From AOPA
I wrote the following to AOPA.
Request:
Concerning the newly introduced " General Aviation Pilot Protection Act "
I have a couple questions.
1. What effect will this have on insurance rates if a pilot is flying on their drivers license instead of a medical?? I know, "Will" is something you can not determine, so what is the probable result??
2. I remember the huge feeling of betrayal felt by the pilot community after the Sport Pilot program was finally approved by the FAA----------hundreds if not thousands of pilots who has lost their medicals were tricked into supporting this thinking they would be allowed to fly once again with only a drivers license. Yet in the final cut, the Sport Pilot was limited to those who had not failed a medical, and all these pilots were thrown under the FAA's bus.
Is there any provisions in the current bill to prevent such a thing form happening again, also what is going to happen to the large group of pilots currently flying with a "Special Issuance" medical-----will they still be able to fly with only a drivers license, or are they going to get screwed out of this proposal??
I would like to see specific language in the proposed bill stating that it would apply to any pilot who holds or has held a 3rd class medical regardless of current medical status.
If the answers to these questions are not already known, please determine them, and publish the results for all members to see.
Thanks,
Mike Starkey
Today I got the following in response.
Hello Mike,
Thanks for contacting AOPA's Pilot Information Center.
You are right. It is too early to know the answers to many of the questions surrounding this proposed bill. Insurance is going to be a private issue, not regulatory. The insurance companies have been insuring sport pilots for the past 10 years, so I can only imagine that will continue. If it will affect rates, we can only guess at this point.
The wording of the proposed bill is still very vague. It will most likely change quite a bit before it passes. Currently it states
No later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administrator shall issue or revise medical certification regulations to ensure that an individual may operate as pilot in command of a covered aircraft without regard to any medical certification or proof of health requirement otherwise applicable under Federal Law if---
It continues to spell out the rules, but does not reference a denial of a medical. We are hopeful that this will include all of our members. It is too early to know how it will be worded in the end. We will be keeping everyone posted through our web site and online magazines.
Regards,
Brenda Tibbs | Aviation Technical Specialist
Pilot Information Center
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Direct: 301-695-2141 or
[email protected]
800-872-2672 or 301-695-2000 |
www.aopa.org