The Senate has passed the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 (PBR2) and the next step is for the House to consider it. The Senate version passed unanimously less than a week after it was sent to the full Senate by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The bill had strong support in the Senate, with 71 sponsors and plenty of marquee backers. In the House, there are 152 bipartisan co-sponsors and if it makes it through it must be signed by the president.
Although it’s by no means a done deal, the Senate approval is considered a major milestone. “This is an enormous step toward getting long-awaited third-class medical reforms, and we’re excited that the Senate has moved so decisively to get this done,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “Without a doubt this has been a real fight, but the passage of PBR2 shows that members of the Senate recognize the value of supporting the general aviation community,” said Baker in a late-night news release Tuesday. “This legislation will help hundreds of thousands of general aviation pilots by saving them time, money, and frustration while giving them tools they need to take charge of their health and fitness to fly.” The bill doesn’t eliminate medical scrutiny for those flying light singles but it does get rid of the requirement for periodic medical examinations for those involved in personal aviation.
