You can search for your nearest FSDO on our website.  You can contact them for:

• Low-flying aircraft
• Accident Reporting
• Air carrier certification and operations
• Aircraft maintenance
• Aircraft operational issues
• Aircraft permits
• Airmen certification (licensing) for pilots, mechanics, repairmen, dispatchers, and parachute riggers
• Certification and modification issues
• Enforcement of Airmen & Aircraft Regulations

• Follow the requirements in the Small UAS rule (Part 107)
• Obtain an exemption under the Special Authority for Certain Unmanned Systems (U.S.C. 44807).
• Obtain an airworthiness certificate for the aircraft

While FAA sets minimum certification requirements for air carriers (commercial certificate with instrument rating), each airline sets its own minimum experience requirements. For example, FAA requires 250 total hours for a commercial pilot certificate. However, few, if any, airlines use that amount of flight time as their own minimum standard. They may require 1,000 or 2,000 hours or more. Also, market conditions (supply of pilots and demand for air travel) influence what minimum experience airlines require.

Also, different air carriers may consider some types of flight time more important than others. Some prefer more jet or turbine experience, while some may prefer more time in a particular type of aircraft. Many airlines also consider whether the applicant has a college degree.

There are aviation job-search companies that research hiring requirements and trends of all U.S. air carriers. You can find these companies through an internet search and through advertisements in flying magazines.

You can get information about FAA requirements for all pilot certificates (14 CFR Part 61) on the Government Printing Office Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.  Be sure to select Part 61.

You can find procedures for replacing a lost test report on our website. For additional information email our Civil Aviation Registry.

You can find procedures for replacing a lost test report on our website. For additional information email our Civil Aviation Registry.

An FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) must examine you.

You must contact an AME of your choosing, schedule an appointment, complete an official FAA application form via MedXPress, and undergo a physical examination by an AME. If you have any medical conditions or take any medication, ask the AME office what records you need to bring to your appointment. If you meet the appropriate medical standards, the AME will issue you a medical certificate.

Search for Aviation Medical Examiners in your area.

An instructional kit is available at most flight schools to help prepare the knowledge exam. Video tapes are also available (with closed captioning) to assist student pilots studying for the exam. Many flight schools also conduct ground instruction in a regular classroom scenario, but you would have to advise the flight school that it would have to locate and arrange for interpreters under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The IDPA or local deaf advocate organizations would be able to assist the flight school in locating interpreters. Again, check with your local FSDO for flight schools in your area.

You can find information to replace your student pilot license on our website. 

The practical test is completed using a detailed written "plan of action" as described in the appropriate Practical Test Standards (PTS). This plan of action will include all required Tasks in each Area of Operation and should not differ significantly from the process followed by the instructor and the applicant in preparing for the practical test.

The student and instructor need to work with the local airport personnel. Light gun signals are available for aircraft that do not have radios or in case of a radio failure. With prior permission, a deaf pilot can communicate with the tower by the use of the light gun signals.

An aircraft without radio communications remains out of the airport area and observes the traffic landing and departing. Additionally, the pilot looks for the wind sock or segmented circle, where available, to determine wind direction or direction of landing. The pilot enters the traffic pattern as recommended in the Aeronautical Information Manual and by regulation (14 CFR part 91, subpart B).

The Direct User Access Terminal System (DUATS) is available at most general aviation airports or on personal computers to provide weather information to pilots. A deaf pilot can also use a Relay Service to access a Flight Service Station briefer at 1-800-WXBRIEF (1-800- 992-7433).

Public safety must fully comply with Part 107 or their COA (if operating as a public aircraft) just like any other (civilian) Part 107 operator, and BVLOS is not permitted for routine operations without a waiver for Part 107 operations and a specific provision in a COA (see waiver safety explanation guidelines for Part 107.31 waivers).  BVLOS remains a significant challenge given the state of technology in the industry, and is usually only granted in temporary, emergency situations.  If you encounter a situation where you must go BVLOS in an actual emergency, follow the Special Governmental Interest process to obtain a temporary, emergency waiver to 107.31 if flying under Part 107, or a temporary, emergency amendment to your existing COA if flying as a public aircraft.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

An RTT was formed in 2015, comprised of FAA and NASA UAS experts to jointly develop and enable a UTM ecosystem to provide management services to support sUAS or drone operations. The UPP is a joint effort between the Concepts & Use Cases and the Data Exchange & Information Architecture RTT working groups to identify the initial set of industry and FAA capabilities required to support UTM operations. The UPP will provide an understanding of the level of investment required for implementation as well as guide the regulations and policies governing UTM operations. Learn more: FAA and NASA UTM RTT Plan.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

The UTM is a traffic management ecosystem for uncontrolled operations that is separate but complementary to the FAA's Air Traffic Management (ATM) system.

The UPP is a project that will demonstrate UTM capabilities currently in the research and development phase and will serve as the basis for initial deployment of UTM capabilities.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

Knowledge Testing Centers charge approximately $175 to people seeking to take the initial aeronautical knowledge test.

The UPP will demonstrate transfer of NASA’s UTM research technologies to the FAA. The results from the UPP will provide a proof of concept for UTM capabilities currently in research and development and will serve as the basis for initial deployment of UTM capabilities.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

If your report involves a drone not following the FAA rules or regulations while flying within the National Airspace System, contact your local Flight Standards District Office.

Here are the FAA rules that must be followed while flying a drone within the National Airspace System:

• Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations
• Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.