Excellent TV Piece on GA

Second class vs. third class. Makes a difference if your going to be paid
for your flying, you are held to a higher standard.


"kontiki" wrote in message
...
Jay Honeck wrote:

The medical requirement is, quite frankly, a joke. The doc checks
your eyes, your heart, makes sure you can carry on a conversation, and
takes your check. Heck, you don't even have to "turn your head and
cough" to get signed off for a 3rd class medical.

Uhh.. my doc does a real thorough job when I get my 2nd class medical.
Blood pressure, temperature, height and weight, urine sample, felt all
over (literally) and yes, I even have to cough. I would not classify it
as a joke, I would call it a very thorough flight physical.

news.verizon.net wrote:
Second class vs. third class. Makes a difference if your going to be
paid for your flying, you are held to a higher standard.


The only difference between 2nd and 3rd class is a slightly
stricter vision requirement (must be 20/20 distant where 3rd
class allows for 20/40 distant). They are both held to the
same standard, other than that particular aspect of the vision
test. The actual physical examination should be the same.

On Nov 22, 1:38 am, wrote:
See my answers above. Jay is correct ignorance and fear are the ONLY
reasons people aren't flying. Anyone can walk up to an FBO with a

I doubt these are the only reasons. The return on investment is what
ultimately matters and is perceived differently by different people
when it comes to investing $6000. Just as I don't have any
particularly strong interest in learning to rock climb, I can imagine
there are those who view flying with a similar apathy. In the end it
would be hard to make the case that the PPL has a greater practical
utility than say, learning to ride a horse. PPL flying is a niche
hobby, and its hard to imagine that would change anytime soon.

Read my entire response please. My point was that one does not need
$6,000 to fly, $100 will do it.

Wil

On Nov 22, 2:35 am, "Morgans" wrote:
"William Hung" wrote

No need to eliminate it, if you are physically able to drive a car,
you are physically able to fly a plane as a private pilot. The FEW
who are disqualified can apply for a variance or a waiver, if they are
deemed safe to fly, they will be permitted to fly.

Say WHAT???

Variance? ? ? WAIVER ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Bwaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha haw! ! !
--
Jim in NC

Calm down Jim. lol If a person is missing say an arm or hearing,
can't that person be qualified with stipulation? That's what I meant
by waiver/variance. We're talking private flying now, not
professional.

Wil

I doubt these are the only reasons. The return on investment is what
ultimately matters and is perceived differently by different people
when it comes to investing $6000. Just as I don't have any
particularly strong interest in learning to rock climb, I can imagine
there are those who view flying with a similar apathy. In the end it
would be hard to make the case that the PPL has a greater practical
utility than say, learning to ride a horse. PPL flying is a niche
hobby, and its hard to imagine that would change anytime soon.

Hmmm. I've spent the last 13 years flying my family from coast to
coast, Canada to Mexico, on vacations ranging from overnight to two
weeks in duration. I've flown hundreds of times in support of my
business(es) during that time as well.

Leaving from Iowa City I can be in Chicago for brunch, St Louis for
dinner, and home by the 10 o'clock news. Do *that* on a horse!

Although personal flying will never be as rock-solid reliable as a
Greyhound bus (due primarily to my own budget and equipment
limitations), to say that the PPL has little practical value is
inaccurate.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

The only difference between 2nd and 3rd class is a slightly
stricter vision requirement (must be 20/20 distant where 3rd
class allows for 20/40 distant). They are both held to the
same standard, other than that particular aspect of the vision
test. The actual physical examination should be the same.

Okay, so I exaggerate a bit. I *did* pee in a cup (which was never
looked at. Either that or they ran a urine analyis in the ten minutes
I was actually in the doc's office), they *did* weigh me and measure
my height (which tells them...what?), and they did take my blood
pressure.

To call this a "throrough" physical is silly. Unless your blood
pressure is sky high, or you can't read the eye chart, you're not
going to fail a flight physical...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:56:07 -0800 (PST), Jay Honeck wrote:

The only difference between 2nd and 3rd class is a slightly
stricter vision requirement (must be 20/20 distant where 3rd
class allows for 20/40 distant). They are both held to the
same standard, other than that particular aspect of the vision
test. The actual physical examination should be the same.

Okay, so I exaggerate a bit. I *did* pee in a cup (which was never
looked at. Either that or they ran a urine analyis in the ten minutes
I was actually in the doc's office), they *did* weigh me and measure
my height (which tells them...what?), and they did take my blood
pressure.

To call this a "throrough" physical is silly. Unless your blood
pressure is sky high, or you can't read the eye chart, you're not
going to fail a flight physical...

Years ago, back when I took medicals, a friend steered me to one local AME. The
guy had had a J-3 get away from him while hand-propping. He came out of the
experience with a busted airplane and a real loathing for the FAA. Suffice it
to say that if you could see the doc when he walked into the examination room,
say "hi" to him when he greeted you, and *hit* the damn cup, you'd pass.

Ron Wanttaja

The link takes us to a page for Part II, but when you click on it, you
get Part I. What gives?

William Hung writes:

In France perhaps, but in the US even people on welfare drive $10-20k
cars.

People in the US are living on borrowed time and are drowning in debt.

No need to eliminate it, if you are physically able to drive a car,
you are physically able to fly a plane as a private pilot.

Then why is the medical for a pilot's license so much more strict than that
for a car?

Professional pilots are held to higher standards, and rightly so, as far as
physical capabilities are concerned.

Why rightly so? Are the same standards applied to ship captains and train
engineers?

You really
should give flying a try; you might really enjoy flying up in the open
air. I guaranty you it is a world of difference from flying on a
computer.

If I ever have the resources to do so, I might. However, it's entirely
plausible that I might find that I prefer simulation to the real thing, for a
number of reasons.

kontiki writes:

The only difference between 2nd and 3rd class is a slightly
stricter vision requirement (must be 20/20 distant where 3rd
class allows for 20/40 distant).

So why do you have to cough for a second-class medical? That would be a check
for an inguinal hernia, which is totally unrelated to aptitude for flying.