by Mark R. Baker, President & CEO Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association
Legislators in both the House and Senate recently introduced bills known as the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 (PBR2) that could finally bring long awaited third-class medical reform and other protections. Within a couple of weeks of introduction, that legislation had earned 15 cosponsors in the House and 16 in the Senate—and more than 31,000 AOPA members had written to their elected officials asking them to show their support by becoming cosponsors themselves.
Whether or not you’re an AOPA member, I hope you’ll get in touch with your members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation. It’s easy, quick, and important.
The GA community has waited too long for third-class medical reform, and this legislation could finally get it done.
Under PBR2, pilots flying recreationally in a wide range of aircraft would no longer need to obtain a third-class medical certificate. The 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. PBR2 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. And while that’s a top priority, it’s not the only benefit the legislation offers.
PBR2 also would improve the notice to airmen (notam) program by establishing a rating system to prioritize notams, including TFRs in the program, and creating a repository to maintain the information in a way that makes it accessible to the public. That system would be considered the sole source location for pilots to check for notams. The legislation would also protect pilots from enforcement action if a notam is not included in the repository and prohibit enforcement of notam violations if the FAA hasn’t finished the system within six months of PBR2 being enacted while providing an exception for national security.
To help pilots facing enforcement actions, PBR2 would ensure that data collected by contract towers and other outsourced FAA programs is subject to the same Freedom of Information Act requirements as data from the FAA itself. The exception would be aviation safety action reports, which are designed to prevent accidents by encouraging voluntary reporting of safety concerns by employees of FAA contractors.
The measure also would protect pilot certificates by preventing the FAA from requiring a re-examination of a covered certificate holder without clear evidence of wrongdoing or unsafe behavior.
I’m optimistic that we can get medical reform this year with your help. So, if you haven’t taken action already, please contact your legislators and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1062 in the House and S.571 in the Senate. The form to send is online at www.aopa.org/take-action.
When voters get involved, lawmakers listen.