Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

pilotinstitute.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

231–240 of 248 posts

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#231

Post by techwizrd »

hnta1024 wrote: post #226
techwizrd wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We know the system is far too conservative and encourages pilots to conceal their medical conditions, and I'm thankful you're choosing to be honest. For loss of consciousness, you can be granted a Special Issuance since you have not had one since (see Unexplained Loss of Consciousness (ULOC) [0] in the AME Guide). My personal viewpoint: If we cannot show a condition or treatment is unsafe, why is it disqualifying? If…

It was determined to be vasovagal syncope. One AME said 1 event is the limit 2 events means I'm out of luck. Later, I paid a senior AME to review my case and they first said the vasovagal period was too long but then changed their mind and said I could try getting a loop recorder implanted. I haven't gotten a straight answer as to how long I'd have to do that but it must be quite a while if they don't want to do a pa…

Unfortunately, many AMEs are not quite correct in the guidance they offer (hence the AME Guide), especially as the guidance updates and improves regularly. Vasovagal syncope is not necessarily disqualifying unless a cause cannot be determined (and therefore, risk of recurrence cannot be determined). There are plenty of commercial and private pilots flying who've experienced vasovagal syncope.

I absolutely empathize with the significant cost associated with getting endless tests and deferral limbo (in part due to a shortage of AMEs). Pilots who have the benefit of really good aeromedical teams (e.g., through their labor representation) are better informed and more successful. We really have to weigh the cost and effort associated with the tests against the information gained around safety. Too many pilots are deciding they don't want to deal with the hassle, and ultimately that results in _less_ data about the true safety risk!

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#232

Post by andersrs »

entropy47 wrote: post #195
andersrs wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I hate those kind of people as well when they are noisy. Is that supposed to be an argument?

Yes. I think my core thesis is that if noise and pollution upsets you, then I would spend less time complaining about a niche hobby that barely effects anybody, and a lot more time getting annoyed about really common hobbies, business patterns and lifestyle choices that are destroying the planet. And I think the obvious counter is "that's whataboutism, you can care about lots of things at once" but I personally am pr…

I do actually post about other pollution like (micro)plastics. But this thread is not about that. Back to the scope of the thread: The reason I find it so distasteful is that the pilots have a big noise footprint. One aircraft can be heard by thousands of people. That one person has a disproportionate effect compared to the neighbours lawnmower which can only be heard by a few dozen people. I understand your argument that there aren't that many aircraft but I must say those few people are punching orders of magnitudes above their weight when it comes to noise.

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#233

Post by techwizrd »

paulddraper wrote: post #227
techwizrd wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I help lead this work because I agree with you! And we have been working hard on this for the last couple of years (and most of the research is publicly available). Historically, aircraft are certified for a generic pilot, pilots are certified for a generic aircraft, and procedures are built with these generic assumptions in mind. Tailoring aeromedical certification to the type of operation, the actual aircraft, the…

> Commercial aviation hasn't had a hull loss in more than a decade, but private pilots are crashing every few days. Oh boy wait until you hear about automobiles. Gonna blow your mind. The goal is not (should not be) maximum safety at all costs. It's a balance of safety, cost, and convenience. --- Come on, man. Of course a 400 million dollar jet at 35,000 feet with top-of-the-line avionics, redundant systems, IFR flig…

I can't make this any clearer: we agree!

The goal isn't maximum safety at all costs. It is finding that appropriate balance.

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#234

Post by ryanwaggoner »

zzless wrote: post #208
repiret wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I call baloney. Do you have a citation for that?

Here is a quote from AC No: 00-1.1A (Public Aircraft Operations): What Oversight of PAO Does the FAA Have? The FAA has limited oversight of PAO, though such operations must continue to comply with the regulations applicable to all aircraft operating in the NAS. The government entity conducting the PAO is responsible for oversight of the operation, including aircraft airworthiness and any operational requirements impo…

though such operations must continue to comply with the regulations applicable to all aircraft operating in the NAS

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#236

Post by [deleted] »

pkilgore wrote: post #150
sonicshadow wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

This comment contributes nothing. There are multiple levels of licensing with multiple levels of medical clearances. Someone on controlled ADHD medication, diabetes, or high BMI is perfectly capable of managing risk of flying as a private pilot same as boating or driving. They probably shouldn't be airline transport pilots, but that's not really under discussion. It seems like your goal here is to start some sort of…

[deleted]

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#237

Post by paulddraper »

techwizrd wrote: post #233
paulddraper wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Commercial aviation hasn't had a hull loss in more than a decade, but private pilots are crashing every few days. Oh boy wait until you hear about automobiles. Gonna blow your mind. The goal is not (should not be) maximum safety at all costs. It's a balance of safety, cost, and convenience. --- Come on, man. Of course a 400 million dollar jet at 35,000 feet with top-of-the-line avionics, redundant systems, IFR flig…

I can't make this any clearer: we agree! The goal isn't maximum safety at all costs. It is finding that appropriate balance.

