The new "Basic Med" provision of The General Aviation Pilot Protection Act allows pilots to use the driver's license medical standard for noncommercial VFR flights in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds with no more than six seats. The standard Class I, II, III medical certificates are no longer required--for private non-commercial flying.

By way of comparison, most large SUVs on the roads today weigh more than 6,000 pounds and can carry six to seven passengers, making them larger than the aircraft that would be operated with proof of a valid driver's license under this new legislation.

Pilots are now allowed to carry up to five passengers, fly at altitudes below 14,000 feet MSL, and fly no faster than 250 knots. The act also requires the FAA to report on the safety consequences of the new rule after five years.

What do you think about this legislation? Is it merely an initiative to save money or is it a necessary simplification that is long overdue?