Final blog UAVs

The high demand of UAV’s will cause an increase of these in the sky, clogging certain altitudes and posing new risks to general aviation.  With the increase of UAVs come with a new set of regulations and operating procedures.  Many questions come to mind.
 Will the UAV’s have operational limitations?
The drone or UAS will need to be within sight at all times and no higher than 400ft.  They must remain 5 miles from an airport and 2 miles from a helicopter landing pad.   Drones must also stay clear of major structures such as antennas and buildings, as well as populated areas without a Certificate of Authorization (COA) and private property (FAA, 2016)  The FAA has regulations for these UAS, stating that any UAS that meets the weight requirement ranging from .55lbs and 55lbs, must be registered (DIY Photography, 2015).  The interaction between UAV’s and the public is a concern on a safety level, both for privacy measures and potential harm to innocent civilians.  Like any type of technology, a UAV could be used for wrong doing and can cause more harm than good, for example spying on your neighbors, stalking individuals, crashing into things or destroying property from recklessness.
Are there UAV Organizations?
 There are associations that a UAS enthusiast or commercial operators can join.  The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), and The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) The site ”Know Before You Fly” is an educational campaign that distributes current information to new and experienced UAV owners about the lasts trends with UAV’s for “safe and responsible flying,” (2015).  If you are looking to get your UAV certified, the Gowdy Brothers Aerospace provides a certification service for registering UAV’s that guarantees a 100% success rate of certification (2016).  This is beneficial to individuals who want to follow the FAA requirements but have difficulty with all of the paperwork involved or have previously been denied certification.  This company is run by drone pilots and enthusiast who understand the business of aviation and are in business to help the industry get through the hurdles or working through government regulations.  Gowdy Brothers keep up to date information and articles related to the UAV population on their website.
What Qualifies as Recreational vs. Commercial Use of a UAV?
 Recreational UAV is considered for pleasure such as creating videos, taking pictures of your own property, drone races and competitions among fellow enthusiasts.  According to the Know Before You Go website, commercial use of a UAV is an activity that is done for profit such as site surveys, videos or photos for companies or private clients (2015).  Research may be conducted with a drone, but it is necessary to apply for a COA prior to conducting the research (Gowdy Brothers, 2016).
What are some of the Future Opportunities of UAV’s?
 New business UAV opportunities for the commercial sector could include the use of drone surveillance for security of large corporate buildings, public demonstrations, concerts, crowd observance and other events that span large areas that would be difficult to oversee with traditional security methods or if manpower is low.
Is a transponder or ADSB system required?
 Documentation of the need for transponders is not yet mentioned on the FAA website.  These systems are not required for a UAV of this size but the UAV must be registered and documented with the FAA.  I would imagine that the lack of transponder is due to the small frame of the UAV.  The operational limitations of this aircraft make it unnecessary for a UAV to be visible to the tower or any type of radar.  However, the lack of radar signature does pose an issue that a UAV is untraceable.  It leaves a void in operator accountability when upholding the FAA regulations as there is no way to verify that various limitations are followed (FAA, 2016).
Aircraft operators require extensive training and certifications for different aircraft.  Will UAV operators be required to get training, certifications or licenses?
Training is offered by Gowdy Brothers Aerospace for new and experienced pilots in agreement with regulations that require progression of skills and logging UAV flight hours (2016).  The training would be in accordance to the
The National Airspace System (NAS) requires a pilot certificate in order to fly a UAV at higher altitudes than 400ft (FAA, 2016).   This certification would include training on how to communicate with air traffic control so that you could safely navigate in NAS airspace with traditional aircraft.  I imagine this intense certification would be limited to companies that require drone pilots for their business needs.  Such companies would already have pilots on staff that could serve in both roles as a traditional pilot and a UAV pilot to maximize their investment.
Will insurance be required to cover property damage in the case of accidents or collisions with other aircraft?
Insurance is not currently required for UAV’s, but it is recommended if using a drone for commercial use.  A drone pilot would be more likely to gain clients if they have liability insurance; this shows the client that the business is more credible.  A home owner’s policy may cover UAV’s or model aircraft if used for recreational purposes.  According to “UAV Coach” in order to be eligible for insurance, insurance companies may require flight log documentation, maintenance and repair logs and battery duty cycles (2016). http://uavcoach.com/drone-insurance-guide/



Would there be a registration system in place to track the UAV’s with an equivalent N number?
 Paper-based registration is only required for traditional aircraft and UAV’s over 55lbs.  This would produce a “N number” and has a longer processing time frame.  A UAV under 55lbs can register with the online system and a “N number” is not assigned (FAA, 2016).   Failure to register will result in a civil penalty of no more than $27,500 or prison time (FAA, 2016).  Registration must be completed before using the UAV.

