What Could Be the End of the Third Class Medical

[N42AH]

Wouldn't this be nice

From AVweb:

Senior aviation medical examiner Dr. Brent Blue (of AeroMedix.com) thinks "the FAA is actually starting to float the idea of either dropping or relaxing third class medicals." Find out why he thinks so and what may matter more in the case of second and first class certification.

http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast...w=RelatedStory

Also here is a link to the petition submitted by the owner of Potomac airfield to not require medicals for those that fly aircraft under 6000 lbs.

http://www.potomac-airfield.com/dot_petition.htm

[jsherblon]

Wonder what would happen to the market for LSA's if the 3rd class medical went to self-certification?

[ChiefPilot]

Originally Posted by jsherblon

Wonder what would happen to the market for LSA's if the 3rd class medical went to self-certification?

Interesting question!

I'd speculate that it would depending on whether it was mostly new pilots buying LSAs or older pilots who cannot keep their medical. Anecdotally, I know several folks in the latter category, but none in the former.

[DonFromTX]

I run in a different crowd, but ALL LSA plane owners I know are non medical PP people. My feeling is that if medicals were not needed for any planes under 6000 lbs, the inflated LSA market value would plummet, as I and others would jump into the four place retractable constant speed prop planes that are selling very low right now and we cannot fly..

Originally Posted by ChiefPilot

Interesting question!

I'd speculate that it would depending on whether it was mostly new pilots buying LSAs or older pilots who cannot keep their medical. Anecdotally, I know several folks in the latter category, but none in the former.

[jimpappas]

As someone who lost his 3rd class and had to sell my RV this year I find this interesting.

While going back and forth with the FAA Aeromedical folks, with help from AOPA and EAA they freely admitted to "making a mistake" by issuing my 3rd class in 2001 and allowing me to fly from then until 2009 while on a disallowed med to treat a "very mild case of IBS".

They renewed it several times after reviewing and requesting and getting all my medical info, they then used me as an example in an article in the AOPA magazine about two years ago as a case study of how they had made it easier for us to GET our medical issued in conditional cases!

But even though I had safely flown all that time and can drive a car while on that medicine they chose to pull my 3rd class at the same time they announced that Airline Pilots that were "diagnosed" as depressed could take antidepressants and fly passenger aircraft!

They even told me it was kinda goofy but that the process will eventually catch up and in the mean time I needed to surrender the physical license by registered mail or face criminal prosecution!! They called me to make sure I sent it even while they were still vacilating if they would indeed make me surrender it after all the "mistakes" they had made.

Oh and I HAD disclosed the med and the condition on every application including the first one in 2001 and two years worth of paperwork and requests for more information from 2007-2009. They said they "missed it".

It gets better, with my files in hand they told me I could stop taking the meds, even though I could possibly end up in the hospital, with death as one possible outcome of stopping the meds but then I could fly!

Oh and all the Doctors told them the biggest risk of me flying with the meds was that if my IBS flared up and I couldnt land and find a bathroom quickly enough I might lose some of my dignity by ruining my pants but that noone else would be at risk of injury due to my soiled pants.

I told them I loved flying but death was not an option or risk I was willing to take.

If they finally get some common sense and drop the 3rd class as it exists and follow the 6000lbs and a valid drivers license thing then the only thing would be if they leave in the LSA provision of "if you have been denied or revoked" because I have.

Where does "threatened by the FAA" come into the paperwork?

I went to the website and added my name to the petition just now.

I hope more people do. Common sense is clearly lacking when a triple organ transplant patient can get his medical back but I can't! Even they thought it was a bit odd "but that is the policy and it is subject to change".

Here's my chance and maybe many more folks too.

[rv7boy]

Originally Posted by jimpappas

As someone who lost his 3rd class and had to sell my RV this year I find this interesting.

While going back and forth with the FAA Aeromedical folks, with help from AOPA and EAA they freely admitted to "making a mistake" by issuing my 3rd class in 2001 and allowing me to fly from then until 2009 while on a disallowed med to treat a "very mild case of IBS"....SNIP.

