Solutions...maybe??
For sake of brevity, let’s agree the new FAA “process enhancement” is an absurd plan and needs to be defeated.
Quickest way, IMO, is to shine light on the FAA Medical Director and have Congress overrule it. Our pilot population is small overall and the “Ouch Factor”, if you will, doesn’t cause a great seismic rumble throughout the population. Major attention needs to be brought to this issue. I have a couple of ideas as follows:
1. Try to stage a massive coordinated short term (1 day) civilian pilot stand-down, strike, boycott, stoppage or whatever you want to call it. We could do it. We need all the alphabet organizations including Airline Pilots to join in. Plan it for a time when Congress wants to either leave or return to D.C.
2. Scream “DISCRIMINATION” and have the medical requirement EXPANDED to include ALL forms of transportation down to tricycles. Hold it! Please hear me out. I traveled this morning on US HWY 59, a NAFTA highway that goes from the Mexican border all the way to the Canadian border. Most of the highway was 2 lane with occasional passing lanes; not 4 lane highway. There were many 5 to 6,000 pound SUV’s capable of carrying 6 to 8 passengers coming the opposite way at 75 mph and we were only separated by two small yellow stripes.
There exists voluminous amounts of direct evidence of deaths caused by sleep, inattention, distraction, alcohol or drug influence, etc. The current year's Texas death toll is about 2,700 +/-.
Why then I ask you, should we pilots be singled out??? If I’m a risk in an RV-4, I might cross a lane in a pickup or run my bicycle into some mother pushing her little child in a baby carriage, right??? It appears the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the FAA are going to protect all us Americans By Gosh or By Golly; so let’s cover it all!!!
I offer to you this increases the "Ouch Factor" to such a point that action would be taken. Either one of the above, particularly the latter, would then do to the masses what it is doing to we few now. Make them very angry!!
I’m agitated and aggravated folks. I’ve been flying some 48 years now. Here I am now in my advancing years, still very healthy; and instead of just concentrating on a preflight inspection and a nice flight this lovely fall morning, here I am pounding on a processor because I see one of my life’s passions under some severe and inane bureaucratic attack. This “process enhancement” proposal shocks and violates all my senses of fairness, reasonableness, justice, practicality and common sense.
I cannot just stand by and do nothing. I will propose this to all the alphabet organizations of which I’m a member and beseech assistance from my airline pilot buddies. I ask you for any help and ideas. I think we should discuss those on the AOPA and EAA forums as they get energy and ideas from their membership.
We should be celebrating Doug’s 5,000th day instead of having this cloud over our heads. ….Happy 5,000 Doug!!!
….Good luck to us all and God Bless you all. I wish you happy and safe flying on. …. I’m out of here for a while and am going to go love on my RV-4.
Cheers,