Originally Posted by ACEssXfer

Well the system(LTD) is gamed. If you've planned for 6 months to a year or more to go out on LTD then no you shouldn't be using PMA. It's not there as a pay-in pay-out. If that were the case you could just contribute the money to a retirement account or self directed investment vehicle and get better returns than the total allowable benefit of PMA, especially as a younger pilot.

So yes to me, opinion only I guess, it's a little scummy to max your hours for 1.5 years to take advantage of the new LTD for a planned knee replacement and then draw down on PMA that is for unexpected or dire circumstance.

I'm waiting to speak to my rep to decide. I might keep it as the extra 100/mo isn't a huge deal for me but I'm gonna have to be sold and I would like there to be some vetting on who uses it. Vetting might be a pandora's box situation but we'll see what the reps say. As a strict financial tool I think PMA might not be the answer especially with POD LTSB and improved LTD.

Edit: My LTD was unexpected but financially did not need the extra from PMA. I didn't want to take from other pilots that may need it knowing it's completely funded by pilots.