TIL: Runway Condition Codes & Hard End Dates For SI's

Sinistar

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Brad
I was talking to our perhaps most active pilot at the airport. He is still a few years shy of 80yrs old. I would fly with him any day. From looking at him, he is probably the most fit person at the airport. Unfortunately several years back he needed a stent. And needed another one this past year. He follows all the rules each your to re-do is SI. He just told me that the FAA just indicated to him that they will no longer give this special issuance in 2024. So on that day his flying days are over. Really sucks. I guess I had no idea the FAA had end dates for SI's.

Flying the other day to meet @WannFly - both the briefer and the center controller indicated all arrival runways were 3/3/3. Duh...I had no clue what it meant so asked the briefer. I guess I should have known because its our norm all winter LOL! Just had never heard it before. Here's one example. Every airport on the way up looked like this and were 3/3/3 (or worse). When its -20F for days on end the little airports just can't get the compacted snow off until it warms up. Obviously much worse in AK.
RunwayCodes.jpg
 
WISDOT-RCAM-W.jpg
 
The runway condition code numbers are a waste of electrons IMO. There’s nothing in most of our airplane performance data that references them, and unless you fly something made by Boeing or Airbus, they can be very misleading...for the jets I deal with, a condition code of 5 can result in exactly the same takeoff and landing distances as a 3.

just tell me specifically what’s on the runway and be done with it.
 
He just told me that the FAA just indicated to him that they will no longer give this special issuance in 2024. So on that day his flying days are over. Really sucks. I guess I had no idea the FAA had end dates for SI's.

I’ve seen no documented indications that they do. Especially on heart stuff.

Think your friend forgot to tell you about some change in his condition that triggered the end. New test data from his stress test or something.

Could be wrong but haven’t seen it at all. Have seen folks hand wave away the new data as “FAA decided not to re-issue” though.

You’d have to see their letter to know for sure.

And yeah it’s a bummer either way.
 
I've been a controller for a long time and have never heard that phrase. On the other hand while I was in Fairford England, base ops was calling the runway dry although it was pouring rain due to "porous friction asphalt."
 
Out here the ATIS notes those numbers, I have tried to come with a correlation and all I came up with, it sucks, you better not rely on brakes and be very careful during run up.
 
I’ve seen no documented indications that they do. Especially on heart stuff.

Think your friend forgot to tell you about some change in his condition that triggered the end. New test data from his stress test or something.

Could be wrong but haven’t seen it at all. Have seen folks hand wave away the new data as “FAA decided not to re-issue” though.

You’d have to see their letter to know for sure.

And yeah it’s a bummer either way.
I will ask him a bit more. Maybe the second Stent surgery put him over some kind of limit. They did grant his most recent SI so he is flying now. He said he basically has until 2024 and they indicated they would not grant again. So he knows in advance he will get at most 3 more SI's. It does suck.
 
I've been a controller for a long time and have never heard that phrase. On the other hand while I was in Fairford England, base ops was calling the runway dry although it was pouring rain due to "porous friction asphalt."
I am guessing it isn't at all standard phraseology. The girl on Center just read out the Notam to give me a heads up prior to my arrival. Once again, great controllers being helpful :)
 
Out here the ATIS notes those numbers, I have tried to come with a correlation and all I came up with, it sucks, you better not rely on brakes and be very careful during run up.
I'm thinking a 1 1 1 or 0 0 0 is not where I'd be landing unless the runway is Fargo length!
 
I will ask him a bit more. Maybe the second Stent surgery put him over some kind of limit. They did grant his most recent SI so he is flying now. He said he basically has until 2024 and they indicated they would not grant again. So he knows in advance he will get at most 3 more SI's. It does suck.

Can’t he go basic med? SI is already there, unless there is another episode he is good. Not sure if you are talking about the 414 guy or not
 
Nope, not our 414 guy. He is super healthy, but as he gets older and single pilot his insurance is starting to be more enemy than friend.

Regarding basic med...it is not a universal get out of jail free thing. Certain conditions require SI no matter what. Clearly heart stuff like his stents do not get excluded with basic med. I dont know the entire list but its probably written down somewhere. If I understand correctly, if you are basic med and one these conditions or events happen you still have to report so its not like if it happens after basic med it is excused. Hopefully some one can clarify.
 
If he just had a 2nd stent, he needs a SI to be evaluated for the new stent. But after that SI, then he qualifies for basicmed again. Of course if he needs a third stent someday, it requires another SI.
 
Why doesn’t he just let his medical expire, don’t apply for a reissuance, and then go Sport Pilot?
 
Out here the ATIS notes those numbers, I have tried to come with a correlation and all I came up with, it sucks, you better not rely on brakes and be very careful during run up.

Believe me, airports aren't entirely happy with the system either. It has promise, 6 is dry braking and 0 is no braking with a sliding scale in between. But the mistake is the FAA and their panel of experts tied the codes to the type of contaminant versus the actual observed braking action. Anyone who has spent anytime plowing runways and reporting runway conditions can tell you that isn't accurate.
 
Believe me, airports aren't entirely happy with the system either. It has promise, 6 is dry braking and 0 is no braking with a sliding scale in between. But the mistake is the FAA and their panel of experts tied the codes to the type of contaminant versus the actual observed braking action. Anyone who has spent anytime plowing runways and reporting runway conditions can tell you that isn't accurate.
Sliding scale. We see what you did there. ;-)
 
If he has an SI for the second stent. He can go basic med unless he ends up with another one. Or let it expire buy an LSA and keep flying. Or just fly with other pilots in the right seat. If I am still above the dirt let alone flying at 80 I will be ecstatic.
 
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