Does anyone still care about 3rd class reform anymore?

N918KT

N918KT

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Is anyone still following 3rd class medical reform these days? Is 3rd class reform still your goal?

Would you still care about 3rd class reform even in its current legislation if you really have to get a medical one time only if you never had a medical or your medical expired more than 10 years ago or if you have a disqualifying condition?
 
The current version is just fine by me, though I am not hopeful for its passage. A bill funding the FAA (and housing reform rules) is unlikely, since the chair of the relevant committee insists on giving away the ATC system to private interests, an approach rejected by the rest of Congress. They might b able to sneak it in another venue, but I have my doubts.
 
N918KT said:
Is anyone still following 3rd class medical reform these days? Is 3rd class reform still your goal?

Would you still care about 3rd class reform even in its current legislation if you really have to get a medical one time only if you never had a medical or your medical expired more than 10 years ago or if you have a disqualifying condition?
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yes, I care. I think it's good for GA in general even if the current legislation isn't what many had hoped for.
 
I never did think much of the reform, but then again I can't use a 3rd class medical so it does not affect me at all.

I just think about a friend of mine, his dad wanted to fly but since he had quadruple bypass in the early 70s he was totally disqualified. He proved that his heart health was very good and that the FAA knew more about his heart and health than they did on most airline pilots. He passed every medical check that the FAA could throw at him. This was back in the 80s. He passed away in 2001, but if he wanted a medical now he would pass a 3rd class without any problem. I always thought that was reform enough.
 
It will not affect me at all since I am on a special issuance, but I still want to see it pass.

Like others I think a stronger version would have been much better, but an old saying went something like "to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good." I also think it is likely to pass since there has been a lot of attention and it has seen a lot of support. They will eventually slip it into something that gets an up vote.
 
I'm on a special issuance now, but this would save me a ton of money every year. Between the extra doctor's visits and blood work they require, I could save $700/yr.
 
I would like to see real reform.

The issue I have with the "sorta reform" where you have to get a medical in order to fly without a medical (and all of the other stuff included) is that it is coming from congress and changing it will take an act of congress. Thus, real reform will never happen. Ever.

So, get your 5 year old a medical and they will be set for life. But don't ever expect anything that actually might make sense.
 
Yes, I am still interested in reform. The medical standard is fine, but the burden of proving the standard is too high. It is possible to comply without having to perform stupid pilot tricks with Oklahoma City.

Given the nature of the relationship with FAA medical, I have to believe that almost everyone is interested in changing it, possibly even the FAA. The only ones who think there is no problem are the ones who have no issues. They haven't experienced it yet, but they will.

I believe the defense bill is the one Obama vetoed.
 
Is the defense bill (and the related PBOR) definitely dead? I thought it passed the House and had stalled in the Senate just before the Memorial Day recess because of a dispute between McCain/Reid/McConnell.
 
The problem with the defense bill is Obama wants to veto it because it allows religious groups to be contracted for relief work and such. Not exactly a new concept.

But they claim this would violate his executive order on LGBT hiring for federal contractors because religious groups have a legal right to moral objection in hiring.

As far as I know, the bill itself is a bi-partisan affair and could pass the Senate. Reid is attempting to hold it up for obvious reasons.

The things holding up the PBOR2 right now ironically have nothing to do with the PBOR2. It's all unrelated stuff stalling bills.
 
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I don't care about it at this point, because I only have to get one every 5 years and have no medical issues at all. However, once I'm older and if/when I have some medical conditions/prescriptions to deal with, I'll care more. Thus, I'm in support of it but I'm not doing much of anything to "help the cause".
 
It's still in dispute between the parties within the Senate. It's currently a fight over LGBT rights like Bonchie mentioned. This bill has so many coat tail rides over social issues. I highly doubt it will be passed with major gutting and rewriting.
 
My medical is coming due in August. I passed five years ago and should pass again. But, why should I have to? I object to the 3rd class medical law as currently written because it selected an arbitrary length of time, placed an arbitrary age restriction and is essentially a glorified tax on pilots and a way to fund doctors.

To be honest, my first medical experience was a total joke. The doctor I went to used equipment that literally was from the 50's to check my hearing and I'm pretty sure they just checked boxes while I lay on the table and was looked over. It's just not an accurate way of determining my health.

The current proposed law is a tremendous step in the right direction and regains a bit of common sense legislation-- a concept that is surely lacking amoung politicians today.
 
I love the AOPA emails I get about every two days now. PBOR2 is moving forward and better than ever. We need you to send money now to make sure it crosses the finish line. Any bill predictability link will give this about a 22% passing score. I wish AOPA were more honest and just said hey this thing is in the ****ter, we need funds to help!!
 