References

Brugett, G. (2015, December 14). FAA now requires all drones to be registered and marked, site to go live on December 21st - DIY Photography. Retrieved April 22, 2016, from http://www.diyphotography.net/faa-now-requires-all-drones-to-be-registered-and-marked-site-to-go-live-on-december-21st/
COA Filing - Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from http://www.gowdybrothers.com/coa-filing/
Model Aircraft Operations. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from https://www.faa.gov/uas/model_aircraft/
RECREATIONAL USERS. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/for-recreational-users/
UAS Registration Q&A. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from http://www.faa.gov/uas/registration/faqs/
UAV Coach | Online Drone Training. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from http://www.uavcoach.com/
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from https://www.faa.gov/uas/faq/#qn25)
What Can I Do With My Small Unmanned Aircraft? (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from https://www.faa.gov/uas/publications/model_aircraft_operators/

NTSB Most Wanted

I kept the list similar with the exception of moving Prevent Loss of Control in Flight to the last spot.  I do not agree with cockpit image recorder because of privacy reasons, but understand the value it can bring to investigations.  I shifted Fatigue related accidents to number two because this is an issue that has changed the industry and hour’s pilots need for ATP, even though fatigue is it still is a continuing matter with the new regulation, airlines are still pushing the envelope to squeeze out another dime or two at the price of the pilots.  Reducing distractions comes next at number three and a revamp of the sterile cockpit rule. This is a good example of new aviation systems to keep the skies safe and removing the human out of the equation during critical moments of flight or even not so critical phases.  These safety systems have bored the pilot in occasions where they become disconnected and revert to their phones or tablets.  Then medical fitness as number 4 and I believe it to be the fastest growing concern because of how vast mental illness can be and of different degrees.  On certain occasions it only becomes obvious an individual is sick until it’s too late.

According to the NTSB “approach to landing, maneuvering, and initial climb as the most recurring phases for loss-of-control accidents” (Bellamy 2016) that statement describes all phases of flight, implying “that the only way to be 100% safe or close to it is to have unmanned aircraft”. The fact that many lives have been loss, an angle of attack (AOA) indicator will not prevent accidents. The NTSB believes “GA owners and pilots install AOA indictors to help prevent accidents during critical and high-workload phases of flight” (Bellamy 2016). This indicator that they are recommending to be installed on GA aircraft is currently standard equipment it’s called a “stall warning horn”.  All aircraft have and been designed with redundant systems, for an example dual magnetos on reciprocating engines are designed to back up each other in case one fails, if both fail the engine dies and it’s up to the pilot to land the aircraft safely as possible.  Just because an engine fails does not mean a crash is evident, the pilot has to revert to his training to assess the situation.  If we continue to input safety systems for every situation to eliminate the human factor, we might as well have computers fly these aircraft and take the human out of the crew station.  This can be prevented by just an extra ground school or check ride specificity for AOA understanding during a currency check.  To recommend an addition of a flight system seems too vast of a move for an uncomplicated fix, but the issue still needs to be addressed.

UAV’s are a big concern, because of the lack of airspace awareness and the accessibility to these “toys”.  There are videos of UAVs running into aircraft during approach, a phase of flight that is critical in itself. This is a video example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zrXb_YQQag . UAVs should be regulated depending on size and capability and have areas of operation as do the radio controlled model planes.  Another option is to add GPS devises to the UAVs that limit it from flying into certain airspaces or disable it within so many miles from a major airport.

The Cockpit image recorder is one the FAA would most likely respond to and I believe that it would pass. This issue can relate to the public more so than other 4 because of how it can be construed.  To have real time video in the last moments or moments leading to the accident can reveal many unanswered questions and give better closer to families.  And for others unfortunately feeds our curious side.  As for many things this can be used for as Ron Nielsen, a retired US Airways captain stated“If you could absolutely guarantee that the contents of that video recorder would be limited to the people that had a need to see it, the resistance would drop away. But this is the year of YouTube.”

