Effective Letter writing & strategies - DL medical proposal

I have been following the issue of the river's license medical for some time. Everyone who has contributed to this interest has done well. Those who may have been sitting on the side lines might consider this is a good time to add their voice to the cause.

I will confess to having spent part of my career on the dark side. Although it was not with the FAA, it is pretty clear to me that executive branch agencies do have modes of operation in common although the particular interests are not the same. It is also clear to me that legislative branch decisions will affect executive branch choices of action although each operates under different "rules". So....what am I getting at?

To best address out interests on this deal I would consider there are strategies we can engage in that are more effective while it is best to avoid strategies that have little positive effect or potentially an adverse effect. I think we all sort of know this but it might not be a bad idea to review it.

1) It's all about communication, meaning us sticking with it and representing our interest consistently, effectively and persistently.

2) If we like or dislike either the executive branch entity (FAA) or legislative entity (Congress) that is not going to have much of an effect on success.......communicating with both is essential to permit both to understand that we're actually alive and intersted. Have to remember, we are a real minority (less so with the FAA than with Congress) .....there are a whole lot of people who could care less what happens to a us. We need to let both the FAA and Congress know we are here.

3) To best convince another...it is always best to think a bit about what is important to the other party...."this is what I want" without an explanation isn't very convincing.....take a shot at explaining why this might be good for the FAA. Federal agencies, whether we agree with it or not, may argue that they they don't have enough resources to do everything. Here is a chance to de-prioritize an issue:) (non-commercial medicals) so they can concentrate on other tasks they have at hand which are bigger problems - I undestand there are a couple little deals like drones and nextgen...or something like that:rolleyes: they maybe need to work on. With congress......explaining what effect this has on economics and small businesses is easier for them to understand.

4) Working with professionsals....by this I mean EAA & AOPA......these guys have resources, smarts, connections and expertiese that we would have difficulty mustering as individuals. Both of these groups are supported by membership which carries the force of numbers and provides money for their activities including lobbying logically for our interests.

5) While we're at it.....I think we have all been exposed to interest group campaigns where form letters are provided for members to send to their representatives and senators.......so a senator gets 5,098 form letters all the same......which may hint that folks are only recapitulating a request from their interest group that doesn't require any work on the individual's part. There's statistics out there somewhere.....don't know where.....but those statistics support the notion that one personally written letter to a senator or congressman is indicative that a whole lot of people are out there who have the same interest at heart who have not written......in other words....bigger numbers of silent constituients are actually considered on reciept of a single personal letter.

6) I have no way of knowing this; but, I suspect that some in the FAA may be thinking, but not speaking publicly, that non-commercial pilots would go out there and fly with a medical deficiency under the DL medical. What's the antidote to this?... considering the success of the sport pilot program is a good reminder in our communication to the FAA and Congress.....Also, we're trained to be responsible as non commercial pilots....And, unlike drone captains, we have some actual skin in the game when we takeoff which should more than inspire self preservation. Supporting and requesting accessible guidance on medical self evaluation along with our request for the DL medical might even help communicate our status as responsible and safety conscious people.


Sincerely,

Dave S
KF 7 Trigear
912 ULS Warp Drive

Well said Dave. I am one who belongs, and contributes, to both AOPA & EAA.Throwing good money after bad? I don't think so. I have never agreed with using form letters to communicate with anyone. I detest it when I submit communication and receive a canned response. I causes me to believe the other party cares not for my submission.

There's a new proposal to eliminate the 3rd Class Medical as long as you have a valid marriage license (same sex only). Why did we qualify ourselves to get Pilot Certificates in the first place? I've never had to pass a medical examination to drive a car so why should that be a requirement to fly? I agree with the member who suggested this is just a form of MORE not less government control.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Floog

There's a new proposal to eliminate the 3rd Class Medical as long as you have a valid marriage license (same sex only). Why did we qualify ourselves to get Pilot Certificates in the first place? I've never had to pass a medical examination to drive a car so why should that be a requirement to fly? I agree with the member who suggested this is just a form of MORE not less government control.

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With all due respect, what are you talking about?

I figure a marriage license is proof of questionable sanity......:D

....We walked right into that one!!! LMAO!!!