Could your airplane be a PNC?

[minton]

We still need to get the gross weight for the "New 3rd class" upped to 2200lbs for C-170's to quality (Which I'm all for)!

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

We still need to get the gross weight for the "New 3rd class" upped to 2200lbs for C-170's to quality (Which I'm all for)!

What are you talking about. The proposed expansion of the fly with a drivers license for a medical is for aircraft up to 6000 lbs or something like that.

This from AOPA talking about the bill in congress:

• The General Aviation Pilot Protection Act would allow pilots to use the driver’s license medical standard for noncommercial VFR flights in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds with no more than six seats. That includes virtually all single-engine airplanes with six or fewer seats, including Beech Bonanzas, as well as many light twins like the Piper Aztec, Beech Baron 55 and 58, and Cessna 310. By way of comparison, most large SUVs on the roads today weigh more than 6,000 pounds and can carry six to seven passengers, making them larger than the aircraft that would be operated with proof of a valid driver’s license under this new bill.
  
  Pilots would be allowed to carry up to five passengers, fly at altitudes below 14,000 feet msl, and fly no faster than 250 knots. The act also would require the FAA to report on the safety consequences of the new rule after five years.

[minton]

Didn't hear about that one. Now it's something like 1400lb (Sport pilot)

Hope it goes through. Are there any petitions out there?

[ghostflyer]

Using the operation of a SUV as a comparison for carrying passengers on a six seater aircraft is a little foolhardy . If something goes wrong with a SUV it's just pull over to the side of the road . However when in flight what then ???? Statistically it will be persons of the age 55 plus who will use this new rule . They are at the higher end of having medical issues . The NTSB has some interesting data on the age of pilots who have medical issues. Another issue that's often ignored is that pilots in there 55 yrs plus are at a stage of life where they can afford to run a Bonanza and have a circle of retired friends and when the invite goes out , the Bonanza is filled quickly . Please listen to your pilot friends when they are coming up for a medical. "Doctor Shopping " is occurring , the talk is about the "best" doctor who to see to get your medical . The reality of life is that we are going to return to where we come from the earth , let's not hasten it .

[ghostflyer]

The rules the FAA and other regulatory departments have developed over the years have been designed to keep every body safe and stop the fringe element of half wits from killing themselves and innocent citizens . There are people out there who know more than the aircraft manufactures and try to redesign their aircraft with out the appropriate qualifications . Well they think they know more !
BOY! Have I got on my soapbox today , Oh , it's Sunday .

[bagarre]

Using the operation of a SUV as a comparison for carrying passengers on a six seater aircraft is a little foolhardy . If something goes wrong with a SUV it's just pull over to the side of the road .

I'm quite certain one could kill just as many people (if not more) with an SUV than with a Cessna or Bonanza.
For that matter, one could probably take even more people out with a 45 foot power boat on a crowded weekend at the docs after their drivers license was revoked for killing all those people with the SUV.

Besides, the vast majority of accidents/fatalities happen because of poor judgement (flying into IMC) or poor flying skills (Stall base to final) and have nothing to do with their medical certificate. There are an incredibly large number of perfectly healthy idiots out there.

I doubt there is a fringe population of half wits chomping at the bit to go crash airplanes once the medical requirement is waived. More than likely, there is a population of aging pilots that are chomping at the bit to better address various medical conditions that, if they made known today, would get their privileges revoked.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Didn't hear about that one. Now it's something like 1400lb (Sport pilot)

Hope it goes through. Are there any petitions out there?

So you haven't heard do to inaction on the FAAs part on the AOPA-EAA proposal to expand the drivers license medical that a bill was introduced in congress to force them to do it. And that this bill is gaining support. And that there is a automated method to send letters to your representatives to tell them you want them to support this bill. And you haven't seen the link in another thread here and read how members have used it, found it to be painless and have even gotten response from their representatives.

Well I suggest you read this: http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... =HPS.ADV4U

And then read this thread and use the link on the first post to write your representitives. http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... =5&t=11313