U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), a pilot who has logged more than 11,000 hours, plans to retire at the end of 2022 after serving more than 25 years in the U.S. Senate.
Inhofe, known as a tireless advocate for general aviation, has made numerous contributions to aviation throughout his career:
Inhofe, 87, was on the front lines in the fight for Bob Hoover and other aviators with his 1999 legislation that came to be known as the “Hoover Bill,” which allows FAA certificate holders to immediately appeal emergency revocations to the National Transportation Safety Board, after the FAA made the decision to revoke Hoover’s medical certificate without cause.
In 2011, he introduced legislation to level the playing field between pilots and the FAA. Known as the Pilot’s Bill of Rights, this legislation was unanimously passed and signed into law in 2012, and made FAA enforcement proceedings and NTSB reviews fairer for pilots by ensuring they understood their rights and had access to information to appropriately defend themselves during enforcement proceedings.
Third class medical reform was a key provision in Inhofe’s Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2. The legislation to reform the medical certification process for recreational pilots was introduced by Inhofe in 2015, and BasicMed was enacted into law in 2016. Today, more than 70,000 pilots have qualified to fly under the program since its inception, according to officials with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
Inhofe has also championed the continued operation of all federal contract towers, leading efforts to ensure this program is funded every year.
To help combat the shortage of trained pilots, aviation technicians, and other aviation professionals, Inhofe introduced legislation in 2018 to support the development of high school aviation science, technology, engineering, and math curriculum to help grow the aviation workforce. He also introduced legislation to establish the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation focused on bringing the industry together to eliminate aviation workforce shortages and keep U.S. aviation prepared and competitive in a global market.
“Nothing is going to change until almost a year from now,” Inhofe said when announcing his retirement. “It’s important for everyone to know that we are continuing the work we have been doing for a long time now.
Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1995, Inhofe served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Oklahoma House and Senate, and as mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
We would not have had BASIC MED if it hadn’t been for his vision and determination. At Oshkosh, he should be honored with a statue.
Thank you Senator for all you have done for General Aviation. Without you the state of General Aviation would certainly be even worse.
And thank you for speaking up against the disastrous left-wing policies that caused the catastrophe in Ukraine. We and our children will be paying a hefty price for those policies for many years to come.
No one caused Putin to invade and destroy Ukraine but Putin. Let’s please keep on topic here. Thanks.
I’m sorry you were triggered by the truth. If you can’t handle political opinions – stay on topic and don’t start spouting yours like you did below.
Very grateful to you, senator, for your work on behalf of aviation over so many years. Wish you didn’t so often stray into demagoguery on other issues, like the infamous snowball incident. Good luck in your retirement, sir.
Without his leadership and tenacity we would not have BASIC MED .He should have a statue standing at Oshkosh.
Without his leadership and tenacity we would not have had BASIC MED .He should have a statue standing at Oshkosh.