Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/307497
EAA Experimenter 7 EAA ALWAYS ENCOURAGES its members to take others flying, but on Saturday, May 17, there's an even better reason to do so: The fifth annual International Learn to Fly Day is an oppor- tunity to help someone take that first step to discover the fun, freedom, and accomplishment of becoming a pilot. It could be a friend, a relative, a friend of a relative, or a relative of a friend. For a person age 18 or older, you could take an Eagle Flight. If your passenger is age 15 to 17, you could make it a Young Eagles Flight. A number of chapters are planning events, which will be added to EAA's Calendar of Events and tagged as "Learn to Fly Day" so everyone will know it's part of the celebration. International Learn to Fly Day EAA IS ACTIVELY REVIEWING the draft of the FAA's amateur-built and ultralight flight-testing handbook, known as Advisory Circular 90-89. The hand- book, developed with substantial EAA input, was issued in 1995. This will be its first revision. Because the handbook has been untouched for nearly two decades, it's outdated in several major areas. For example, there are no references to light-sport aircraft (which was not yet a legal definition for aircraft in 1995), while there are references to "fat ultralights" (which no longer exist). In addition to content updates and formatting changes to enhance read- ability, the FAA is working to modern- ize the language to make the document compliant with the Plain Writing Act. EAA staf will work with the EAA Homebuilt Advisory Council to review the handbook for clarity, accuracy, and possible areas where information could be expanded or added. After the review, EAA will submit formal comments to the FAA. EAA Reviewing Updated Flight-Testing Handbook THE FAA HAS REFINED its controversial sleep apnea proposal for pilots and airman medical certifi cation after considerable backlash from the aviation community and Congress. While sleep apnea remains an area of emphasis for the FAA aeromedical leadership, the ef orts by EAA and EAA's Aeromedical Advisory Council helped to create a path toward a sensible solution. The highly contentious plan to require a sleep apnea test and evaluation prior to approval of a medical certifi cate, based solely on a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above, is no longer part of the FAA policy. The agency has developed a new policy that would allow a tiered approach to addressing potential sleep apnea prob- lems while enabling a pilot to maintain a current certifi cate during any assessment taking place. "Pilots should not be automati- cally forced into an expensive sleep apnea evaluation and out of the cockpit based on a single risk factor," said Sean Elliott, EAA's vice president of Advocacy and Safety. "The pilot community and the aeromedical com- munity have given their input, and we're pleased that FAA used that input to make the necessary changes in its policy. The incoming federal air surgeon has indicated that he has no interest in enacting a sweep- ing policy that would add fi nancial and regulatory burdens to pilots." Sorting Out Latest on Sleep Apnea Rules A NEW EAA video answers the most common questions about the now required MedXPress online form for FAA airman medical certifi cates, including how to save time when completing the form. The video, available free of charge through EAA's video player, features Dr. Greg Pinnell, a member of EAA's Aeromedical Advisory Council, which consists of EAA-member physicians who volunteer their time to assist other members and guide EAA policy on aero- medical issues. "Many longtime pilots are used to fi lling out the paper form at their own aviation medical examiner's of ce, but the FAA now only allows the online form to be used," said Sean Elliott, EAA's vice president of Advocacy and Safety. "The online requirement has led to many questions and occasional confusion and misunderstanding for pilots unfamiliar with the MedXPress system. This new EAA video answers questions, clears confusion, and ensures the fi rst step in obtaining an airman medical certifi cate is a smooth one." During the 20-minute video, Pinnell goes step-by-step through the MedXPress registration and completion process. That includes displaying individual online screens and easy-to-follow instructions on completing the pre-examination paperwork. New EAA Video Answers Pilots' Questions About Completing FAA MedXPress Form E A A E X P _ M a y 1 4 . i n d d 7 EAAEXP_May14.indd 7 5 / 5 / 1 4 3 : 1 5 P M 5/5/14 3:15 PM