References

Bellamy, W., III. (2016, January 14). Avionics Today. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/commercial/NTSBs-5-Most-Wanted-Aviation-Safety-Improvements-in-2016_86948.html#.Vwu8U_krLIV

Mathieu, S. (2010, September 26). Pilots Fight Video Recorders in Cockpits | News21 – National. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://national.news21.com/2010-2/cockpit-video-recorders-resisted-ntsb/2/index.html

Aviation Associations

Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) are the two organizations I plan to join in the future.  I find that the future of aviation in the military is a growing part of our Nations’ defense; both pilots and mechanics are needed to make this possible.  Having served 8 years as a B-52H crew chief in the United States Air Force I know first-hand the way policy makers think about old aircraft and the importance of well-designed and effective equipment.  The B-52 gets the job done, time after time and is still being called on and is projected to be in service until 2042.  This proves that it needs more attention and dedication to make the mission go smoothly.  “The industry had its formal beginnings in America when Henry Knox, the first U.S. Secretary of War, commissioned six naval frigates for the U.S. Navy in 1794” (AIA 2016).  When it comes to our country and defending it, the consideration of new and improved technology is always welcome.
The second association I would like to be a part of in the near future is PAMA. As a mechanic knowing what it takes to make a B-52 mission ready having an association that caters to mechanics as the unsung heroes of aviation deserves the recognition. As we say in the Air Force “it takes a college education to break it and a high school diploma to fix it”.  I also believe at knowing your equipment and how it operates will help you to troubleshoot and to come to a solution in desperate times.  
AIA is involved in four different aspects of the aviation industry: civil aviation, space systems, international, defense and security and technical operations and workforce. The organization also partnered with Aerospace States Association (ASA) “…representing aerospace manufacturers have signed a historic agreement to grow high paying jobs, increase economic development and inspire America’s youth to join the aerospace workforce of the future” (AIA 2016). AIA is dedicated to protecting our men and women on the battlefield by being “the voice of American aerospace and defense” industry. This organization advocates for new technologies that will benefit the American way of life.
As for PAMA “The mission of PAMA is to promote continuous improvement in aviation safety by enhancing the professionalism and recognition of the Aviation Maintenance technician through communication, education, representation and support” (PAMA 2016).  This organization is geared at improving new methods and skills in the aviation maintenance field while maintaining professionalism.
These associations are important to me because you should never forget or turn your back from what made you the person you are today. I am who I am because of the experiences I have endured in my 8 years of military service.  The way of thinking, the mind set and the honing of senses cannot be bought. Pilot cannot fly without mechanics and mechanics have no job without pilots.  I am now able to speak both “languages” in order to have a better understanding of the task when the two sides don’t see eye to eye.  Some do not see the sacrifices pilots endure and the long hours of travel to end up sleeping in uncomfortable circumstances; the same can then be said about mechanics trying to duplicate errors that occurred during flight on the ground.  I hope to be an advocate for such organizations once I am a certified pilot so that I can contribute my experiences to the field.

Reference

Mission, Vision & Values. (2016). Retrieved April 03, 2016, from http://www.aia-aerospace.org/about/mission_vision_values/


