Pilot Union Opposed To Third Class Medical Reform

EAA, with the support of other GA organizations, held a news conference at AirVenture Saturday to respond to a letter from the Air Line Pilot's Association (ALPA) which urges the U.S. Senate to not support the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2.

ALPA is specifically opposed to the third class medical reform that is part of the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 (S.571) being offered in the U.S. Senate by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Boozman (R-AK) as an amendment to the Highway Bill. It was crafted and initially sponsored in the Senate by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), who has gathered 54 co-sponsors on the bill.

At the news conference, EAA Chairman Jack Pelton (pictured) said that the ALPA letter addressed to all senators urged the rejection of the amendment because it would reform the third-class medical requirement for pilots. "ALPA surprisingly claims in its letter that it has been working with stakeholders to find solutions, but it has never uttered one word to any of the general aviation groups that have been doing the heavy lifting on this measure to bring long-overdue reform to aeromedical certification," Pelton said. "It isn't about safety, as ALPA claims, as much as scoring political points. Current and past ALPA members who also fly recreationally should be angered that their union has decided to turn its back on general aviation."

Pelton said that ALPA's rhetoric is "most disappointing and utterly out of step with the rest of general aviation and the airline pilot community."

In its letter, ALPA says that removing the third class medical requirement would "allow medically unfit pilots unfettered access to the National Air Space at altitudes up to 18,00 feet, which also includes commercial airline traffic carrying passengers and cargo."

ALPA said that it "cannot allow bad policy to be forced through on an unrelated bill. A common-sense solution is within reach, but the amendment as written introduces a level of risk within the National Air Space which we cannot accept."

The letter did not give any details as to what that "common sense solution" might be.

Pelton said that all EAA members and GA pilots should contact their senators to support the amendment "and turn aside the falsehoods and political rhetoric from groups such as ALPA. Further, GA pilots who are current and past ALPA members need to stand up and tell their union that is is wrong based on facts and the views of the rest of the general aviation and professional pilot communities."

(Image from file)

FMI: www.eaa.org, www.alpa.org