Too Little Too late

As suggested by recent decisions and actions, FAA leadership might actually be agreeing with that last bit. Over a year ago they announced a different regulatory climate called compliance philosophy, which is supposed to engender a more cooperative relationship between the regulator and the regulated. The FAA also began relaxing some certification requirements in favor of common sense safety improvements like seat belts and shoulder harnesses, angle-of-attack indicators, and more recently non-certified EFIS in certified aircraft. Now, theyve responded to the legislative mandate to do away with the third-class medical for many of us.

Key Takeaways:

• The author asserts that general aviation in the U.S. is dying, attributing its decline to a complex, multi-dimensional problem without a single clear cause or solution.
• Key contributing factors include economic challenges (cost vs. payback), time constraints, and historical bureaucratic complexity and impediments to innovation by the FAA.
• While the FAA has recently introduced measures like a compliance philosophy, relaxed some certification requirements, and eliminated the third-class medical, the author remains skeptical.
• The author believes these FAA changes, though positive, are insufficient to reverse the overall decline because they do not significantly reduce the total cost for aspiring pilots.

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