Truss: Aviation Safety Regulation Review

[mightyauster]

Vag277, have you bothered reading any of the CASA rules or the proposed rule in the US? Or do you have difficulty with comprehension?
Here are the current CASA Driver's Medical Rules:

Recreational pilot medical restrictions

Medical Restrictions

Getting a Driver Licence Medical (Aviation) requires that:

• the individual meets the Australian Fitness to Drive unconditional private drivers requirements; and
• the individual does not have any of the disqualifying conditions.

If you have any of the disqualifying conditions you are not able to hold a Driver Licence Medical (Aviation) but you have the option to apply for a Class 2 medical certificate via a DAME.

Operational restrictions

The conditions of the exemption also impose restrictions on the flight rules that may be used by exempted pilots, on the aircraft that may be used, on the airspace that may be used, on the carriage of passengers and on the kind of flight that may be engaged in.
Restriction on aircraft

An eligible person holding a driver licence medical certificate (aviation) must only operate single engine, piston powered aircraft (fixed wing or helicopter) with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 1500kg or less.
Restriction on flight rules

An eligible person holding a driver licence medical certificate (aviation) must operate only by day and under the Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Night VFR and IFR flight is not permitted.
Restriction on use of airspace

An eligible person holding a driver licence medical certificate (aviation) must not operate an aircraft as pilot in command in any airspace above 10 000 ft AMSL (above mean sea level).
However, this restriction does not apply if a control seat on the aircraft is occupied by an appropriately licensed pilot with a current class 1 or class 2 medical certificate.
Restriction on carriage of passengers

An eligible person holding a driver licence medical certificate (aviation) must not operate an aircraft with more than 1 passenger on board, and that 1 passenger (if carried) must be a qualifying passenger. This is a defined term meaning a passenger who, before boarding an aircraft has been told by the eligible person that he or she holds a current driver licence medical certificate (aviation) that is of a lower medical standard than a class 1 or class 2 medical certificate normally required but that he or she is acting under a CASA exemption and which imposes conditions, all of which are and will be complied with for the flight.
However, this restriction does not apply if a control seat on the aircraft is occupied by an appropriately licensed pilot with a current class 1 or class 2 medical certificate.
Restriction on acrobatic flight

An eligible person holding a driver licence medical certificate (aviation) must not operate an aircraft in acrobatic flight.
However, this restriction does not apply if a control seat on the aircraft is occupied by an appropriately licensed and acrobatic flight-endorsed pilot with a current class 1 or class 2 medical certificate, and the eligible person’s licence is also endorsed for acrobatic flight.
Any person thinking of applying to operate under the recreational pilot medical should ensure they have read and understood the complete explanatory statement.

Compared to the proposal in the US:

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall issue or revise medical certification regulations
to ensure that an individual may operate as pilot in command of a
covered aircraft without regard to any medical certification or proof
of health requirement otherwise applicable under Federal law if--
(1) the individual possesses a valid State driver's license
and complies with any medical requirement associated with that
license;
(2) the individual is transporting not more than 5
passengers;
(3) the individual is operating under visual flight rules;
and
(4) the relevant flight, including each portion thereof, is
not carried out--
(A) for compensation, including that no passenger
or property on the flight is being carried for
compensation;
(B) at an altitude that is more than 14,000 feet
above mean sea level;
(C) outside the United States, unless authorized by
the country in which the flight is conducted; or
(D) at a speed exceeding 250 knots.
(b) Covered Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered
aircraft'' means an aircraft that--
(1) is not authorized under Federal law to carry more than
6 occupants; and
(2) has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of not more
than 6000 pounds (2721 kg).

The US proposal would make most GA single engine aircraft eligible. It is essentially the next step from the current Driver's Medical.