Your chance to comment on the proposal from EAA and AOPA asking the FAA to change its medical requirements for some private pilots ends on Friday, the groups said this week. “EAA especially encourages the 39,000 pilots who will be directly affected by the FAA’s ultimate decision on this proposal to indicate their support for the exemption request,” said Randy Hansen, EAA government relations director. The proposal would allow pilots to fly some GA aircraft without a third-class medical if they take an online course, self-certify, and hold a driver’s license. Friday is also the last day for comments on FAA’s through-the-fence policy draft. The FAA also reminded GA pilots this week to take part in their annual safety survey, which is open until Nov. 30. The Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association encouraged LSA pilots especially to respond to the FAA survey.
“Because of the newness of LSA, it is essential to improve the statistics, which LAMA believes will reinforce the acceptable safety record of the sector,” the association said in a news release this week. “The data from the GA survey is used by the FAA, NTSB, and even Congress in their oversight of recreational aviation,” said LAMA director Tom Peghiny. “It is crucial that owners in our segment (SLSA, ELSA and Experimental Amateur-Built light aircraft) make the effort to respond. Only by having accurate operational statistics can we know how our safety record compares to other parts of general aviation.” NBAA also “strongly encourages” all users of business aircraft to respond to the survey.
