Of the many tens of thousands of FAA employees, most are conscientious hardworking folks who want to do a good job. Nonetheless, the FAA has a reputation for overly aggressive, yet seemingly arbitrary enforcement action by certain individuals in positions of authority over pilots. A quick read through 14 CFR Part 91 offers a near-infinite number of ways a pilot can run afoul of the FAA with little to protect us. About our only defenses are a legal assistance plan like the AOPA offers and the wholly pilot- and safety-focused Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). (If you dont know about ASRS, download, read and study AC-0046E. Now. My meager words here can wait.)
The FAA has a reputation for aggressive and often arbitrary enforcement actions against pilots, with limited defense options available to them.
The original Pilot's Bill of Rights, enacted in 2012, introduced significant protections for pilots, including timely notification of investigations, information about the nature of allegations, the right to remain silent without adverse inference, and access to air traffic data.
The proposed Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 (S.571) aims to further strengthen pilot protections, most notably by abolishing the third-class medical certificate for most recreational flying, and providing FAA lawyers with more flexibility for less severe case resolutions.
Of the many tens of thousands of FAA employees, most are conscientious hardworking folks who want to do a good job. Nonetheless, the FAA has a reputation for overly aggressive, yet seemingly arbitrary enforcement action by certain individuals in positions of authority over pilots.
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