FAA Grounds All Foreign Pilots

Channel 2, Fort Myers, Florida ^ | July 23, 2002 | Amy Oshier

[Shermy]

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, July 23, 2002 — The Federal Aviation Administration has put out a new mandate that effectively grounds licensed pilots from other countries. The agency claims it is to enhance safety. Local flight schools are now getting the word, and they aren't taking it well.

Effective immediately, the government is no longer issuing what are called ‘courtesy licenses.’

The FAA quickly and quietly issued a directive on July 16th that prohibits foreign pilots from flying in this country. They can't rent planes and they can't take lessons.

Up until now, if a person from another country had a pilot's license, similar to a driver's license, the U.S. would honor it. Now, citing safety concerns, the FAA won't take them anymore.

FAA representatives in Washington faxed NBC2 a notice stating that to enhance aviation safety the administration must temporarily suspend "the issuance of private pilot certificates issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license."

"I'm somewhat disturbed by it," said Glenn Happe of Bald Eagle Aviation. Since September 11th, he says business has been in a downward spiral.

"It'll affect my business tremendously because probably better than 50 percent of my trade is international," he said.

"It's like killing a fly with a sledge-hammer," said Frank Cvelbar of Aeroprecision. "I think it's rather unfriendly, especially towards the Canadians that have been very good to us."

No country, even an ally, is exempt. That leaves instructors like Happe, already scheduled to give a German pilot further training, up in the air.

"I'm not certain how this is going to affect it and he's already approved with a visa to come in," Happe said.

The directive leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Instructors want to know if it means they have to discontinue flying with licensed foreign pilots who already have the certificate. The FAA says the agency is working on a new procedure

[Shermy]

Not my headline, but interesting story nonetheless.

[Robert_Paulson2]

very interesting indeed...

a little pre invasion of iraq security step? or is is something much bigger?

[applemac_g4]

>No country, even an ally, is exempt. That leaves
>instructors like Happe, already scheduled to give a
>German pilot further training, up in the air.

...Now, wouldn't want to do something insensitive and upset Abdullah Al Qaeda by singling him out...gotta ground Hans and Frans too...

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..or is is something much bigger?...

Yes, Robert; the paranoia, of a government out of control.

[shaggy eel]

,,, soon, licenses to occupy hotel rooms may be required in the land of the free.

[Amerigomag]

The Federal Aviation Administration has put out a new mandate that effectively grounds licensed pilots from other countries

I'm continually amazed at the false conclusions reach by the press.

This action doesn't "ground" anyone. It simply prevents some from acting as PIC.

[LouD]

Don't forget, Reid the shoe bomber was a Brit.

[dalereed]

Most of the pilots from Europe have usually come here to train because private flying in Europe is extremely expensive, that goes for most of the rest of the world also.

Case in point:

I knew a man that flew his single to Europe and went to Spain and back and his charges for airspace usage across Europe (which is charged by the mile) was more than his fuel cost.

[Robert_Paulson2]

I take it you think this is unjustfied...

[Nick Danger]

This doesn't say anything about the substantial number of foreign nationals who are commercial airline pilots. I don't think the U.S. airline industry could operate without them; there would be major scheduling disruptions.

[Senator Pardek]

Yes, Robert; the paranoia, of a government out of control.

Oh, cut it out. The proper thing to do would be to ban all Muslims and/or Arabs from taking advantage of this. No civil liberties would be curtailed, and less people would be inconvenienced.

9/11 may seem like a video from MTV when viewed from a penal colony, but I assure you, as one who lives thirty miles from Ground Zero - we take this more seriously than Kylie Minogue's latest release.

[Amerigomag]

This doesn't say anything about the substantial number of foreign nationals who are commercial airline pilots.

It wouldn't because most of these folks "earned" their commercial and/or type ratings in the US.

[babygene]

I think they should only ground muslem pilots. Even if they are U.S. citizens...

[TomGuy]

From the FAA website:

Effective July 17, 2002, the FAA is temporarily suspending the issuance of pilot certificates issued on the basis of a foreign license under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Section 61.75.

New guidance is currently being processed. Please continue to check this site for updated information.

[Shermy]

I think the headline is misleading. And not to denigrate the author, but this is a TV station piece, so perhaps a little "scrunched" on the details.

On the other, kudos to her for the story. I looked, she seems to be the only writer out there covering this. I guess with the flight schools being in Florida, it's relatively important local news.

[dalereed]

I doubt that there are many, if any, foreign nationals flying for the scheduled airlines. It's been too tough to get a job with the airlines for the last 20+ years due to the hugh number of highly qualified ATP rated pilots that are trying to land a job with them and are american citizens.

[Shermy]

Cropduster-related??? We aren't talking about airliners here.

[Dog]

Well said....

[droberts]

So why now and not right after 9/11?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Know you have already seen this, but pinging anyhow. Wonder if they are still doing background checks on ERAU pilots.