Does it make sense that pilots need a third-class medical to fly even the smallest GA aircraft, while drivers can get a license to drive vehicles that weigh much more without a checkup? David Wartofsky doesn’t think so, reports AVweb, who notes that Wartofsky, owner of Potomac Airfield near Washington, D.C., has petitioned the FAA to reconsider its rule. The AVweb report quotes Wartofsky:
“People are in more danger from passing vehicles on the road than small aircraft passing overhead.”
I agree also the 3rd class medical should not be requried for pilots flying airplanes and aircraft not exceding 1700 lbs gross wt. Let our voices be heard!!!!!
I agree that the 3rd class is nonsense. Besides, I will continue to fly until I feel that my family is not safe with me behind the controls. The Feds have proven time and time again that they are not capable of performing a single competent function. It doesn’t matter if it is the FAA, IRS, EPA, DOE, TSA, Dept of Ed, VA, etc. Actually, when I give it further thought, they do accel at drinking coffee and playing golf.
I received my pilot certificate at Prince Georges County Airport (now Potomac) in 1972. I live in Georgia and visit family in PG county. The restrictions on flight in the ‘ADIZ’ are assinine. This is a result of a typical federal knee-jerk reaction to the rag heads after 9-11.
I really don’t want to be an anarchist but recently I have come to the conclusion that the only laws that apply to me are the ones that I chose to obey.
Boys, men, recommend we bring it to reality….. ‘non-career employed’ aviators over 40 years of age (negotiable +- 5 years) get the third class, three year duration physicals; longer life spans notwithstanding, today’s stress way of life can counter that. Little further though, [all ages] second class med: duration of two full years; and the ATP’s ‘OPERATIONALLY’ flying with air carriers now…..with duration of one full year. This plan can save the individual med exam costs and cover Aviation Safety and Liability as well.
It ain’t like you can coast over to the repair lane or shoulder with a heart problem & punch in 911. If the airplane gets exciting, you have to be in good enough physical condition to think on your feet and manage the big picture. I also agree that the size & complexity of some vehicles operable by a Class E (private) driver might be worthy of a CDL.
Aircraft Medicals are a holdover from when you really did need to be superman to fly an airplane. All they amount to today is a way for the FAA to deny us the ability to fly. Aircraft medicals should be done away with entirely, except for Part 135.
Lotsa dynamics here . . . (in other words, a can of worms).
1) People are healthier now and live a lot longer than when these regs were written. In 1940, if you lived to 65, you were OLD. Nowadays 65 is just getting started.
2) There are lots of government regs involving “reach X years old and you’re out”. One of them is the Foreign Service – 65 and you’re gone – which is DUMB because these are jobs that CANNOT be done by the average 30 or even 40 year old, they just don’t have the experience. (I note that the wife of a certain ex-president is excepted – also ambassadors and a very few other top level posts).
3) The average bureaucrat is only concerned with CYA so he or she can make the magic retirement age and get their pension. Not making waves is the best way to do that. Here’s a scenario – someone has an attack of common sense and eases or even eliminates (!!) the third class medical. A week later someone has a heart attack in mid-air (which isn’t prevented by the medical anyway) and crashes into a school/nunnery/orphanage/whatever. In three minutes CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, NPR and every other so called “news” organization in the known universe are going to be sticking microphones in this guy’s face and demanding to know why HE PERSONALLY eliminated the medical exam and thus allowed the halt, the sick and the lame to fly dangerous airplanes around and risk the lives of innocent citizens. You can bet the next thing that gets stuck into him won’t be into his face.
Bureaucrats have nightmares about exactly this sort of thing on a regular basis . . . keep a low profile, don’t rock the boat, don’t make waves . . .
“Age” as a measure of health is pretty arbitrary – there are sickly 30 year olds and healthy 70 year olds. Picking a number (“65”) is the easy way out, it is inarguable, undeniable, verifiable and simple. Actually *evaluating* someone’s health is a lot more work.
4) Some AME’s seem to work on the idea of “Who can we kick out?” while others think “How can we keep this person flying?”. Obviously, it pays to shop AME’s, because a flight physical from one may not be equivalent to a flight physical from another. (I was once told I had failed my flight physical – turns out he was using the wrong criteria! Fortunately his error was caught BEFORE the FAA heard about it so I didn’t have mountains of paperwork to shovel.)
Another AME concluded my physical with the “sage” advice “lose 30 pounds and stop smoking”. That’s fine, except I have never smoked and exercise very regularly – and I don’t need to lose 30 pounds, or even ten.
The quickest and easiest way to do this is to simply raise the weight limits for LSA aircraft. Another approach would be to eliminate the physical for the ASEL rating. I’d be a little nervous about someone flying IFR in a Baron or a Caravan without a medical, but I really see no difference between many of the LSA aircraft and a Cessna 150 or a Warrior – except the price – so are they telling me that if I can afford a new LSA for $120K+ I don’t need a medical, but to fly a $15K C-150 which is slower, I do?
Yes, this needs a little work, but I really think nothing will happen because there’s no political mileage to be gained. The government looks out for itself, if their interests and our interests happen to coincide, great. If their interests and our interests diverge, guess who is going to be S.O.L.?
I think a motorhome (no physical required) crashing into a school bus has a much greater risk for injury and loss of life than a small aircraft into a house. Even the DOT physical for CDL to operate an 80,000lbs semi is much less detailed and restrictive than the FAA third class medical.
David hit the nail on the head. What is really the difference between an LSA Luscombe or Ercoupe and a Cessna 150, a couple hundred pounds? Ditching the 3rd class medical would also save millions on $100 AME exam bills and remove the sinking feeling that your flying days are numbered even though you feel fine and know you are healthy. I take a minimal amt of blood pressure medication to lower pressure that still is well within FAA limits and had new lenses installed in my eyes to give me 2020 vision. I recieved a letter from the FAA demanding all the eye paperwork along with requests for EKG, 3 blood pressure readings, cholesterol and lipids, and a letter from my doctor stating I was fine. All my meds are preventive because nothing was out of limits. The cost in time and money to comply was rediculous.
Rob is right and David Wartofsky is not only wrong but has a problem with rational thought.
Vehicles move in two dimensions and follow roads, aircraft move in three
and go cross country.
Everyone from those who fly ultra-lights on up need to take a full flight physical. But only those medical problems that can not be controlled to permit safe aircraft operation should be prohibited from operating an aircraft.
While I don’t think that the entire medical procedure should be done away with – an airplane crashing into a house can probably injure/kill a lot more people than a car could – for 3rd class they should definitely loosen the rules just a little bit.
A great example is easily treatable conditions or conditions that can be well controlled with proper medication should not be considered disqualifying. ADD, for instance, is easily controlled with medication but nonetheless is considered a disqualifying condition for even a 3rd class.