Among
the most important ongoing issues facing the pilot community
has been FAA's backlog in special issuance medical
certifications, as well as the cost and difficulty
associated with obtaining and renewing a special issuance
medical. This issue will become pronounced in the future as
the current pilot population ages, because of the added cost
and complexity to maintain flying privileges. Eventually,
nearly every pilot may face a choice between giving up
flying or requesting a special issuance medical
certification.
That's why EAA has committed to finding a solution to the
long, costly and sometimes exasperating process to an issue
that affects or will affect many of its members. The issue
came to a head at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005, when the
majority of questions fielded by FAA Administrator Marion
Blakey at her annual Meet the Administrator session were
from pilots concerned or upset about delayed special
issuance certificate applications.
Following EAA AirVenture 2005, EAA's Aeromedical Advisory
Council, a group of volunteer flight surgeons who serve as a
reservoir of aeromedical expertise to EAA and its members,
developed a plan to attack the problem. Based on this
proposal submitted to FAA last December, EAA officials
received an invitation from FAA Associate Administrator Nick
Sabatini and new FAA Flight Surgeon Dr. Fred Tilton
to visit FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., for the
purpose of discussing the recommendations. A review of new
agency actions in response to EAA's proposal to improve
special issuance processing was also part of the session.
The meeting to review EAA's proposal and new agency actions
was held Thursday, March 30, with Mr. Sabatini, Dr. Tilton,
and Peggy Gilligan, FAA Deputy Associate
Administrator for Aviation Safety.
EAA President Tom Poberezny and EAA Aeromedical Advisory
Council Chairman Dr. Jack Hastings led the EAA delegation
that also included Dr. Richard Jennings, EAA Aeromedical
advocate and incoming President of the Aerospace Medicine
Association (AsMA); Earl Lawrence, EAA Vice President of
Government and Regulatory Affairs; and Doug Macnair, EAA
Vice President of Government Relations.
EAA's recommendations to FAA for improving medical
certification processing were summarized in four points:
1. Review of interval between examinations (e.g. one year
instead of six months for first class examinations, and five
years for third-class medical certificates).
2. Review of special issuance medical conditions with the
potential for complete elimination of some and/or reduced
reporting requirements for others.
3. A "Super AME" concept, including the delegation
of additional review and approval authority to Aviation
Medical Examiners (AMEs) who are willing to assume the
responsibility and have demonstrated competency in
aeromedical disposition.
4. Review of the third-class airman medical certification
system with considerations ranging from elimination of the
certificate to more relaxed medical requirements.
Sabatini commented that EAA's recommendations were
"right on target." FAA responded with a |
series
of actions intended to address the special issuance medical
certification backlog. The actions FAA has proposed, or are
continuing to work on behind the scenes, address all of
EAA's recommendations.
FAA is taking the following immediate steps to ease the
special issuance backlog, while EAA and FAA continue to work
on more sweeping, long-term improvements:
- Farming out special
issuance cases electronically from the Civil Aeromedical
Branch in Oklahoma City to the FAA regional flight
surgeons, effectively increasing the number of doctors
available to review and approve special issuance
applications.
- Expanding the list of
approved conditions for which medical examiners may
renew special issuance certificates under the Aviation
Medical Examiner Assisted Special Issuance (AASI)
process. This process allows medical examiners to renew
special issuances directly instead of sending them to
FAA for review.
- Undertake an extensive
communications effort to educate medical examiners and
encourage them to participate more fully in the AASI
process. This can dramatically ease the renewal of
special issuances. FAA is enlisting EAA, the EAA
Aeromedical Advocates, the Civil Aviation Medical
Association, and other associations to assist in
distributing information about the new AASI program and
to help encourage both doctors and medical certificate
applicants to take advantage of the program instead of
deferring the renewal of special issuances to FAA.
- FAA has pledged to address
EAA's longer-term recommendations for increased
certificate duration and explore opportunities for
greater delegation of authority from the FAA to the
Aviation Medical Examiner (EAA's "Super AME"
proposal). These proposals are long-term efforts because
they require addition rulemaking, but the agency is
willing to undertake significant changes in these areas.
EAA is pleased that FAA
addressed the concerns expressed by EAA members and the
pilot community during AirVenture 2005. In addition, FAA
officials responded to the practical recommendations of the
EAA and EAA Aeromedical Council. The agency is making a
significant effort by implementing actions to address the
problem.
FAA's proposed actions are a first step in addressing
pilots' concerns. EAA and the EAA Aeromedical Council will
continue to work with the FAA to ensure that these efforts
are implemented, and will quantitatively and qualitatively
measure the effect they have on pilots who are obtaining
special issuance medicals.
"The EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council has done
outstanding work in outlining the current situation and
providing solutions," Poberezny added. "Enacting
the Council's recommendations will streamline the processing
of medical applications without compromising air
safety."
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