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Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're here to help you
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 10:01:42 -0500
Message-ID: <87DBA06C9A5CB84B80439BA09D86E69E016C1BAA@MAIL01.austin.utexas.edu>
Thread-Topic: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're here to help you
Thread-Index: AcWN/zWwUGeKJ5nLSSym5luR/y9dCAABa46g
From: "Mark R Steitle" <mark.steitle@austin.utexas.edu>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>

I'm sure glad that I have an FAA issued (blessed) medical to protect me
from a heart attack while I'm flying.  ;-)

Mark S. =20

-----Original Message-----
From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On
Behalf Of Ernest Christley
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 9:19 AM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're here to help you

David Leonard wrote:

> =20
> ...I'm so crazy I can't show up to work so you all must pay me, but I=20
> seem to do fine flying passengers around the sky...=20
> =20
> Dave Leonard
> =20

I wouldn't get so excited about this sort of thing yet, Dave.  First=20
off, they only found 48 problems in 40,000.  If this can be accepted as=20
a statistically significant sample, then the type of schmuck you=20
describe is AT BEST only about 1 in 1000 among the pilot population.=20

Now, the article said they held a certificate.  It didn't say they=20
actually caught someone flying and making log entries.  If I have a=20
heart attack tomorrow, the last thing I'll be worried about is mailing=20
the FAA this slip of paper I got in my wallet that says I can fly.  In=20
fact, it's been in the same spot, stuck behind my driver's license, for=20
the last three years.  It only occasionally sees the light of day when=20
someone ask, "Are you really a pilot?"  'Holding a certificate' does not

equal 'spending the disability check on avgas'.  I mean, one of the guys

died before the case could be heard, for chrissake.  I have no knowledge

of the facts, but I find it more believable that he was in a hospital=20
bed for months with a FAA certificate in the wallet in his bedside=20
drawer, than that he was flitting about the sky with full knowledge that

his ticker was on the edge.

Then there is the nature of disability.  I can have a disability that=20
will stop me from standing for 4 hours at a stretch, something often=20
required in factory jobs, but that won't stop me from sitting as PIC for

an hour.  'Disabled' does not equal 'bed-ridden invalid'.

Then there are the list of paperwork screwups and contradictory advice=20
about the FARs that you'll get, even from people that you would expect=20
you can trust.  I got a chuckle reading John Slade's site where he=20
describes trying to work with the FAA to get his airplane inspected.  Is

there any reason to believe the FAA would be any more clear and concise=20
with medical processes than it is with inspection processes?

I would file this article in the same folder that holds all the=20
'terrorist in small airplane' scare article we've been privy to since=20
9/11 (yes, the round one).   The only twist here is that it seem to be=20
trying to give a few props to the FAA for an appearance of doing due=20
diligence, but I just don't see it as newsworthy unless it can be shown=20
that a significant number of these pilots were actually FLYING.

--=20
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