Impact of Medical Reform

Now that the FAA's Third Class Medical Reform has passed and the criteria have been expanded, any thoughts on how this might impact Zenith builds if the builder so chooses (e.g., EAB vs. the LSA limits)? Or how it might affect what your build?

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Permalink Reply by Lawrence Bird on July 16, 2016 at 10:30am

Assuming one's medical is within the ten-year guidelines (which mine isn't), it probably is a matter of deciding to declare a gross weight above the 1320# limit for those birds that are structurally capable (CH750).  Being of the decidedly geriatric set with few passenger needs I've been mentally content with the 1320# limit (and accompanying airspeeds) for so long, I'm not sure it'll do anything for me, but it could open up a whole potential family of designs over the next decade or so for somewhat younger fliers... 

Permalink Reply by Chuck Stanger on July 19, 2016 at 11:23am

In addition to gross weight and number of passenger changes it will remove some of the odious LSA flight limitations. You will be able to: Fly up to 18,000 feet; fly at night; fly over an undercast if you choose to. There are probably other things too.

Permalink Reply by Michael Chesney on July 16, 2016 at 12:47pm

I'll be going the EAB #1440 route due to the passage of this bill into law. 

Permalink Reply by Sebastien Heintz on July 17, 2016 at 4:54pm
Permalink Reply by Alistair Corden on July 17, 2016 at 4:55pm

OK, I missed this bit - what are we talking about here with the expanded criteria..?

Permalink Reply by Ernest Christley on February 15, 2018 at 9:39pm

LSA is day, only 1320#, and one passenger.  Basic Med allows night, 6,000#, and five passengers.

Permalink Reply by Frank A Pisz on July 17, 2016 at 5:03pm

Thinking about E-AB with a constant speed prop.  This would help me get my 750 on floats off the water using a Viking 110.

Also the  being able to fly at night again.....need to make sure of proper lighting inside and out. As mentioned below, would be able to certify to the increased gross weight.

Permalink Reply by Glenn R Shubert on July 17, 2016 at 5:06pm

The way I read it, the bill will have zero impact on me. I'm a light sport pilot. I would love to upgrade to GA, but the bill requires having a medical in the past 10 years (which I don't), and left in the "catch 22" - if you fail the medical, you are done.

So, I will not risk taking the medical. The bill as passed makes no sense to me. the light sport program has demonstrated that there is no correlation between the third class medical and safety. I'm happy that GA pilots can continue flying their planes, up to 6 seats and 6000 lbs. on a ten year old medical, but why can't I be allowed to upgrade?

Permalink Reply by Ihab A.B. Awad on July 17, 2016 at 6:01pm

You are correct, and it all depends on whether getting that one-time medical is affordable and "safe" (In other words, if you are sure you are going to pass). Some people will not be able to afford the cost or risk, and this program will not help them. I too am sad about that, but there you go. Here are some quotes from Administrator Huerta at previous AirVentures, just to note that he is on "our" side but is hamstrung by DoT and other legalities:

https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedi...

"The third-class medical [rules revision] represents for many people who are not aviators a fundamental change in that basic policy framework.”
“I have conversations with very smart people,” the administrator said. “We talk about data, mitigations, everything we’re putting in place, and at the end people are saying, ‘Aviation is just different.’ I’m not saying it’s right or rational, but that’s the reality; we need to acknowledge that that perspective deserves to be answered.”

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2015/july/23/faa-admin...

At the Meet the Administrator session, Huerta urged members of the audience to contact their members of Congress to advance third class medical reform because there's a great deal of resistance inside and outside government to altering the current requirements.

"I'm not saying it’s right," Huerta said of that resistance. "I'm not saying it's rational. But it's reality."

Permalink Reply by Sheldon R. Burt on July 18, 2016 at 11:56am

Very good comment!

Permalink Reply by Steve Weston on July 17, 2016 at 5:19pm

The LSA allowed many older and "not so healthy" pilots to continue to fly.

The LSA made selling your EAB (1320#)  aircraft "easier" to sell as the pilot community aged.

The new medical is still not that easy to pass when you have medical issues that your personal doctor thinks  is a problem,

Sure,  with the new regs you can fly higher.    Try taking your 750 to 18K.

I am all for a re-do of requirements for the 3rd class medical but I don't think this went far enough to really help.

OK, yes there are some advantages but I was wanting the 3rd class to be the same as Sport Pilot.

The less FAA in our lives,  the better.

I voted Self Certify for 3rd class....State drivers license.  

Geeze, the FAA is sticking their noses into our model RC airplane sport  also....

Done...........................................

Permalink Reply by Sheldon R. Burt on July 18, 2016 at 11:55am

I for one am very happy that the FAA is "sticking their noses" into RC and drone activities, and doing so at the very beginning of a potentially astronomic problem!  I hope I (NEVER) see a drone from the seat of my airplane!  The FAA absolutely should implement every possible precaution and regulation to insure that that never happens to any of us!

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