PAMA - Home. (2015). Retrieved April 04, 2016, from http://pama.wildapricot.org/

C919 Chinese Airliner

            I do not believe that the C919 will receive FAA certification because of the political consequences.  According to CNN “During President Xi Jinping's recent state visit to the United States, China signed a deal with Boeing to purchase 300 airliners worth $38 billion at list prices” (Jiang 2015). And “When German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Beijing last week, China also announced that it would buy 130 Airbus jets valued at $17 billion” (Jiang 2015).  These orders in itself will cause a political uproar if China does not follow through with them.  I don’t see China making these signed deals with Boeing and Airbus while claiming “The C919 has received 517 orders, mostly from Chinese carriers, leasing firms” (Jiang 2015).  According to CNN, of 17 aircraft systems the C919 is made up of 11 American systems, 3 French and 4 Chinese.  Boeing and Airbus do not want the competition of this new aircraft because “Already the world's second largest air travel market after the United States, China will need more than 6,300 new planes over the next two decades, according to a recent Boeing forecast” (Jiang 2015).  China and the United States are each trying to hold their ground on their aviation footprint.  The United States has been around in the aviation industry longer, they have more experience, more catastrophes, more crashes and a significant amount of safety measures in place based on these trials.  Just to put a stamp on a certification for political aspects is not worth it to the flying public.  The aviation industry owes that much to those who died for these hard lessons learned just to throw away an endorsement for political ties.
            I believe the challenges would come down to making the aircraft manufactures competitive.  The average U.S. traveler is looking for a good deal to travel and good customer service.  If the C919 was marketed well, it would create a pretty picture for the flying public.  With the fluctuating cost between competitors of air travel, passengers looking for a quick and cheap getaway would fly the C919 without a second thought.  The average person is not researching the aircraft they fly with.  Their main concerns are to arrive on time, to have a cheap price tag and for their luggage to arrive when they do.  Other than that, I doubt the public will care because they are not aircraft enthusiasts, they are just passengers.
            With Boeing and Airbus needing to compete with a third aircraft competitor, I believe Boeing and Airbus, both established companies, would prove their reliability and quality compared to the Chinese’s short history in aviation.  The U. S. regulations have been written in blood and high standards have been set forth by the FAA to ensure safety for all air travelers.  The Boeing and Airbus aircrafts have proven their ability to change and adjust to new safety regulations.  It is more critical that an aircraft be dependable and reliable in the air.  Yet, the Chinese have not proven that their aircraft can safely fly.  All they have proven is that they can make an airplane.  Are the Chinese willing to accept the FAA requirements in order to receive certification?
            The COMAC has a regional aircraft, the ARJ121 that has not been FAA certified at this time.  The aircraft was limited to its destinations. The Chinese have been dragging their feet to get the ARJ-21 delivered to Chinese airlines and the first one was delivered this year to Chengdu Airlines.  The ARJ21 has not been endorsed or certified through the FAA, and it is a much smaller 94 passenger aircraft and has been cleared to fly since 2014.  A society that does not conform to the needs of the people nor protects the people does not seem to be a government that will conform to the demands of the aviation industry.  The FAA requires specific standards to ensure safety for all travelers in order to fly into the United States or that flies under the FAA guidelines.  At this time, this Chinese aircraft can only be flown into Asian based airports and other countries that acknowledge the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certificate(Coonan 2016). 
            There are many companies that are currently making small regional aircraft, but not narrow-body aircraft like the Boeing 737 or A320.  Companies like Embraer, Bombardier and Golfstream to name a few have not ventured into the narrow-body industry but a new aircraft entering the market could open the possibility for other companies to make a new aircraft to be competitive.
            At this time, I am not aware of any business plans.  I feel that these two companies are strong enough in their product that they will be able to take on any competitor.

Reference
Coonan, C. (2016, January 5). China’s Comac delivers first homegrown ARJ-21 jet to Chengdu Airlines. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://www.irishtimes.com/business/manufacturing/china-s-comac-delivers-first-homegrown-arj-21-jet-to-chengdu-airlines-1.2484566

Jiang, S. (2015, November 2). China takes on Boeing, Airbus with new passenger jet. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/02/asia/china-new-c919-passenger-jet/

Spacelines

The dream of going into space goes back many years and in the late 50’s and early 60’s did it seem to become more of a reality.  With the success of landing on the moon and space exploration the skies have opened up for many opportunities. “In 1996, a group of philanthropists and entrepreneurs began to change that by starting an international incentive prize competition, the Ansari XPRIZE.” (Virgin 2016).  On October 4, 2004 SpaceShipOne completed the requirements of the contest out of the 26 teams that entered the competition from around the world. Only one emerged as a winner and now Virgin Galactic is the first commercial spaceline. What helped to send the possibility of space tourism was on “April 28, 2001, American businessman Dennis Tito became history’s first space tourist, paying his own way to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. (Wall 2011).” Virgin Airlines’ Galactica Space Travel accomplishments include having a rocket and a transport ship.  The plans for SpaceShipTwo took five years to develop into the physical aircraft and its first successful test flight.  Many highly skilled engineers worked tirelessly to develop a feasible design. For Virgin Galactic on October 31, 2014 they suffered a major setback when SpaceShipTwo crashed because of pilot error.  According to Sir Richard Branson after the accident he said "Every new transformative technology requires risk, and we have seen the tragic and brave sacrifice of Mike and the recovery of injured surviving pilot Pete Siebold and Their tremendous efforts are not in vain and will serve to strengthen our resolve to make big dreams come true" (Malik 2015). 

