Third Class Medical Reform

            The current agenda for GA medical reform is to help keep ageing pilots flying. Many GA organizations such as AOPA have been pushing for a medical reform for years. This is because under the current regulations all pilots must have a minimum of a 3^rd class medical to fly, and with a 3^rd class medical there are certain medical parameters. However, with age these parameters become increasingly harder to achieve. Under the proposed Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 “pilots flying recreationally in a wide range of aircraft would no longer need to obtain a third-class medical certificate. The new bill would allow private pilots to make noncommercial VFR and IFR flights in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds with up to six seats. Pilots also would be allowed to carry up to five passengers, fly at altitudes below 14,000 feet msl and fly no faster than 250 knots. PRB2 also includes a provision to ensure that pilots can fly under the new rules even if the FAA fails to comply with the bill’s provisions 180 days after enactment.” (American Bonanza Society, 2016). This provides elderly pilots, or pilots who have had disqualifying surgeries to continue flying. This is important because many of the GA population are beginning to not be able to maintain their medicals. This bill is meant to provide these pilots, especial the ones with special issuance, the best method to be able to safely continue to fly.

This bill started to receive traction when “Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 in the Senate in February as a follow up to the original Pilot’s Bill of Rights measure he championed that became law in 2012. In addition to medical reform, the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 includes a number of protections for pilots facing FAA enforcement actions.” (Tennyson, 2015). As of December 15 the Senate has passed the bill containing the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2. The bill has now moved from the Senate to the House of Representatives and is currently on the docket to be voted upon. If the bill is passed in the House it will then have to be signed by the president before it becomes law.

One aspect of the GA medical reform that I find particularly interesting is the policy pertaining to the 10- year maximum since a pilot has last-held an FAA medical.  Wood Eppelsheimer, a retired airline pilot and 45-plus year active GA pilot states, “While I understand the surface politics of the 10-year maximum since the last-held FAA medical, if I were a non-flying congressman it would sound like a contradiction of the facts and I would question the legitimacy of the whole concept. The fact is we self evaluate every time we fly, years of light sport and glider flying prove the concept. The 10-year lookback is meaningless. It will only serve to deny some older pilots the same rights the rest of us seek and, in my view, could damage the effort.” (Sclair, 2015). While Eppelsheimer may believe that a 10- year maximum is damaging to the bill. There are numerous steps a bill needs to take prior to becoming a law. This maximum may not provide a meaningful impact on pilots due to the self-evaluation each pilot does prior to every flight. However, the maximum does allow for congressmen who are not as versed in the aviation industry a safety feature that will permit for the bill to receive the needed votes to become a law. This horse-trading is a vital aspect to successfully getting a bill through Congress. While it may seem to not have much value to the pilots below the surface, its existence in the bill is paramount due to the additional votes it will persuade. This language is tactfully placed to provide better general aviation medical regulations even if it still may not be perfect.

           

            While our current GA medical regulations may not be perfect. I find this reform that is being pushed via the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 is not necessarily the answer. I find this legislation is not fundamentally about the overall general aviation community. I believe it to be based on aging senators having their medicals on the line, and want to continue to be able to fly. While this bill may benefit pilots who have received special issuances on their medical, I don’t find this bill provides the evidence that individuals who have these disqualifying conditions should be able to fly as a whole.  Less medical screening is not the answer. The reduction of medical screening will just create numerous other issues. Additionally, the bill places the screening that would be done for these individuals on their personal physicians and not an AME. These personal physicians may be great doctors, but lack the training and knowledge needed to properly screen and evaluate a pilot’s medical conditions.

References

American Bonanza Society. (2016, January). THIRD CLASS MEDICAL EXEMPTION LEGISLATION INTRODUCED. Retrieved from https://www.bonanza.org/2-uncategorised/1034-third-class-medical-exemption-legislation-introduced?noredirect=true

Sclair, B. (2015, October 14). Have an opinion? Of course you do. You’re a pilot. Retrieved from http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/10/14/have-an-opinion-of-course-you-do-youre-a-pilot/

Tennyson, E. A. (2015, December 15). Full Senate passes medical reform. Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/December/15/Full-Senate-passes-medical-reform

