VA disability that doesn’t affect FAA/ civilian flying

[fire4effect]

7 minutes ago, brabus said:

@Biff_T What you’re looking for is light sport (LSA) and Basic Med. However, I believe you have to have a current class 3 in order to get basic med initially (and then you’re gtg even if you subsequently lose the class 3). But, worth doing further research on the class 3 req/waiver process to get basic med without class 3. 
 

…or ref BFM’s post. Way more people flying without license/med/insurance than most think. I’m not condoning it, but it is fact. 

Probably the biggest issue is getting hanger space. Most FBOs require at least some insurance for hanger space which you certainly can't get without the first two. 

[brabus]

The hangar situation across a lot of the US is a total disaster - main reason I don’t currently own a plane. Really sucks.

[Swizzle]

5 hours ago, BFM this said:

// goals of // greater than 50% certification of active flying pilots in Alaska.

As he put it, flying in Alaska was something akin to a tractor //

This checks true. I grew up there. 

[bfargin]

From AOPA:

Driver's license and the student pilot certificate:

• The Sport Pilot rule allows a pilot to fly light-sport aircraft without the need for an FAA medical certificate. However, a sport pilot must hold at least a current and valid U.S. driver's license in order to exercise this privilege. The only exceptions are for operations in a glider or balloon, which does not require a driver's license.
• A person using a current and valid U.S. driver's license must comply with each restriction and limitation imposed by that person's U.S. driver's license and any judicial or administrative order applying to the operation of a motor vehicle. That person must also meet the requirements of 14 CFR 61.23(c)(2), which states the following:
  •   Have been found eligible for the issuance of at least a third class airman medical certificate at the time of his or her most recent application (if the person has applied for a medical certificate);
  •   Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn; and
  •   Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner.

[nsplayr]

7 hours ago, brabus said:

The hangar situation across a lot of the US is a total disaster - main reason I don’t currently own a plane. Really sucks.

For real man. There's an amazing little airport ~7 minutes from my house (KXNX) where I'd love to hangar a plane someday...but the hangar situation there is bleak. There are 23 port-a-ports and 40 t-hangars. The current waitlist has 53 guys ahead of me on it (!!!) and the dude that's #1 on the list, next to get a hangar, got on the list in February of 2016 😱

I am not smart on the economics of hangers - why is there such an acute shortage compared to the number of people who want a hangar? Why has the invisible hand not pushed through a shit load of t-hangar construction? It's not a lack of space at least at my local airport!

#ThreadDerail

Edited January 16 by nsplayr

[fire4effect]

8 hours ago, brabus said:

The hangar situation across a lot of the US is a total disaster - main reason I don’t currently own a plane. Really sucks.

Some places won't even let you have a hanger unless you have a plane to put in it (or at a minimum a signed contract on one). I mean sure I don't mind leaving my expensive (at least to my budget) plane tied on a ramp for over a year waiting for the next hailstorm. On that note recent tornadoes have seemed to like feasting on hangers as much as trailer parks making the situation even worse.

Edited January 16 by fire4effect
clarity

[brabus]

@nsplayr Your experience is standard in so many places. There’s a lot of open land to build in some places, but when you throw in city gov, politics with developers, etc. it’s just a losing battle for the normal person. I looked into building a “large” hangar (3-4 GA acft size) at the nearby city airport…likely near $1M and I don’t get to own the land. Not worth it, no matter how much I love flying.

[Biff_T]

15 hours ago, bfargin said:

From AOPA:

Driver's license and the student pilot certificate:

• The Sport Pilot rule allows a pilot to fly light-sport aircraft without the need for an FAA medical certificate. However, a sport pilot must hold at least a current and valid U.S. driver's license in order to exercise this privilege. The only exceptions are for operations in a glider or balloon, which does not require a driver's license.
• A person using a current and valid U.S. driver's license must comply with each restriction and limitation imposed by that person's U.S. driver's license and any judicial or administrative order applying to the operation of a motor vehicle. That person must also meet the requirements of 14 CFR 61.23(c)(2), which states the following:
  •   Have been found eligible for the issuance of at least a third class airman medical certificate at the time of his or her most recent application (if the person has applied for a medical certificate);
  •   Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn; and
  •   Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner.

This.  Thanks man!

[SocialD]

I don't know the current situation, but prior to rona, the FAA was starting to crack down on hangars.  If the airport had received Federal dollars, they were going through and ensuring that hangars we're being utilized to hangar aircraft.  They started forcing evictions of people who were using to the store shit or run unrelated businesses.  Here's hoping that is actually happening.  

 

Anyway, make friends with the airport owner and you'll get a hangar lol.  I'm not joking...he who owns the hangars/airport, controls the list...  I had a relatively easy time getting a hangar for my first plane, but it's getting tighter in my area.  The guys I sold my plane to are keeping it in my hangar as I sub-let it to them.  I'm keeping it for my next plane lol.  A group of friends and I are trying to get around all that by building our own grass strip and putting up our forever homes/hangars.  Just need someone to be willing to part with the right 30-40 acres lol. 

 

 

[Orbit]

On 1/16/2024 at 12:37 PM, SocialD said:

A group of friends and I are trying to get around all that by building our own grass strip and putting up our forever homes/hangars.  Just need someone to be willing to part with the right 30-40 acres lol. 

 

 

Nice, this is how you do it. keep us posted 

But yea you see developers that look into this hangar shortage and realize the same, so some are looking at commercial or residental space+hangar space to make it profitable to build at some airports.  

[SocialD]

2 hours ago, Orbit said:

Nice, this is how you do it. keep us posted 

 

Will do.  Our best prospect right now is a strip nearby that the owner left to his nephew.  Nephew flies but isn't sure he wants to keep it.  He's checking with the township to see what can be done wrt breaking up the land into smaller lots.  We're finding that that biggest show stoppers to building a grass strip or building houses on one, is the township bylaws, especially with how much land can be broken up.  Around here you pretty much can't break off anything less than 5 acres  and most townships have a limit on how many parcels can be broken off.  

 

 

2 hours ago, Orbit said:

But yea you see developers that look into this hangar shortage and realize the same, so some are looking at commercial or residental space+hangar space to make it profitable to build at some airports.  

 

I wish them the best.  It certainly can be done, but unfortunately there is just the added layer of red tape around airports.  A buddy built his own hangar on a local airport that has a living space inside.  Dude is loaded but even he said it was a costly and painful process.

Edited January 23 by SocialD