Knowing all the possibilities cannot be foreseen, as for the Galactica incident in 2014 which was determine to be pilot error.  Regulations come as the envelope is tested or pressing the boundaries.  Restrictions are based on what is happening with this new frontier.  There are many unexplored circumstances that are unknown until an incident occurs.  The liability alone will be the most crucial factor for the space tourism industry to be successful.  If you consider other high risk extracurricular activities such as sky diving, this thrill seeking activity requires two hours of classroom training for tandem jumping and approximately six hours for a solo jump.  The training primarily consists of reading altitude, controlled free fall and operation of a parachute.  All of this is for a brief experience of a 3-4 minute free fall at up to 10,000 feet above ground.  In comparison, consider the training that astronauts need for all of the components of space mission including launch, living in space, the use of space suits, checking equipment, various emergency procedures and preparing for reentry.  The space tourists would need to have training that is comparable to astronauts in order to survive the flight to the edge of space and back to Earth.  This training would potentially costly and time consuming.  Aircrew per passengers, crew training, more crew equals less room on each flight, adding costs, trained qualified crew to attend to guests similar to a flight attendant.  If getting out of the seats to experience zero gravity is part of the spaceline experience passengers will need to be assisted to get back in their seat.  Also will the insurance liability allow passengers out their seats once in space?  How will the cabin be prepared for descent back to Earth?  If guests were uncooperative in space it could cause significant risks to the remaining passengers.  Also to consider are the maintenance practices and what type of inspections are needed? 

"My dream was to fly in space before I die," Tito said. "And I basically came up with that lifelong goal around the time of Yuri Gagarin's flight." (Wall 2011).  I see space tourism being a thing until the unthinkable happens.  The risks involved are greater than the first flight.  It will only be for the rich at first and until it becomes more affordable it will still be a dream for most.  I believe it will be just a one-time bucket list for at least 20 years, then it will slowly become a space resort type vacation, but first it needs to be proven and tested as long as it continues to be safe leading to the expansion of possibilities.  I don’t see space tourism taking off any time soon due to the lack of data to prove that this will be a safe and sustainable.  The engineer had difficulties designing nose gear and rudder play that changed the dynamics from flight configuration to landing configuration.  This is surprising to me considering the technology for landing gear and rudder systems have been around since the early 1920’s.  If this was a challenge how are they supposed to create a cabin design that differentiates between normal travel and space flight which is a more complex system.  If the industry is able to find insurance and liability coverage, it would yield huge costs for the consumer.  This will be an experience for the rich and those completing “bucket list” items.  This will not be a family vacation excursion or field trip type activity.  Participating in this experience will require additional travel an exclusive “space airport”, likely in California.  I imagine that only one airport will operate these flights due to limited availability of equipment and insurance/liability.  The high costs for rocket fuel will also add to the extreme cost for this activity and detract from the affordability of participation.

Reference

A Brief History of Human Spaceflight - Virgin Galactic. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.virgingalactic.com/human-spaceflight/history-of-human-spaceflight/

Malik, T. (2015, July 28). Deadly SpaceShipTwo Crash Caused by Co-Pilot Error: NTSB. Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.space.com/30073-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-crash-pilot-error.html

Wall, M. (2011, April 27). First Space Tourist: How a U.S. Millionaire Bought a Ticket to Orbit. Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.space.com/11492-space-tourism-pioneer-dennis-tito.html 

UAVs

1)  Previously, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were used mostly by the military for reconnaissance work.  The military paved the way for civilians to have their own surveillance UAV’s on a much smaller scale with lower costs for the equipment and maintenance.   Currently, Amazon Prime Air (online store) is adopting the practice of using drones, a typed of UAV, to deliver merchandise.  “We're excited about Prime Air — a future delivery system from Amazon designed to safely get packages to customers in 30 minutes or less using small unmanned aerial vehicles, also called drones” (Amazon.com, Inc., 2016).  UAV’s are being used for social media and marketing videos as a way to record events from different vantage points.  Some researchers are using them for ground mapping and observation as well.  "Drones are proving to be powerful new tools to archaeologists for documenting excavation, mapping landscapes and identifying buried features…”(Drones 2016).  In Superbowl 50, “The Federal Aviation Administration has banned the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within a 32-mile radius of the stadium on game day” (Foltin 2016).  The “No Drone Zone” (Foltin 2016) were setup to restrict drones from causing distractions in the arena, safety concerns or from getting footage of the game with unauthorized cameras.

2)  Since the NAS is responsible for implementing new systems for aviation, I see the mixing of UAV’s as a possibility due to their popularity and the variety of applications for personal and business uses.  These UAV’s have the capability of gaining access to locations that are more remote.  The cost of a UAV requires less manning, equipment and operational costs than traditional options.  For example, in a search and rescue scenario, a UAV could be used to find lost hikers.  Typically in this situation a helicopter would be used to quickly access the location; requiring a pilot, crew, fuel, maintenance and other operational costs that would add up quickly.  While a UAV has a remote operator and the unit may run on a battery, resulting in a more efficient and cost effective method and less manning.