Man, oh man, Jim. That is a Bummer with a capital "B." I feel for you. It's a wonder you didn't get high blood pressure going through all this with them.

This just seems so unfair.

I'm glad you're staying in touch with these forums, but I don't know much else to say. It sounds like you tried every way possible to maintain your Class III.

Sincerely,

P.S. Not to be flippant, but if that astronaut could wear a diaper from Texas to Florida, I wonder why a GA pilot couldn't discretely wear a Depends undergarment. I once worked with an engineer who had "IBS." There were times when he had to immediately leave the room to go to the men's room.

[sjarrell]

Originally Posted by jimpappas

As someone who lost his 3rd class and had to sell my RV this year I find this interesting....

It may be too late, or they may not have been able to do anything to help anyway, but you may want to contact the folks at Pilot Medical Solutions and see if they think they can help.

[jimpappas]

So you guys know, I had the head of AOPA Aeromedical working on my case and ultimately it was Dr Silberman the head of the FAA that made the call on my case.

He's the same guy that did the interview with AOPA and used me as an example of what a great job he was doing.

I have never gotten into detail online but if this policy has a chance of passing I will open up to a point.

I had the best help from a lady at AOPA medical, the head of AOPA medical and and even the local FAA office all of them were angry with the outcome and frustrated.

Now that I have had the bout with cancer this year it will be a while before I am able to fly again anyway so if my disclosing some of this and it helps someone that's great!

IBS is VERY common, I have been told it could be as high as 1 in 4 people, not sure it's that high but it is very common and varies in severity.

Mine was clinically defined as "extremely mild IBS" ultimately it was the medicine not the disease that they took exception to as it was used to treat anxiety as well as IBS and it was not listed as one of the 4 meds that are OK to be on for depression or stress.

I agree with the concept that any pilot that is safe enough to drive, especially one rated to operate big rigs should be able to fly subject to the same rules like if you get a DUI you lose the privilege to drive and to fly but having a bad gut should not keep you from flying. What next if your prostate makes you go too often and you take a med they dont like will they ban that too or have they already.

Oh and here was the one that put me over the edge when they pulled it.

I asked for a list of approved meds so I could give it to my internist so he might pick one they approved and was told they dont keep a current list anymore because it's too hard to maintain and my Doctor should pick 4-5 meds and they would tell HIM which one I could use!

Government telling us what meds we can take, hmmm.....???

[DonFromTX]

Not to be lost in the discussion, is that crazy catch 22 bit about if you are denied flying by failing a medical, you cannot fly Sport Pilot either! That is insane in my view. I have a number of reasons that I could not pass another medical, so I have never tried. Yet the person who HAS tried and failed, cannot exercise sport pilot privileges, even though he is in all probability far safer than I who knew he could not pass (I am a diabetic, have pacemaker and defibrillator implant, taking an anti depressant not on the approved list, etc, etc., yet I am good to go!).

[KatieB]

Originally Posted by DonFromTX

I run in a different crowd, but ALL LSA plane owners I know are non medical PP people. My feeling is that if medicals were not needed for any planes under 6000 lbs, the inflated LSA market value would plummet, as I and others would jump into the four place retractable constant speed prop planes that are selling very low right now and we cannot fly..

Originally Posted by DonFromTX

Yet the person who HAS tried and failed, cannot exercise sport pilot privileges, even though he is in all probability far safer than I who knew he could not pass (I am a diabetic, have pacemaker and defibrillator implant, taking an anti depressant not on the approved list, etc, etc., yet I am good to go!).

No offense, but that's exactly why this idea is so dumb!! Let's pile MORE innocent passengers into faster, heavier, more complicated airplanes so that we risk even more life in the air and on the ground.

If they do away with the 3rd class, then I will be happy to fly my RV forever, but will need to find a new job, as the budding LSA industry will surely be gone. Or maybe we will just need to build $25,000 ultralights instead.