"Ben Haas" wrote in message
om...
| Hi Guys, Another one of our local EAA members emailed me with news the
| FAA is wanting to increase the total time a pilot has from 200 hours
| to 500 before they can give rides in a plane. This was brought up
| because our chapter is really active the the Young Eagles program and
| some of the newest members are under the 500 hour mark. The comment
| period has supposeably been extended 90 days. Any body else heard of
| such a thing. Also they are wanting to cut out sightseeing flights
| too.

The problem EAA has with the proposed rule is not so much the Young Eagles
program but with a lot of other charity flights that EAA and other groups
do. Many groups, including EAA and the Heritage Air Force, take people for
rides on experimental or military aircraft and charge a fee. The new rules
would require all pilots giving these rides to have at least 500 hours and
there is some question as to whether you could use restored aircraft such as
the Ford Trimotor or the Aluminum Overcast for such flights.

There is more than just that, too. There would be severe limits on the
number of charitable flights you can do in a year, which would just about
put an end to national tours of old aircraft. No more flights in the B-17
for $200.

Sightseeing flights under the new rule could be conducted only by
sightseeing tour operators chartered by the FAA. Sightseeing tour operators
would be similar to part 135 charters, only some restrictions are even
tighter. For example, any flight over water, even if it remains within
gliding distance of land, would require the passengers all wear life
preservers while in the airplane. This would include any flight that crosses
a river. I can imagine the ridiculous look on everybody's face the first
time some Grand Canyon tour operator tells his passengers that they will
have to wear their life jackets throughout the flight.