Pilots bill could help boost light aircraft manufacturing

Pilots groups on Wednesday were applauding the Senate’s passage Tuesday night of the Pilots Bill of Rights 2 measure, a big part of which would eliminate the need for most recreational pilots to get a third-class medical certificate more than once.

But the measure, which still has to pass the House before it’s signed into law, also could benefit the manufacturers of light, piston-engine aircraft, industry officials said Wednesday. That would include Wichita-based Textron Aviation, whose Cessna and Beechcraft products include single- and twin-piston engine aircraft.

“For those who are on the piston end of the industry, it’s very good,” said Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

What the bill the Senate passed would do is take away the Federal Aviation Administration requirement for recreational pilots to have a medical examination by an FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner on a recurring basis: every two years for pilots older than 40 and every five years for pilots under 40.

Instead, new recreational pilots would have to get a one-time, third-class medical examination and follow that up with a physical examination by their personal physician every four years. Pilots who have had a third-class medical examination within 10 years of the date of the law taking effect would not have to undergo the examination again, while those who haven’t had one in more than 10 years would have to take the third-class examination one more time.

Pilots who develop certain medical conditions after receiving their third-class medical certificate — such as specific cardiac, mental health or neurological conditions — will have to get a FAA special issuance medical, but only once. As it is now, some pilots with special issuance medicals have to be seen by an Aviation Medical Examiner as often as every six months, depending on their medical conditions, industry officials said.

Examinations for a third-class medical certificate typically cost more than a physical examination by a pilot’s personal physician, and the costs are generally not covered by health insurance, said Jack Pelton, Experimental Aircraft Association chairman and CEO.

In addition to receiving a medical exam from their personal physician every four years — which would be required to be documented for the FAA — pilots would have to take a free, online course every two years that would address medical factors that could affect their ability to fly.

“We believe, if this becomes law, it would help the negative trend of people leaving general aviation,” Pelton said. “It’s just one more of those things we hope would help temper the downward trend of pilots … and maybe get more people interested in general aviation.”

That goes to why Pelton and others think the measure could help light aircraft manufacturers.

“It’s one less thing that a company like Cessna has to deal with in convincing people” to get into general aviation and buy its light aircraft, said Pelton, a former Cessna Aircraft CEO.

Bunce, of GAMA, said he thinks the measure will increase safety as well because the online education requirement might provide information to pilots that they would not otherwise know, such as what kinds of medications are not compatible with flying.

“We’ll actually get some safety benefit from this,” Bunce said.

This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 7:56 PM with the headline "Pilots bill could help boost light aircraft manufacturing."