Did FAA make THE announcement?

[logansc]

Maybe I missed it, but weren't we all hoping the FAA would announce the new "driver's license" style medical program at Oshkosh?

What happened?


Lee...

[Mel]

Be aware that the proposal for using a driver's license for a medical is an exemption, not a regulation.

Second; it is still in the "comment" stage. Even if it does pass, it will still be a while.

[pazmanyflyer]

See Page 48 here that gives more info on the topic http://www.airventure.org/live/avt_724.html

As Mel stated the time for "comments" was extended until Sept 14th, 2012. Still plenty of time ahead before anything passes.

[David-aviator]

Maybe next year.

I have a good feeling about this proposal.

[plehrke]

Originally Posted by David-aviator

I have a good feeling about this proposal.

I went to the AOPA/EAA forum Tuesday on the subject. Was very impressed with both EAA and AOPA commitment and depth of information on the subject. Seems thought out and first step to a longer commitment of eliminating all 3rd class medicals in small steps. They had very good answers to all the questions. Unfortunately an AME was there and took the mic to ask a question and actually spent 10 minutes talking how this was one of the worst things he ever heard and would decrease safety.

[Brantel]

AOPA aeromedical group now has Warren Silberman working for em....

[fehdxl]

Spoke with my AME on this subject at my last physical. He brought up some very good points against the 'drivers license medical'. Without going into all the details, the most apt point is that the AME puts eyeballs on the applicant and determines a fitness to fly or not...and that extends beyond the simple values of blood pressure, eye sight, color blindness, etc. Looking across the general populace, there are plenty of people who have valid drivers license, but lack the mental capacity/stability to pilot aircraft, for example. So at this point, I believe a drivers license medical is not a whole-sale alternative to a 3d class medical. -Jim

[the_other_dougreeves]

Originally Posted by fehdxl

Looking across the general populace, there are plenty of people who have valid drivers license, but lack the mental capacity/stability to pilot aircraft, for example. So at this point, I believe a drivers license medical is not a whole-sale alternative to a 3d class medical. -Jim

This isn't new. There are PLENTY of pilots who legally - and safely - fly without medicals.

Having a medical does not automatically mean you are fit to fly, it only means your AME and the FAA decided, some time ago, that you met the standards for a medical.

Not having a medical does not automatically mean you are unfit to fly, it just means you haven't been blessed by the FAA.

The EAA/APOA petition recognizes this reality and decouples the very rigid process of getting a 3rd class medical from certain VFR operations. The experience with Sport Pilot operations has been very good and IIRC, trouble free.

But please, medical or no, practice IMSAFE self-evaluations to determine if you are fit to fly for each specific flight.

TODR