Presidents position Theres a lot to celebrate

I have been flying into Oshkosh for decades now, and every time I land, I know I am in for something new. That’s what drives us to make the pilgrimage every year—that and seeing our wonderful members and general aviation friends.

This year, there’s something really new in the air as we fly into OSH, something that benefits virtually all GA pilots—and it simply can’t be emphasized enough. The recently enacted FAA reauthorization legislation is something we have covered in these pages and through all AOPA media channels. This groundbreaking law not only funds important FAA programs through 2028 but has a specific focus and benefit to general aviation.

Every pilot and aircraft owner at EAA AirVenture will reap benefits from the FAA reauthorization law, thanks in large part to the first-ever GA Title, introduced by our friend on the Hill, Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) (see “Protecting Our Freedom to Fly,” p. 24). AOPA is proud to have worked with Graves and others on both sides of the aisle for many months to help craft and bring about that title.

Those GA benefits include funding for small airports, ensuring we have the 100LL we need while we transition to an unleaded future, and aviation workforce development to get young people interested in this passion we share.

I want to take a minute to expand on one of the most important elements of the FAA reauthorization law: BasicMed. We fought hard to bring about long-needed third-class medical reform in 2017, and we have been pushing to go even further. I hear about this topic countless times as I travel around this great country, and it’s often addressed by members calling into our Pilot Information Center.

The adoption of BasicMed is astounding. Since it was enacted, more than 85,000 pilots have qualified to fly under it. But we have not stopped there. AOPA has strongly advocated for the continued expansion of BasicMed operating limitations, and I am happy to say that these efforts have paid off.

Provisions under the FAA reauthorization further loosen the BasicMed pilot and aircraft restrictions. You will be able to take off in a covered aircraft weighing up to 12,500 pounds (which more than doubles the previous limit of 6,000 pounds). The bill also expands the number of allowed passengers (six, up from five) and seats (seven, up from six).

In addition, the FAA now allows DPEs to perform their duties while flying under BasicMed. Hopefully, this will ease the crunch on pilots looking to schedule their checkrides. There simply aren’t enough DPEs, and the waits for these tests are way too long. These changes go into effect 180 days after the bill was signed, which will be around mid-November.

I believe one of the reasons the FAA and Congress have been so willing to expand BasicMed is because it works! Just last year, the FAA was required to report to Congress on the five-year results of BasicMed, and it found what we already knew: no difference in safety when comparing pilots flying under BasicMed to those with a third class medical. I thank all of you for that—for continuing to fly safely and making this the safest era ever for GA.

The medical-related benefits of FAA reauthorization were not limited to BasicMed, and in fact, it will create a working group to examine all of the agency’s medical policies and procedures. This includes the review of the special issuance process and could provide more leeway for an AME to issue a medical certificate for a pilot with specific medical conditions. We hope that this will make the whole medical certification process smoother and quicker, a reform that we’ve been actively pursuing.

So, while we’re all checking out the new and vintage aircraft on the field, seeing old friends and making new ones, and simply soaking up everything that makes AirVenture an aviation pilgrimage, keep in mind what got you there. For many, it was literally BasicMed. Blue skies!

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