Release #: 17.03
January 10, 2017

ALPA Statement on FAA’s Final Ruling on Medical Certification for Pilots

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) issued the following statement today after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a final rule regarding medical certification for some general aviation pilots. Today’s rule is the culmination of many years of discussion and debate:  

“As the world’s largest pilot union, as well as the world’s largest nongovernmental safety organization, ALPA is dedicated to the advancement of safety and has played a role in nearly every significant airline safety improvement for more than 85 years. Throughout the process that led to this rule, ALPA worked closely with our partners at AOPA to develop this compromise solution and advocated for the advancement of aviation safety and the need to avoid introducing risks into the safest and most complex aviation system in the world.

“We are grateful to the FAA, as well as industry stakeholders at AOPA and EAA, for working together to ensure that this final rule addresses our concerns. ALPA supports the FAA’s implementation of the BasicMed program and efforts to ensure an adequate level of safety within our national airspace. We believe that this new rule will serve the needs of the general aviation community well, and will oppose any attempts to weaken it.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 54,000 pilots at 31 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org