HR1117 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1117 LRB098 21302 GRL 59494 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, H.R. 3708, currently under consideration in the United States House of Representatives, seeks to abolish the burdensome and outdated third-class medical certificate currently required for thousands of pilots who fly recreationally; and

WHEREAS, 60,000 pilots have left the aviation industry over the last decade, many due to the onerous and costly process of attaining a third-class medical certificate; and

WHEREAS, The General Aviation Pilot Protection Act, contained within H.R. 3708, would require pilots who fly recreationally to hold a valid driver's license in lieu of an expensive third-class medical certificate and operate under specific limitations; and

WHEREAS, The General Aviation Pilot Protection Act has the potential to grow the pilot population in the United States by significantly lowering a major barrier for prospective pilots, while also upholding high safety standards; and

WHEREAS, The General Aviation Pilot Protection Act would allow pilots who make non-commercial visual flight rules flights in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds with no more than 6 seats to be exempt from the third-class medical certification process; and

WHEREAS, The General Aviation Pilot Protection Act would allow pilots who are exempt from the third-class medical certification process to carry up to 5 passengers, fly at altitudes below 14,000 feet mean sea level, and fly no faster than 250 knots; and

WHEREAS, In addition to allowing pilots to operate common general aviation aircraft for recreational flying without a third-class medical certificate, the bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to prepare and send a report to Congress detailing the impact of the bill's passage on general aviation safety within 5 years of the bill's enactment; and

WHEREAS, Aviation groups have regularly petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration for medical certification updates and changes, yet the Federal Aviation Administration has refused to move on such requests, despite overwhelming encouragement from the general aviation community and its agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Aviation Administration has announced recently it will consider altering the pilot requirements in certain circumstances through a study called the "Private Pilot Privileges without a Medical Certificate" project; and

WHEREAS, The general aviation community has long supported this action, due to its ability to maintain safety, reduce costs for pilots and the federal government, and allow people to pursue the unique freedom of flight in the same way they can pursue other powered recreational activities; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we encourage the members of Congress to support H.R. 3708 in order to afford greater access to aviation for prospective pilots; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.