The high demand of UAV’s will cause an increase of these in the sky, clogging certain altitudes and posing new risks to general aviation.  With the increase of UAVs come with a new set of regulations and operating procedures.  Many questions come to mind.  Will the UAV’s have operational limitations? This would be helpful to determine what other regulations would be developed.  If there is not an altitude restriction or operating limitations, I wonder if they will be required to have a transponder or ADSB system.  Aircraft operators require extensive training and certifications for different aircraft, but will UAV operators be required to get training, certifications or licenses?

Will insurance be required to cover property damage in the case of accidents or collisions with other aircraft.  If UAV’s are flown into the approach of an airport and a collision occurs with an aircraft, who is held liable for the accident and how would this be documented or traced back to the UAV?  Would there be a registration system in place to track the UAV’s with an equivalent tail number?

I see UAV’s as accountability issue where the number of UAV’s will rapidly increase without enough regulations in place to enforce protocol.  I also see UAV’s being used for inappropriate recreational activity, invading of privacy or trespassing of private property.

3)  Not only has the military strategy changed but causalities have decreased as well.  The military has been able to send virtual “eyes” to see their threat instead of risking a highly trained soldier to do the same job.  The UAV is very stealthy as compared to a large aircraft which would be easily detectable on radar and has a noise footprint.  The use of UAV has allowed the military to switch from an operation based control site to a remote site where the UAV could be hand transported.  The UAV reduces the amount of crew, man hours and equipment needed per mission.  If an aircraft was used for a similar mission, the loss of crew and a multi-million dollar aircraft has a huge potential for loss compared to the minimal operational costs for a UAV for the same mission.  The use of UAV is more ethical because military crew are not thrown intentionally into dangerous situations.

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References
Amazon Prime Air. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011

Drones for research: Archaeologist explains UAV use at Fifa. (2016, February 14). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://phys.org/news/2016-02-drones-archaeologist-uav-fifa.html

Foltin, L. (2016, February 5). Drone-free zone: Don't fly your UAVs anywhere near the Super Bowl. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/super-bowl-50-no-drones-prohibited-uavs-020516

Medical Reform

1)  The current medical reform agenda for General aviation is to allow pilots that hold a valid third class medical within the past ten years to continue to fly without another medical exam according to AOPA.  For any new pilots that have not held or applied for an initial exam are required to do so with an Aviation Medical Examiner.  Any pilot with certain medical conditions must receive a onetime special issuance (EAA 2015).  This would apply to pilots flying VFR or IFR in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds and carrying up to five passengers at altitudes below 18,000 feet and speeds up to 250 knots (Tennyson 2015). The third class medical reforms could save pilots more than $20 million each year and save the FAA approximately $2.5 million each year (Tennyson 2015).
2) The Pilots Bill of Rights 2 (PBR2) was passed by Senate on December 15, 2015, it is now awaiting to be passed by the House before it can be signed into law by the President.
3) I like that a pilot only needs one initial medical exam and can see his or her primary care physician in which they established a relationship verses finding an AME where there is no prior history.  This makes it easier to find better solutions to any given medical condition.  As for a onetime medical special issuance on certain medical conditions that are more severe, I believe it should not change.  These medical conditions essentially require more test and sometime stronger medication, this is why they should continue to be on the current medical standards.
4) I don’t feel that the reform is necessary because it just opens Pandora’s Box per say.  For an example compared to driving there is no medical exam for getting a driver’s license, other than an eye exam. With that being said there are people on the road taking impairing medications and have disabling medical conditions with no checks and balances preventing them from driving.  It falls under the individual’s integrity to make the decision not to drive and in this case fly.  The opportunity for deceiving the system will be easier.  As long as a pilot does not get ramp checked or reported to the FAA hotline for being unsafe, they will get away with it.
References

On to the House! Senate Passes Medical Reform | EAA. (2015, December 15). Retrieved January 31, 2016, from http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/2015-news/12-15-2015-on-to-the-house-senate-passes-medical-reform

Tennyson, E. A. (2015, December 9). Third class medical reform FAQs. Retrieved January 31, 2016, from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/December/09/Third-class-medical-FAQs

Tennyson, E. A. (2015, December 15). Aviation groups urge passage of medical reform. Retrieved January 31, 2016, from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/November/17/Aviation-groups-urge-passage-of-medical-reform