what? fly Bonanzas without a medical?!?!?

SoCalPlaneDoc

SoCalPlaneDoc

New member
that's right.. AOPA has been advocating this for a couple of years.. now Congress is involved.
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2013/December/11/new-bill-would-expand-drivers-license-medical.aspx?CMP=ADV:1

I love the AOPA but on this, I think they're nuts. The dirty little secret is that the vast majority of pilots who switch to LSA flying are doing it because they *know* they cant pass the 3rd class medical.. I personally know several - I'm sure most of you do too. One of them had a fatal heart right in his hanger - fortunately *after* flying.

Given the broad limits the third has, and the vast number of meds allowed to mitigate many maladies (even depression) anyone who cant pass it shouldn't be behind the wheel of anything bigger than a pedal car. They'll switch to an LSA-class plane but give up driving?? no way.
Just wait till the first ran-into-the-hanger-full-throttle accident occurs and the pilot claims he thought he pulled it out instead of pushed it in. that one event will do more harm to the aviation community image and our insurance rates than any benefit from letting feeble pilots fly bigger iron.
This is going to be one time when I hope the demotards are able to over-rule the Republicans.
ok, ending this rant (but staying on the soapbox)
 
OK, I am going to disagree with this last post in a BIG way.
Having a medical does NOT guarantee a thing about what happens in the future. There are plenty of recorded instances of incapacitation in flight by holders of medical certificates. I am a veteran of a profession that required a first class physical every six months. I saw incapacitation happen in this environment.
The truth is medical emergencies happen with or without medical certification.......fortunately, it is VERY RARE.
So, go ahead and make it even harder for pilots to get certified and remain so. I hope you have another source of income than your repair shop, because any more losses to a dying industry will cause it to be dead! Two aviation repair shops have closed in this area the last month. Two more are laying off.
Why??? No business, few airplanes are flying and pilots are putting their aircraft up for sale or storage.
This is why your 260 Bellanca that should really be worth $30-40,000 would be lucky to get $20-25,000.
Dan
 
I agree Dan. There is far too much BS in getting a pilots license. No wonder the ranks are going south. Now these clowns who wear the Govt. hat want to enforce body mass requirements>>more BS! If you can drive a car you can fly that Bonanza. Like everything you have to use some common sense in what you do. I say if the Govt. made the Cessna 150 LSA, every LSA manufacturer would be out of business in 24 hrs. Why spend 150k for LSA when you can get a far better plane for 20K. OK I vented it was my turn. Lynn the crate :!:
 
I never really looked at the protocol used for a third class, I just take them and hope there is no glitch. Only time I ever had a problem was with blood pressure many years ago when I had a high stress job. Dan's comments remind me of a Delta pilot I knew in my reserve unit. We were talking about "famous last words' and he told us of a Delta FO who was the pilot flying whose last words were; "flaps 20" and then he keeled over. Seems like a first or second class medical didn't catch that one. Of course, we never really know how many problems have been found on flight physicals that did prevent an event.
I agree with Bill in that many people who "retire" from getting physicals and go Sport Pilot maybe shouldn't be flying at all. But then, I can also really relate to them in how hard it must be to give up flying at all.
As I have stated in previous thread, I have picked the day I am going to stop flying. Until then, I hope I can continue to pass my physicals. As I am now 70 yrs old, I realize that my time is coming. I have only another 38 yrs left to fly, but it is still too short!
 
"The dirty little secret is that the vast majority of pilots who switch to LSA flying are doing it because they *know* they cant pass the 3rd class medical"

Actually pilots I know use good judgement medically and do just fine. The impediment to getting a medical is hassle factor and unpredictable cost. According the the EAA there has never a accident caused by medical incapacitation since the sport category took affect and in other flight operations such as gliders where a medical is not required the medical safely record is better than operations where a medical is required.
 
Well Glen, I know at least 1/2 dozen here that stopped getting physicals 'cause they new they wouldn't pass. They are now flying Luscombes, Champs, etc. We even had a retired TWA pilot who was flying an LSA (with a prop that allowed him to go >>120). I am pretty sure he couldn't pass a physical, and he died with "little notice". Here yesterday, and gone today. Fortunately he wasn't flying. Regardless, from a selfish point, I hope the reg rewrite passes. Like I said, I don't think they catch that much during a third class physical but who knows....?
PS- I am also looking forward to the rewrite of Part 23. Maybe it will allow us to update our planes in a more expeditious fashion...and by that I mean simple things like engine accessories, lights, etc.
 
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