Pilots and Depression

On Tuesday 24 March 2015 scheduled flight 9525, an Airbus A320 operated by Germanwings, crashed in the French Alps. The flight was scheduled to depart Barcelona, Spain and arrive in Dusseldorf, Germany. There were 144 passengers and 6 crewmembers on board. Upon reaching cruising altitude of 38,000 ft., the captain told the co-pilot that he was leaving the cockpit and for him to take over radio communications. Seconds after the captain left the cockpit, “the selected altitude on the FCU changed in one second from 38,000 ft. to 100 ft. One second later, the autopilot changed to ‘OPEN DES’ mode and autothrust changed to ‘THR IDLE’ mode.” (BAE, 2015). This set the stage for the inevitable crash. When the captain had tried to return to the cockpit, the co-pilot had locked the cockpit door. Following September 11, 2001 the airlines have installed many safety features to protect against hijackers. However, in this case they were used to allow the co-pilot to fly the aircraft into the mountainside without having to overpower the captain. The co-pilot had locked the cockpit door, and this reinforced door did not allow the captain to return to the cockpit and correct the current flight path. The co-pilot was found to be mentally unstable. “On 9 April 2009, his class 1 medical certificate was not revalidated by the Lufthansa aeromedical centre due to depression and the taking of medication to treat it.” (BAE, 2015). He later was able to obtain his class 1 medical with a special restriction that made it mandatory that he has regular medical examinations (BAE, 2015). However, even with this documented mental illness he was still able to be in control of 150 lives. With the subjective nature of diagnosing mental illnesses such as depression, it is possible for the co-pilot to be able to pass his examination and still be unstable.

           

            While it may seem like suicide by pilot is not a common affair, there are numerous other accounts where it has occurred at a commercial level. One of these cases is EgyptAir Flight 990. “The co-pilot of EgyptAir Flight 990, which crashed off New England in 1999, killing 217 people, deliberately crashed the plane as an act of revenge” (Campbell, 2002). The pilot used his position to make a statement to his company after he was accused of a series of allegations of sexual misconduct. The co-pilot said, “I rely on God” before pushing the nose down and cutting fuel flow to the engines resulting in the crash (Campbell, 2002).

            Currently mental evaluation for pilots is done when they go in for the renewal of their first class medical certificate. This is every 6 calendar months for pilots over the age of 40, and every 12 calendar months for pilots under the age of 40. Dr. Scarpa, Jr., AsMA president stated, “ Use of effective, minimally intrusive, easy-to-use tests that can be used by aeromedical examiners during a pilot's existing periodic aeromedical exam.” (Scarpa, 2015). While these tests may be implemented they are still not as accurate as the industry needs them to be. This is due to the information needed typically not being provided by the pilots in tests that are only yes and no answers. There needs to be an improved system where it creates an environment where the pilots have to give more in-depth answers. This would better provide the examiner the ability to best monitor for mental illnesses.

            The current perspective the FAA and airlines have towards mental illness creates a culture where the pilots hide any mental illnesses they may have. This is because if you come forward with a mental illness there is a good chance you will lose the opportunity to continue to fly. If the FAA and airlines began a more liberal approach in regards to mental illness and treatment, it would allow for self-reporting to be a viable option. A system implemented by the FAA as a whole or by the individual airlines similar to the ASRS program for rule deviation will help the industry to better regulate the issues currently being suppressed. However, this would require more faculty members whose purpose is to regulate any reports by crewmembers pertaining to mental illness. Additionally, there would have to be an acceptable process to remedy the illness to allow for the pilot to continue flying, but also be of sound mind when doing so. The ability to combat mental illness without losing their careers is a must if we want a system like this to work.

Works  Cited

BEA. (2015, May). Accident on 24 March 2015 at Prads-Haute-Bléone (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France) to the Airbus A320-211 registered D-AIPX operated by Germanwings. Retrieved January 24, 2016, from http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2015/d-px150324.en/pdf/d-px150324.en.pdf

Campbell, D. (2002, March 15). Revenge drove pilot to crash plane, killing 217. Retrieved January 24, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/mar/16/duncancampbell

Scarpa, P. J., Jr. (2015, November 30). Pilot Mental Health. Retrieved January 24, 2016, from http://www.asma.org/publications/pilot-mental-health

ATC Privatization

           Our current ATC system is ran by the FAA. It is largely based on VORs and radar. The VORs create pathways in the sky, while radar allows for the station to send and receive signals giving them information on the aircraft. This system is becoming obsolete with the invention of GPS and the desire to fly direct routes. In the current model, this has caused delays at the increasingly populated airports. This causes potential losses to business travelers, as well as, the airlines. The NextGen system is a “comprehensive ATC modernization using a Global Positioning System (GPS) built on reliable satellite-based navigation. GPS and other sophisticated technologies/flight procedures reduce flight delays, flight times and aircraft fuel burn/emissions” (Global Business Travel Association, 2016).

