G.A Medical Reform

The bill proposes that GA pilots who possess or have possessed a medical certificate within the last 10 years doesn't have to renew it upon expiration, but simply visit their personal physician every 4 years while making note of it in their logbooks. According to AOPA "Pilots flying under the new rules will be allowed to operate aircraft that weight up to 6,000 pounds and have up to five passenger seats plus the pilot in command, at altitude below 18,000 feet, and speeds up to 250 knots" (Tennyson 2015).


Finding information regarding the third class medical reform status was difficult because the articles out there are several months old. According to AOPA the pilot's bill of rights 2 is currently a proposal and they are looking for more senators to support it, "Inhofe said that the senate bill is till shy of the magic number of 60 co-sponsors needed to bring legislation to a vote and action from AOPA members could swing the numbers enough to keep the bill on the table" (Tulis 2015).

One aspect of the medical reform that would benefit the aviation community is that it will allow pilots that have lost their medical certificate to legally fly again, which means an increase in demand for small airplanes and that means more business for flight schools and other FBOs. On the other hand allowing pilots who are currently seen as unfit to fly is not a great idea, especially during the summer when the volume of air traffic increases drastically. The more pilots flying the higher the chances of an accident occurring especially if they are limited physically in any way. 


I don't think that a reform is necessary, especial when you consider the fact that a first class medical doesn't expire for 60 calendar months if the holder is under forty years old, even If the holder is over forty then he has 24 calendar month until it expires, which is still a lot of time honestly. A few articles that I read kept mentioning that if the bill is passed it would save GA pilots and the aviation industry millions of dollars. Which is maybe true but as a pilot the last expense i worry about is the renewal of my medical certificate, flying is a very expensive hobby and if people can't afford to keep a current medical then they shouldn't be flying at all. 

Tennyson, E. (2015, November 18). Closer than ever. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/November/18/Closer-than-ever

Tulis, D. (2015, July 24). Urgent action needed to support medical reform; ALPA actively opposed. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/July/24/Urgent-action-needed-on-medical-reform-legislation

Made In China

Earlier this month Commercial Aircraft Corporation of  China "COMAC" rolled out it's first mid size airliner. COMAC was founded in 2008 and is owned by the Chinese government. The C919 is the second jet aircraft  made by COMAC, the first was a regional jet called the ARJ21. The C919 isn't certified by the Federal Aviation Administration "FAA", even the previous airliner produced by COMAC the ARJ21 still did not receive an FAA certificate (Govindasamay 2015). However I do believe that the C919 will eventually get certified by the FAA even though it might take years of testing before that happens.

 Even if COMAC managed to get it's C919 certified by the FAA there is no way for it to compete with Airbus and Boeing in the international market. At least not in the foreseeable future, however china's goal is to provide It's own airlines with the new jets in order to support a strong aviation sector. I believe that the C919 will eventual dominate China's market, but I don't see it as a competitor for Boeing's 737 or Airbus's A320. Boeing has been dominating the aviation industry for decades, and in the last 40 years it has produced some of the most iconic airliners in the world such as  the 747, 737 and 777. Airbus also has a long history in aviation, founded in 1967 and produced its first airliner in 1972.  Airbus is enjoying an increase in demand and popularity thanks to the A330 and A380. While Boeing and Airbus continue to flourish in an expanding industry, companies like COMAC will not find the same success due to the lack of trust and their lack of experience. COMAC has to earn the Airline's trust and support, and most important convince the flying public that it's airplane is safe to fly.

If the C919 received an FAA certificate there would be no change in terms of companies entering the market to compete with Boeing and Airbus. Manufacturing an airplane takes years of research, thousands of employees and large sums of resources. In short, manufacturing an airliner in no easy task, especially if it's designed to compete with Boeing and Airbus products. A huge factor that is often over looked is the reputation of the company and the years of experience it has in terms of aircraft design and development. Being founded in 2008 is not something you want to sell to the public, I would probably wait a few more years before launching another airliner.

Boeing and Airbus hasn't said anything directly about COMAC's C919 but both companies have been  producing lighter and more efficient jet aircraft. It could be in response to the C919 claim of reducing fuel consumption by 20%, or just the fact that some airlines are fighting to stay afloat and need a reliable yet efficient aircraft while other just want to reduce their cost of operation and maximize their profit.

Govindasamay, S. (2015, October 21). Exclusive: China-made regional jet set for delivery, but no U.S. certification. Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/21/us-china-aircraft-arj21-exclusive-idUSKCN0SF2XN20151021#S60zhCe5ru23jFg7.97

  

Jiang, S. (2015, November 2). China takes on Boeing, Airbus with new passenger jet - CNN.com. Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/02/asia/china-new-c919-passenger-jet/

COMAC. (2015). Company Profile_Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://english.comac.cc/aboutus/introduction/ 

Orginizations of the Aviation Industry

After scrolling through hundreds of aviation organizations, it became clear to me that AOPA and ALPA are the two largest and most effective associations today. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is the largest general aviation association in the world. AOPA strives to promote safety through education and training while providing many services to their members such as legal representations, pilot protection services, and insurance for both pilot and airplane. AOPA also offers safety seminars, webinars and much more safety oriented services. I have utilized AOPA features many times in the past to assist in learning new concepts such as Instrument approaches, hazardous weather avoidance and many other subject areas. AOPA offers tons of online courses, safety videos, quizzes, safety publications and much more. All of the services are free for members to utilize whenever they please. (AOPA 2015) 

Air line Pilots Association International (ALPA) is the world's largest airline pilot organization, containing more than 52,000 pilots from 31 different airlines in the United States and Canada. ALPA mission is to provide "airline safety, security, and pilot assistance; representation; and advocacy". ALPA offers many benefits to it's members, most importantly contract negotiations, advocacy and support. ALPA was founded in 1931 and has been around since the beginning of commercial travel. Being one of the oldest pilot organizations ALPA has been instrumental in pushing for change in the aviation industry calling for safety and security while advocating for their pilots rights and safety. (ALPA 2015)

ALPA is affiliated with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Federation of Air line Pilot's Associations (IFALPA) and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). ALPA prides itself in working closely with all of these organization to promote safety and the interests of it's pilots. AOPA consists of 74 chapters or affiliates, with the United Arab Emirates becoming it's 70th affiliate (AOPA 2015). With the 28th AOPA world assembly approaching in 2016, AOPA will be working with the ICAIO to promote General Aviation (GA) and to discuss the growth of the GA in foreign countries such as China,India.

I believe that it's important to belong to organizations such as ALPA and AOPA because they offer many valuable tools and resources to their members at no extra costs. One of the greatest benefits offered by these two organization is the legal representation, and support. The best part of these organizations is that there are many membership options and the cost is relatively inexpensive. AOPA offers many membership choices ranging from $35 a year for student pilots up to $179 for their premier plus package. They also offer life time membership options for a one time payment of $999 or $1,999 for Premier Life membership. Other than resources and safety seminars, organizations such as AOPA and ALPA are great for networking and meeting aviation professionals. You also get the opportunity to build friendships, gain experience and knowledge while being involved in the industry (Organizations 2012). 

ALPA. (2015). ADVANCING AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY SINCE 1931. Retrieved November 1, 2015, from http://www.alpa.org/en/about-alpa/what-we-do 

About AOPA. (2015). Retrieved November 1, 2015, from http://www.aopa.org/About-AOPA

 
   Professional Organizations. (2012). Retrieved November 1, 2015, from     http://www.nctaviationcareers.com/content/professional-organizations-0