Dereg The Medical

Sport pilots don’t have to have an FAA medical certificate to serve as pilot in command (PIC) of a machine meeting the light sport aircraft (LSA) definition. Instead, they must only carry a valid driver’s license. Since the sport pilot and LSA rules went into effect in 2004—10 years ago—the affected aircraft have not been falling out of the sky because their operators aren’t physically fit. We call that a success.

Key Takeaways:

• The existing rule allowing sport pilots to use a driver's license instead of an FAA medical certificate for Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) operations is deemed a success, with no reported accidents attributed to medical deficiency.
• Major aviation organizations, AOPA and EAA, have actively petitioned the FAA and supported legislation (H.R. 3708) to extend this privilege to a broader range of general aviation pilots.
• The proposed "General Aviation Pilot Protection Act of 2013" would allow pilots to use a driver's license for non-commercial, VFR flights in aircraft with up to six seats and 6000 pounds gross takeoff weight, at or below 14,000 feet.
• The author strongly advocates for this deregulation, arguing it would benefit general aviation and aging pilots without compromising safety, deeming the current medical certificate requirement "needless."

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