Very well said, and sad but true. Two factors not previously mentioned, is the doctors that profit from this as well as the FAA medical section job justification corps. The AMA lobby would probably outspend us poor airplane drivers if we decided to fight it, so we just become bitter and complain amongst ourselves.
--- In ercoupe-flyin@yahoogroups.com, William R. Bayne <ercog...@...> wrote: > > > Hi All, > > I agree with Lee and (most?) other folks recently commenting as to the > "need" (or lack thereof) for medical certification and its effect on > safety of flight for both pilots and those on the ground. It bothers > me that a majority of the pilot community is afraid to express such > radical sentiments as we discuss among ourselves (presuming they are > shared) because of "politically correctness". > > To change course requires pressure on the helm. Until a majority > acknowledge the serious flaws in our present "system" and demand > something better, the regulatory climate and culture will not change. > > There is also, even in our comments, a certain incredulity, naivety or > mental innocence that suggests surprise: > > 1. that "common sense" has a place in the process, and > > 2. the utter absence of "common sense" association between a given > "danger" and regulations adopted to mitigate such danger. > > I believe this is because, while all regulations should originate as an > honest attempt to resolve an honest problem, few do. Many not only do > not accomplish what would appear to be their intended purpose, but > actually have precisely the opposite effect. The very idea that a > regulation should "make sense" has become a joke among us. Truth be > told, it is we who are, in reality, the butt of such jokes; and rightly > so. > > In the spirit of July the 4th and all that the holiday represents: > > Whether our persecutors be the local tax board, local police, state > and federal legislators, or even our President, our fear of retaliation > keeps us from telling each that we know we are persecuted and we know > who is doing it. As we entered World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt > suggested everyone had a right to "freedom from fear" even as his hand > created many of the fundamentally unconstitutional "acronym agencies" > that today comprise "bigger and bigger" government at greater and > greater expense. Does anyone now alive expect to see the day that such > "freedom from fear" becomes reality? The very concept is contrary to > human nature. > > Given the traditional absence of any meaningful responsibility to > demonstrate that any given regulation is having the intended effect, > ineffective or unnecessary regulations enjoy, to all intents and > purposes, eternal life. Ever more regulations (or legislation) are > enacted as "solutions" for problems never properly defined until any > logic between a given regulation and the effect it actually has is lost > or completely obscured. > > From the perspective of a government bureaucrat, the more "problems" > that are perceived, the more of THEM are required (in the "public > interest", of course). Since the authority to make any decision is the > same, whether they make it or we make it, the obvious "tension" is in > how much authority do they actually need to resolve genuine "problems". > There is an absolutely marvelous British series frequently in reruns > on PBS entitled "Yes, Minister" that better exemplifies that of which I > speak than mere words ever could. > > Because they believe we employ them to keep us from acting > irresponsibly, the day will never come that they will leave such > freedoms as we still enjoy untouched. Their professional reason to > exist is to seek and exercise ever more advantage and dominion over we, > the people. Mere centuries after the founding of the first free nation > on this earth, most have become silent and meek observers as the > influence of bureaucrats and the legal "community" increasingly control > a government we merely ratify between elections. Our "choice" between > two evils is still evil. > > If we judge them by action and inaction, their purpose and destiny is > to enslave us and the expectation of justice has been reduced to mere > "outcomes". "Truth, outcomes and the American way" just doesn't have > the same "ring" to it! > > For over four decades, the FAA has used its regulatory process to > progressively strangle the private pilot sector of the the aviation > community. Unlike the AOPA, I exclude corporate jets, the airlines, > charter operations and the like, all part of "civil aviation" because > these merely pass the increasing costs of operation and regulatory > compliance to the consuming public. The long term prosperity of the > FAA is no longer linked with the health of our thus-redefined sector of > civil aviation. Not one FAA position will cease to exist when the last > privately owned aircraft is grounded. In fact, their lives will be > infinitely easier because all levels of commercial aviation merely pass > their costs of operation to the consuming public. > > Benjamin Franklin gave us words to the effect that "Those that would > give up freedom for security will receive and deserve neither". So > many of our recent generations have willingly come to feed from the > public trough that their descendants will be unable to perceive any > "cause" and "effect" when the fence around us is completed. Things > will simply be as they then are, and no one will bear or perceive > responsibility. > > Whatever (off soap box), > > WRB > > -- > > On Jul 5, 2010, at 15:06, ercou...@... wrote: > > > > > > > It hardly matters whether one has a medical or not as to when they > > might fly with some medical problem. Folks do it all the time. FAA > > relies on the pilot to ground him/herself when they are not > > medically fit to fly. An acquaintence here has a high blood pressure > > problem and would fail a medical if he took one. He is asking friends > > with high blood pressure to give him pills to lower his blood pressure > > till his is low enough to pass a medical. The idiocy of FAA regarding > > 3rd class medicals causes pilots not to mention any medication they > > might be taking as it will flag them, the medical will be denied and > > after 3-6 months FAA might award the medical because the medicine has > > no adverse effect on one's ability to safely fly. However, it does > > give a position for another burecrat and control over pilots.. In the > > end it comes down to the individual to not fly if it is not safe. > > In my last medical, I listed I was taking eye drops, the nurse wrote > > down that I had glaucoma. The dr. denied my medical and forwarded it > > on to Okla City. Even with a letter from my optometrist specifically > > stating that I did not have glaucoma, that the drops were simply a > > preventive measure FAA delayed giving me the medical and required me > > to retest every 6 months. I went to an Opthomologist who did > > extensive tests and sent a letter to FAA stating I did not have > > glacoma. Faa has now removed all restrictions from my medical. I > > recognize that it is FAA's duty to attempt to ensure that pilots are > > medically safe to fly, however it is almost impossible to do so and > > their efforts are making life miserable for many healthy folks. > > > > The only cure for stupidity is death. > > > > > > Lee Browning > > > > > > > > > > I have found this is pretty common, I have a number of old friends > > that have not had a BFR or a medical for years and years! I notice > > when reading the NTSB accident reports, fairly often the crashee is > > like maybe 10 years past due on his medical. > > > > --- In ercoupe-t...@yahoogroups.com, ebenguiat1@ wrote: > > > > > > Dan too, > > > Someone out there mentioned that they didn't think a medical > > > was necessary for a Private Pilot Licensee. > > > They did not refer to the Sport Pilot License which I have > > reservations > > > about regarding the medical condition of the pilot. Medical > > Requirements. > > > Generally, sport pilots are allowed to use their state driver's > > license to > > > establish medical fitness. What if they have a medical condition > > that actually is > > > dangerous to all concerned. You know what I mean! Those who just do > > the > > > wrong thing and get away with it until something happens. "Fate is > > The Hunter" > > > Fast story: My Pilot friends wife asked me to inform GADO that her > > > husband was still flying his twin Beech with their two boys 10 and > > 13. He had a > > > heart condition and medically had to stop flying as PIC. He figured > > he was > > > "JUST FINE" She informed them herself. > > > "They all now live happily for ever after." > > > Prof. Ed. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > > Cheap Car Insurance > > Drivers Pay $34/mo on Avg for Car Insurance. Are you paying too much? > > iQuotes.org >