Good to hear, thanks.

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#238

Post by K0balt »

voldacar wrote: post #219
K0balt wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An aircraft that cannot be recovered from a spin under regular loading must be equipped with a spin recovery drouge or granted a special exception in order to be certificated. Aircraft that are deemed incapable of entering a spin inside their operational envelope may be granted an exception. (Some stall resistant aircraft like the ercoupe or some canards, for example ) In practice, although many light aircraft are no…

Nice, thanks for the answer. I always conceptualized a spin as an unstable state that just gets worse and worse if left unattended.

You might be thinking of a spiral dive. A spiral dive is what disoriented pilots in IMC often get into, and if you don’t have your wits about you it can really ruin your day.

The problem is that in a spiral dive your butt feel is like you are going straight and level, but your airspeed and feel of the airplane is telling you to pull up.

It will appear that the artificial horizon has failed (it will usually be indicating the truth, but it will feel wrong and you will think it’s broken, or it may be past it’s gimbal lock limits. )

If you follow your instincts, you will try to pull up. That will have the effect of tightening the spiral component of the dive but will not cause the aircraft to regain level flight. It will also have the effect of drastically increasing the stress on the airframe, which may already be beyond its maximum structural speed.

Recovery from a spiral dive is very easy… but you have to know you are in a spiral dive, and without visual reference to the ground that requires awareness and correct interpretation of the flight instruments.

You are in a spiral dive if:

A: you are going at an inexplicably high speed for your engine and airframe configuration (you are in a dive). Most pilots recognise this easily.

And

B: your rate of turn indicator is off center or especially, pegged to one side. You have to be looking for this.

Aside from that, a rapid descent showing on the VSI and altimeter.

Other gyroscopic instruments such as the heading indicator and the artificial horizon may be showing erratic or incorrect information.

Recovery is easy:

1: immediately pull the throttle to idle.

2: neutralise the turn that is indicated on the turn indicator using normal control inputs. Do not attempt to pull up until the turn has stopped completely.

3: gently pull out of the dive. Avoid abrupt control movements until the aircraft is below manoeuvring speed.

4: continue to fly the aircraft. If you are in clouds consider carb heat to avoid icing.

That’s really it.

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#239

Post by dghughes »

itsyaboi wrote: post #47
dghughes wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lack of mentioning daytime in the article had me worried. Also there is no flying in an aerodrome and hopefully the person knows what an aerodrome is. Or near hospitals since many are restricted for helicopter air ambulances. Or anywhere near anything military. I briefly took some flying lessons and there is an enormous amount to know both the flying part and the ground school part.

Aerodrome? Is this a euro-specific rule?

Sorry I didn't realize aerodrome would not be common term for anyone familiar with flying. Here's the Transport Canada (federal government) page and definition about it:

"Aerodrome: Any area of land, water (including the frozen surface thereof) or other supporting surface used or designed, prepared, equipped or set apart for use either in whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft and includes any buildings, installations and equipment situated thereon or associated therewith."

https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/publications/aviation-land-...

Re: What planes can you fly without a pilot’s license?

#240

Post by AdrianB1 »

pests wrote: post #216
AdrianB1 wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

15k feet is not G class airspace (uncontrolled) in most of the world, that means you need radio contact with FIR, radio license, training etc. This is not your regular ultralight.

Ultralight? A paramotor is just a backpack motor and a parachute. Is it even in the same category as an ultralight? He does not have a radio on him but he does it somehow. I believe he has some kind of flying license however.

A paramotor is an ultralight in Europe and requires license, I completed the flying school for that category (fast-tracked as I already have a license for airplanes), but I never moved to take the exam, still I am aware of the regulations. In US there is no license required, but that also restricts where you can fly. If you get some licenses it does expand where you can fly, but I am not knowledgeabe on the details there.
Post reply on HN