Full Circle Part 1

The term "full circle pilot" has been showing up in the Aviation magazines. I started noticing it about a month ago. It refers to a pilot who has worked in aviation and/or flown lots of airplanes and is now giving up his medical to fly smaller airplanes under the "Light Sport" rules. He is downsizing to 1320 lbs gross weight. 1320 lbs. That's a small airplane. For comparison, the venerable Cessna 150 is 1600 lbs gross weight. The smallest trainer in the industry is now too "heavy" to train light sport pilots. Oh, also, the 150 is too complex! Yes it's too complex. The 150 has flaps. A "Light Sport" can not have flaps. The full circle pilots are a big part of the Light Sport industry. In Light Sport, instead of an FAA Medical Certificate, the airman simply uses his drivers license. So the full circle pilot uses his regular pilots license and needs no FAA medical. There is one "gotcha" here. The full circle pilot must "give up" his FAA Medical by letting it expire. He can not fly under Light Sport if his medical is under denial. OK, you know all this and what is my point. Believe me there are lots and lots of points. I could write ten blog posts about this. For now I'll make my point. Lately there has been talk about a grass roots movement to get rid of the FAA 3rd Class Medical. The FAA has agreed to look into it. I don't hold out any hopes for it. The FAA never "relaxes" any of it's rules. But the FAA is in the process of losing funding and it's budget has been only approved on a month to month basis. Everyone wants the 3rd class to go away. Almost everyone. The makers of new "Light Sport" airplanes do not want the third class to go away. Their customers who buy new "light sport" aircraft are buying little fiberglass European planes that start at $120K. Little planes that weigh 800 lbs empty and can carry only two people. Take away the 3rd class and all the "full circle pilots" and the upstart pilots are going to go back to looking at all the used airplanes in this buyers market. I'm a full circle candidate. I could keep my CherOHkee. Some guy starting out could buy a Cessna 152 and upgrade in a year or two to a 172 and on and on. It's possible that very few folks would buy the little airplanes that weigh 1320 lbs. when we American's have an aging fleet of wonderful airplanes. Here's my point. The "Light Sport" industry is claiming that the FAA Medical has nothing to do with their industry. It's all about fuel efficiency and cheaper flying for student starts and easier requirements. So at the same time they are saying that the FAA 3rd Class has nothing to do with their industry, they are lobbying to see that the FAA doesn't get rid of the 3rd class! Because it has everything to do with their industry! I'm a geezer full circle pilot. I will go Light Sport eventually. But if they get rid of the 3rd class and I get a Tri Pacer, will I remember how to use flaps? . . . . GAI :::::+:::::