            

            Currently there is a debate that the ATC services should be taken away from the FAA and given to the private sector. This concept is known as ATC privatization. The General Aviation, GA, community is very outspoken on their views against ATC privatization. This is largely due to the costs that are accompanied by the use of a privatized system. This can cause a hostile environment in which GA pilots do things that are not safe to avoid being in controlled airspace and receiving fees. The United States airlines are spilt in their opinion of ATC privatization. United and American Airlines have testified in front of Congress that they are for the privatization of ATC. However, Delta is firmly against ATC privatization. Steve Dickson, Delta’s senior vice president for flight operations, states, ” We don’t think the system’s broken” (Bachman, 2015).

           

            Many organizations have taken stands on this issue due to the large impact it has on the members of their groups. The National Business Aviation Association, NBAA, is an organization for corporate aviation. The NBAA have taken a firm stance against ATC privatization. “The big U.S. airlines have long argued that they pay an unfair portion of ATC expenses compared with the private jet community. Dan Hubbard, a spokesman for the NBAA, said his group has examined privatized systems elsewhere and found that generally ‘the airlines are given preference’ over private aviation.” (Bachman, 2015). Surprisingly, with the potential loss of positions, pay, and government benefits for ATC personnel, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association have officially stated they are currently neither for nor against ATC privatization. With the coming of the ATC privatization bill, we will be hearing the positions each organization has as they begin to try and influence their congressmen.

            

            ATC is privatized in many European countries, as well as, Canada. Canada’s Nav Canada is thought to be the best privatized system. Nav Canada is governed by a board of directors. This board has members who are appointed by the Canadian airlines association, business aviation association, the government, employee unions, and independent directors elected by the board. This method of appointment allows for the board to be as fair to all parties as possible. While this may sound like a better alternative to a fully government run organization, there are additional costs that come with privatization. Additionally, with the vastly larger number of aircraft flying in the United States it is difficult to compare any current system with the kind of system that would have to be implemented for the United States.

            

            To convert to a privatized system Congress would have to pass a bill implementing the privatization. Currently there has been talk of putting the privatization of ATC to vote in Congress. However, there has not been an attempt to pass a bill of this kind yet. There seems to be a good chance that there will be an attempt to attach this to a bill in the near future. With the likelihood of a bill privatizing ATC increasing, the discussion will begin to ramp up with each organization making sure to weigh in on the conversation.

           

            I believe that there are many issues left to be discussed that would paint a better picture of the potential advantages and disadvantages of ATC privatization. I believe that private organizations would be able to create NextGen systems more efficiently than the government. However, there are numerous other factors to consider, such as personnel issues and how the fees will be distributed to each category of aviation. This would have to be done properly for this to be a viable solution. Furthermore, they would have to incorporate the time of year when setting up the payment system to match the fluctuating air traffic throughout the year. Lastly, we would have to institute a board of directors similar to Canada’s to allow for a mixed governing body to insure there is no preferential treatment.

Bachman, J. (2015, September 11). Should the U.S. Privatize Air Traffic Control? Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-11/should-the-u-s-privatize-air-traffic-control-

Global Business Travel Association. (2016). NextGen – Air Traffic Control Modernization. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from https://www.gbta.org/usa/governmentrelations/Pages/NextGen–AirTrafficControlModernization.aspx

Personal Introduction

          I have always been immersed in the aviation culture through my father. My father is a corporate pilot and when I was younger I always enjoyed visiting him and checking out the hanger. However, when I began my college career I went in with an open mind. I was not sure as to what I wished to do. After my first year at college I knew I should follow in my dad's footsteps and become a pilot. I then began my flight training at the start of my second year of college.

           Currently I am a senior majoring in Aviation Flight Technology. I will be graduating after the conclusion of this semester in April. Following graduation I will be accepting my commission in the United State Marine Corps. After my commission I will be at The Basic School for 6 months followed by flight school in Pensacola Florida. I plan to fly fighter jets for the conclusion of my contract. Upon the completion of my contract I would like to secure a job at FedEx and retire there.

           For Career Development I would appreciate hearing from someone in the survival flight portion of the aviation industry. You currently have the University of Michigan Survival Flight on the syllabus for March 30th. This is an area that I am not that familiar with. However, It has always been of interest to me. I would like to further my understanding of how they operate and where they typically get their pilots. The aviation topics that I wish for this class to cover are the current and future status of UAVs in the aviation industry, and also how the current shortage in pilots will impact the overall aviation industry in things such as hiring requirements and training regulations.