I think people are burned out on the debate. AOPA's emails aren't helping. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Is anything actually happening? Wake me up when it's real.
 
My role in dealing with the FAA is to manage my status within the rules that govern me. I'll change my ways when the government changes the rules. I have no idea what the future holds. Talking about it is a waste of my time.
 
I paid my "medical fine" last month so I've got two years for some reform.

This time I actually had a limitation added to my medical. I have to carry corrective lenses for near vision. I don't have to wear them, just have them readily available.

Either the Doc didn't notice the "stick in my ___" or there is no need for an SI for that. <-- Prior thread throwback for thems whos watching :)
 
It's getting old,the idiots in congress are going to keep ,playing a game. They really don't care what's in the bill ,or who it affects. It's all politics. Just go light sport ,when the time comes.
 
It would be so much better if the medical requirements were reasonable. They are so onerous now that many qualified people either can't get a medical or need to jump through so many hoops for an SI it becomes a real burden. Disqualified forever because you were prescribed ADD meds when you were 8 years old? Is that really reasonable or necessary?
 
Does an SI today mean you're out of the running if PBOR2 were to pass as currently written?
 
iflyvfr said:
Does an SI today mean you're out of the running if PBOR2 were to pass as currently written?
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No. Depending on what it's for you might still need an SI under PBOR2, but unless your condition falls into a narrowly defined set of diagnoses, you would be good to go as long as you held a valid medical within the last 10 years. It's not a disqualifier for that medical to have been an SI, and the bill as written says so explicitly.

I'm beginning to learn first hand how easy it is to have your chances of a medical dashed under the current system by one incompetent and overly ambitious clinician throwing around speculative diagnoses that are beyond his/her expertise to make. I learned today that I might have to spend several AMUs to overturn another such bogus dx. If PBOR2 doesn't pass (and I'm not hopeful) I'm just about ready to throw in the towel. :(
 
Bonchie said:
The problem with the defense bill is Obama wants to veto it because it allows religious groups to be contracted for relief work and such. Not exactly a new concept.

But they claim this would violate his executive order on LGBT hiring for federal contractors because religious groups have a legal right to moral objection in hiring.

As far as I know, the bill itself is a bi-partisan affair and could pass the Senate. Reid is attempting to hold it up for obvious reasons.

The things holding up the PBOR2 right now ironically have nothing to do with the PBOR2. It's all unrelated stuff stalling bills.
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That damned Salvation Army, destroying the fabric of America! Hahaha.

As far as the original question goes: EVERYONE is interested in Medical Reform. Most are simply too realistic to believe any bureaucracy tasked with "safety" in our current FedGov actually bases anything they come up with any real risk analysis.

It's pretty clear the accident rate caused by medical issues hasn't risen or even changed significantly in decades. Pilots doing stupid things and losing directional control of the aircraft on the ground and running out of gas in the air, still overshadows any real benefit from medicals as an accident cause, by orders of magnitude.

But never let real world data dictate how big or onerous anything paid for on massive debt needs to be... It'll be massively self-seeking in size and scope, as long as it has what to any normal business would be as close to an infinite supply of borrowed money as one can find anywhere.

Was that the answer you were looking for?
 
For me, I am still interested in medical reform too. But since the latest legislation for medical reform has more restrictive language in the legislation, to be honest I don't care if this thing passes or not. I'm just disappointed that I still would have to get a medical first to fly under the PBOR2 medical bill.

Right now, I am too busy working in my new job to worry about medical reform so I haven't kept in touch too much with it. I am still wishing we could get any meaningful reform done by the time I am settled, but I'm am not counting on it, and I am beginning to lose hope with the 3rd class medical reform.
 
Y'all have missed the obvious solution. I self-identify as trans-medical and the PC police will arrest anyone who dares to challenge me. Just gotta get the system on your side.
 
If we could find a way to get the 3rd class medical covered under Obamacare the administration might become more helpful in getting rid of the requirement.
 
I'm still interested.

I'm still fairly young (33), but I have had some slight medical issues (hereditary) since age 24 that require me to be scrutinized just a little more. It's nothing major, and doesn't affect my flying at all, but I suspect the scrutiny will only get worse as the years roll on. I don't know what the heck I can do to help with reform, but I'd like to see some changes.

I've discovered the key is to find yourself and older DME that is a fellow pilot. :cool:
 
I cared, but PBOR2, for me and many, doesn't accomplish much. UK now has straight DL medical. I just hope whatever version of PBOR2 doesn't impact sport pilot.

I also wish there were sport rentals near me!

Realistically, even if passing a 3rd class was no concern, PBOR2 doesn't change much. The $ to see Dr Bruce was less, in many cases, than seeing my PCP.
 
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