Hmmm… they may get a good take-up in San Francisco, or even my local area 
Silvaire,
That is all your prerogative. I will enjoy the freedom of my own prerogative. I put up with more sh!t because I enjoy flying that much. It will be an improvement to just do what is medically necessary according to my doctors.
Appreciate your situation, NCYankee, butfor the time being I’ll stick with the 3rd class. As I have to do my EASA medical every year anyway, might as well get the FAA one done at the same time. Now, none of us is getting any younger……
172driver wrote:
for the time being I’ll stick with the 3rd class
As will everybody without a problem, because it’ll be easier for them unless their brother-in-law happens to be a physician – which it occurs to me will be the most straighforward way to get the non-FAA recorded slip of paper to file in your logbook like a BFR endorsement. Since there are a fair number of physician pilots hanging around socially at US airports, I can see where this is going. Now, do I have any physician friends, particularly flying physician friends?…
I’d guess in time that physicians with an interest in aviation will figure out it’s not just something to do for friends, that they too can have a retirement income signing off private pilots in their home office, like many AMEs. As I understand it, physicians can maintain their state license with something like ~25 hours continuing education per year, plus ~$400 or so in annual state fees.
172driver wrote:
none of us is getting any younger……
Every small businessman wants to maintain his hassle free income and eliminate his headaches… With this law FAA AMEs have just made substantial progress in that direction: the increasing number of old private pilots with problems will never call on them again, relying instead on non-specialist MDs of their acquaintance to sign them off. The rest of us will maintain the AME’s semi-retired cash flow, one 3rd Class medical (chat) at a time, at least until the aforementioned aviation-minded MDs figure out there’s a little retirement money to be made by providing 30 minute easy-in, easy-out service to those with no medical issues. They’ll have to undercut the AMEs a little, otherwise what’s the point, so I’m figuring $75 max.
Those who were looking for principled logic to be applied, and the non-sensical private pilot medical to be revoked, will need to look elsewhere.
I have just been through the Australian equivalent (as a quicker way to get a lapsed medical going while waiting for the issuance of a second class).
It is fairly straightforward for the pilot but a fairly complicated form for non-aviation doctors to fill in. In Australia it is essentially the same as needed by a commercial driver.
It allows flight in 1500kg or below aircraft with one passenger. It is acknowledged by the licensing side of CASA not the medical side.
I made the appointment at noon, did the MedXPress thing on my lunch hour, left work at 4:45 and was home by 5:35, $125 less in my wallet but with new medical in hand and good for another two years without further attention.
I wish… My nearest UK mainland FAA AME is 4 hours away by road or 130 nm as the Maule flies – but about 10 miles by road from the nearest airfield. However, N280SA carries her runway with her, so with help from Google Earth and a couple of phone calls we find a nice silage field within a mile, which is more like cycling distance for an old coffin-dodger:
and sure enough, the field is nearly as big and smooth as Heathrow:
with a nice little hollow to tie down out of the wind:
The FAA Medical Reform bill has become law, being signed by the President last Friday 15th July. It will take effect either within one year or whenever the FAA introduces implementing rules, whichever comes first.
Since this is a long thread, and the scope/terms evolved compared with the original intent, a brief summary of the highlights are:
- Only applies flying N-Reg within US territory with FAA PPL licence
- You need to have a current US driver’s licence
- Must have had an FAA 3rd class medical exam since July 2006 (10 years before enactment)
- Pilots must take an online course and self-certify every 2 years (no need to have anything signed off by doctor, unless there is a problem)
- Pilots must visit their family doctor/state registered medical practitioner at least once every 4 years
- VFR or IFR flight up to 18000 feet
- Up to 6 onboard
- Any aircraft up to 6000 lbs (approx 3 tonnes) including Single/Twin engine (not turbines or jets), fixed or retractable gear, VP or fixed prop, land or seaplane
I don’t see any immediate benefit to European N-Reg pilots or those occasionally visiting US for flying holidays. But longer term, assuming this is a proven success, we might hope to see similar rules being introduced in Europe. The success of the Sport Pilot Licence, which also didn’t need an aviation medical but hasn’t resulted in increased accidents, helped justify this change.
Strong lobbying through AOPA clearly also had a significant impact.
DavidC wrote:
I don’t see any immediate benefit to European N-Reg pilots or those occasionally visiting US for flying holidays. But longer term, assuming this is a proven success, we might hope to see similar rules being introduced in Europe.
I don’t actually see much practical difference between this and the LAPL medical. It’s a medical examination by a GP. The FAQ’s answer to ‘Why isn’t this a “driver’s license” medical standard?’ is very candid. AOPA/EAA’s original proposal, which would have been proper self-certification, would have set a much better precedent to work with in Europe.
