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George, this is ANOTHER potential
GOTCHA in the LSA details up here. Technically, it says you have to be signed
off BY AN INSTRUCTOR in EVERY different aircraft you fly. The danger I see is
the old guy at every airport who has a Cub, Champ, etc... three or four old
planes that fall into LSA category and who is flying them LSA to avoid the
hassle of a medical.
Now suppose he ground loops the Champ
in a wind and the local FAA guy just happens to be there. He did not have to be
signed off in that plane when he bought it 50 yrs ago and has flown it every week since 1955. He has no LSA endorsement,
right? According to this section of the rules he is not legal. If he has a known
deficiency, he is double hosed. Again, this LSA is going to get folks
burned. I think LSA is a fine way to take both medical AND pilot
certificates PERMANENTLY from pilots who don't read the rules
carefully. Be careful guys. Mike C.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 5:22
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're here
to help you
Thanks Bill,
It's a crazy world!
I'm moving to LS Category and RAA ( Aust) has nominated
me as an Instructor - Instructor to what/ of what I don't know. It may be
because I hold a PPL and have made enquiries in regard to the proposed new
LSC.
The only thing they have been able to tell me so far is
that, it's similar to the US - LSA but not the same as the current
Australian legislation doesn't allow it to be exactly the
same.
The weight is the same, there's no speed limit, the
stall is the same but I notice they mentioned that the stall speed had to be
in landing configuration (here in Aust).
I can get the stall speed in the Vision to meet the regs
but may need to use leading edge slots, which pushes the nose way-up and
landing in that configuration limits forward visibility. I'm yet to determine
if that meets proper landing configuration - I suspect it
doesn't!
I'm keen to get into LSC as I've had trouble in the past
getting my medical approval due to treatment of my PTSD, attributed to my
Service in Vietnam. So I guess I'm one of those 'social leaches' who has
been forced into early retirement and doesn't deserve to fly
anyway!
George (down under)
According the the LSA rules over here, if you have
*lost* your medical, you do not qualify for LSA rules, however if you let it
expire, and move to LSA, that is okay. Peculiar, but okay.
Bill Schertz
KIS Cruiser # 4045
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 2:13
AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're
here to help you
Mike,
We must have different rules down here!
If you lose your medical, you can still drive your
car and you only need a Car licence for Light
Sport category - to my knowledge. Although it's not due to
be implemented here in Australia until September, there could be some
guidelines as you indicate.
I know people with blood pressure and Diabetes lose
their medical - but doesn't stop them from driving their
cars.
George ( down under)
IF you LOSE your medical, you can NOT indeed drive
your car and still fly a sport/light. If your medical is revoked you are
through flying anything but 103 ultralights. This is going to get a LOT
of guys fried. If you have a know diagnosed illness that would preclude
you getting a medical, you CANNOT fly a sport/light even if you have a
drivers lisence. If you have a medical and fly with a know deficiency,
it is the same as NOT having a medical, even if you do not see a doctor.
Fair or not, that's the rules and those who try to skirt the rules and
get caught are going to be in a hell of a mess. Mike
C.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005
7:09 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA -
we're here to help you
Kevin,
Being on a Disability pension don't stop
you flying a plane. It may make it harder to get a medical clearance
and you won't get a clearance if your on Medication, such as mind
bending drugs e.g. Pilots with past Depression and Bipolar can
get Medicals - Paranoid Schizophrenia is only controlled by mind
bending drugs, so that one's a NO NO!
One must be upfront with the details however -
some have suggested that it's easier to lie than get a medical with
past medical conditions. I notice a lot of chaps losing their medicals
for Diabetes and Blood Pressure etc.
However you can still drive a car and fly Light
Sport Category.
George ( down under)
Saw this in today's _New York Times_.
July 20,
2005
U.S. Says 46 Pilots Lied to Obtain Their Licenses
By
CAROLYN MARSHALL
SAN FRANCISCO, July 19 - Prosecutors in Northern
California have
charged 46 pilots with lying to federal
authorities to obtain airplane
licenses, in most cases not
disclosing debilitating illnesses that
should have kept them
grounded.
The pilots, who were indicted this week by grand
juries in the eastern
and northern federal districts of
California, were identified during
an 18-month criminal air
traffic safety investigation by the
Department of Transportation
and the Social Security Administration
that looked into licensed
pilots who were also receiving disability
benefits and payments
from the government.
The investigation, initiated in July
2003, included a review of more
than 40,000 pilot licenses issued
in Northern California to determine
whether there had been any
misuse or abuse of Social Security numbers.
The authorities
reviewed licenses held by both commercial and private
pilots and
found that some license applicants claimed to be medically
fit to
fly an airplane yet were simultaneously receiving
disability
benefits.
"The fraud and falsification
allegedly committed by these individuals
is extremely serious and
adversely affects the public interest in air
safety," said
Nicholas Sabatini, an associate administrator with the
Federal
Aviation Administration.
Charles H. Lee Jr., an assistant
inspector general for investigations
at the Department of
Transportation, said the reviewers first focused
their
investigation on 48 pilots, most of whom were
receiving
disability payments for illnesses like paranoid
schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder and disabling heart
conditions.
One case, Mr. Lee said, even involved someone who
exhibited severe
suicidal tendencies.
"To get their
certificates, these people had to lie or falsify
paperwork," Mr.
Lee said. "The F.A.A. has rules and regulations
regarding medical
conditions and deemed that all 48 had medical
disabilities that
would have disqualified them from holding
pilot
certificates."
Two cases were dropped, Mr. Lee said,
one because the pilot died. He
declined to comment about whether
similar investigations were under
way in other states.
Of
the 46 pilots that Mr. Lee said were charged, 7 held
commercial
pilot certificates that would have allowed them to fly
as well as
carry cargo; another 4 pilots held air transportation
pilot
certificates which would let them transport
passengers.
Of the remaining indicted pilots, 28 had private
pilot licenses, and 7
had student licenses.
A charge of
lying to the federal authorities carries a penalty of up
to five
years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A charge of
falsifying
records carries a penalty of up to one year in prison
and a $100,000
fine.
According to court documents, the
pilots who were indicted failed to
provide accurate medical
history forms, as required by the F.A.A., in
some cases lying
about a previous illness or claiming that there had
been no
previous medical diagnosis or treatment for conditions that
the
pilots knew they had.
Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the
F.A.A., said that pilots could
obtain a license only after they
submit oral and written tests and
current medical certificates.
Those certificates can be issued only by
an aviation medical
examiner registered with the agency. Certain
medical conditions
would disqualify an applicant from receiving
a
license.
"The reason we have disqualifying conditions is
to ensure that pilots
are not a danger to others, in the air or
on the ground," Ms. Brown
said.
Ms. Brown said that the
pilots were charged with either making false
statements to a
federal official or delivering to a federal official a
false
written record. She added that 14 of the pilots held active
pilot
licenses, which were immediately revoked.
The remaining
pilots had licenses that had either lapsed or were
missing
current information, which would not prevent them from flying
a
private plane.
"It's similar to when people go out and drive
cars without a license,
or drive cars when intoxicated," Ms.
Brown said. "It's illegal but
they do it."
At least one of
the indicted pilots appeared in Federal District Court
in
Sacramento on Tuesday. The remaining pilots will be
arraigned
individually in the coming weeks.
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