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Greg, The experience in the sailplane and ultralight realms is that there have been very few problems with accidents due to medical problems. AOPA cited slightly (insignificantly) lower rate of medically caused accidents in those populations than in the medically certified pilot population. That's the point. We all have to self certify before each and every flight. The proposal on the floor is that self certification be allowed in slightly fancier circumstances such as the Light Sport Aircraft or those allowed by the Recreational Pilot's License. In addition, idiots who can't stay sober while driving a car or keep their lead foot under control in their car would also be screened out. Ed Burkhead Beginning Challenger II builder Peoria, Illinois [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://edburkhead.home.insightbb.com/ > -----Original Message----- > From: Greg Bullough [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 7:28 PM > To: Ercoupers > Subject: RE: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Investing in the future > > > ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before > following any advice in this forum.]---- > > > At 10:34 AM 7/17/02 -0700, Percy Wood wrote: > > I feel that the medical requirement for the private > pilots license is > > because > >it is considered the first step on the ladder into the left > front seat of an > >air liner. We don't want any sickies in the cockpit when > our family is in > >back, do we? But it is completely worthless when we are > just taking ourselves > >aloft. > > I have to disagree, here. > > I'm concerned that we are pushing a bit too hard on this > 'self certification' > thing. > > At very least, I'd like to see an upper age limit (60?). > > When my grandfather was in his seventies, he began to become spatially > disoriented. He went to drive from his house in Ventura to > the bank, a distance > of a few blocks. He ended up in Oxnard, and took two hours > getting home > after a small fender-bender. It was then clear that something > was wrong. > > Still, it was like pulling teeth to get his car keys from him. > > The DMV in Santa Paula is known as 'the' place to go if you're getting > up in years and think you might not pass the eye test or the > 'once over' > the clerk gives you before renewing your license. DMVs do a LOUSY > job of weeding out physically incapable drivers. And we want them to > do that for pilots? Come on! > > For every 'great old pilot' I've known, I've known or known > of another who > really should have grounded himself a year or so before he > 'lost his medical.' > > As a race, we don't seem to be real good at saying 'I'm too > old to do this > any more.' > > I don't think there's anything wrong with, once we're of an > age where we're > subject to things like Altzheimer's, macular degeneration, > cataracts, etc., > to have an ME give us a look-see every couple of years. > > Especially when GA is dealing with having to comply with > things like TFRs > and complex airspaces to ensure its very survival. > > Sorry to sound age-ist here, but I'd much rather have an ME > tell grand-dad > that it's time to fold his wings than to have grand-dad's > family have to argue > with him about whether or not it's time to let someone else > fly his airplane. > Bad enough they have to do that with the car. > > Greg > > ================================================================== > TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm > > > > ================================================================== TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm
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