and then click on the Public Submission check box you can see all of the submitted comments. After checking about 25 randomly, I did not see any that were against the proposal.

BTW it only says that there are 678 comments at the top of that tab...
 
My AME was active on this from the start. He is saying this in it's current form is DOA. He and other senior AMEs are meeting in May to draft another proposal that should be received more favorably by the feds
 
My comment text, Comment Tracking Number:*80ff3ea0

I submitted the following:

------------------

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal.

I am a pilot, aircraft owner, and a member of AOPA. My continued ability to fly my airplane is directly related to this proposal.

I FULLY SUPPORT THE PROPOSED RULE, AS SUBMITTED BY AOPA AND EAA.

At this time I believe the extremely rare accident history of pilots flying gliders and light sport aircraft without medical certificates is evidence that this proposal is acceptable for pilots flying small aircraft in good weather.

As I pilot I am constantly balancing seeking medical advice for routine events vs. possible impact to NEVER flying my plane again. If a mistake occurs in medical records or codes I could lose my ability to legally fly. I could attempt challenging that loss, but I'm told that is a slow and costly appeal.

The current rules have me hesitant to see medical care.

If you examine "Airplanes for Sale" information you can find entries for planes, sold under distress, by people who are still driving cars and fully functioning at home and work.

Please accept this proposed changed.

Sincerely,

------------------
 
tc1234c said:
Still show 26 comments only. They are just not showing all the comments.
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Note that after you submit your comment (80ff4294), the confirmation includes the following message:
After submitting your comment, you will not be able to view your comment until the appropriate agency reviews and publishes it on Regulations.gov. Given certain regulations may have thousands of comments, processing may take several weeks before it is viewed online.
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My only comment, apart from supporting the measure, was that the limitation of a single passenger should be increased to three. I see no valid reason why the addition of two passengers in the rear seat makes me any less medically capable to fly the plane.
 
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I noted that the 10,000' MSL (2000' AGL) restriction is a safety problem in the west and operationally bad everywhere else. Why be limited to 10,000' MSL?
 
Comment!

....Sent mine in today and E-Mailed the link with a request for a response to all 8,354 people on my mailing list. I gave a basic outline of what to say in their own words. Keep in mind that you need not be a pilot to express your opinion and apply pressure on the powers that be. Let's keep this going and you can do the same thing. Allan.........:D
 
10,000ft.

Ron Lee said:
I noted that the 10,000' MSL (2000' AGL) restriction is a safety problem in the west and operationally bad everywhere else. Why be limited to 10,000' MSL?
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To keep us geezers from passing out from anoxia and crashing into large crouds of innocent women, children and puppies.:eek:
 
Ron Lee said:
I noted that the 10,000' MSL (2000' AGL) restriction is a safety problem in the west and operationally bad everywhere else. Why be limited to 10,000' MSL?
Click to expand...

That's not quite what it says...it's 10,000 msl or 2,000 agl, whichever is higher. So those out West have no problems, except for that whole oxygen thing.
 
There are many days where 2000 AGL over the peaks will toss your cookies. Sometimes you need more clearance than that to find a smooth streak.
 
fmiddleton said:
That's not quite what it says...it's 10,000 msl or 2,000 agl, whichever is higher. So those out West have no problems, except for that whole oxygen thing.
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You must not fly in the Rockies. Come fly around here and see if you can adhere to those restrictions and fly safely.
 
Mine

My comment...

As a professional Military aviator, I am required to "self-asses" for every flight. Additionally, I am responsible for the self-assessment of each of my crew when I am the Pilot In Command. We have a yearly medical requirement that the FAA has chosen to accept as equating to a 3rd class FAA flight physical. When we deploy, we often have no flight surgeon on the ship and have to self assess for the entire 6+ months. We have a yearly aviation physiology brief discussing the interaction of human physiology in the flying environment. Due to various constraints beyond our control, many military aviators may go months with very few flight hours. Additionally, we periodically go a number of years in administrative billets with no flying, yet on day one of our return to flying we are trusted to self assess. This procedure has worked safely and efficiently for decades in both fair and ferocious flying environments. I urge you to consider the probability that a similar program for General Aviation will INCREASE the safety of all citizens in America.
Thank You
 
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