Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your FAA questions.
There are several sources for information regarding medical conditions and airman medical certification.
- Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs): There are approximately 3,500 physicians around the globe who are FAA-designated AMEs. AMEs are authorized to receive applications, to perform physical examinations and to issue airman medical certificates.
- Aerospace Medical Certification Division, AAM-300
Federal Aviation Administration
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125
(405) 954-4821 - FAA, Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
- FAA, Regional Flight Surgeons.
- Pilot organizations: Two of the largest pilot organizations are the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA, 800.236.4800) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA, 800.872.2672).
Yes. If you hire any individual, either directly or by contract (including subcontract at any tier), to perform safety-sensitive functions, you must first conduct a pre-employment drug test and obtain a negative result in accordance with 14 CFR § 120.109(a)(1). You are responsible for meeting all the requirements for testing under 14 CFR part 120, subpart E and F.
If you use a contract employee who is not included under your FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program, you must ensure the employee is included under the contractor’s FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program and performing safety-sensitive functions on behalf of the contractor (i.e., within the scope of employment). The best way to verify a valid federal testing program is to request and obtain a copy of the contractor’s active program registration or Operations Specification paragraph (A449 or A049). If you rely on a copy of the contractor’s contract with a consortium or own statement, you may unknowingly fail to meet the requirement to ensure the contract employee is covered.
Employers and contractors that conduct their own FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing must meet all the testing requirements. As prescribed by the regulations, the release of any drug or alcohol testing information or results to a third party is prohibited under 14 CFR §§ 120.111(c) and 120.219(c), and 49 CFR § 40.321.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
14 CFR § 120.7
14 CFR § 120.105
14 CFR § 120.109(a)
14 CFR § 120.111(c)
14 CFR § 120.117
14 CFR § 120.215
14 CFR § 120.219(c)
14 CFR § 120.225
49 CFR § 40.321
You should submit AC Form 8060-56 to:
FAA
Aerospace Medical Certification Division, AAM-331
ATTN: Duplicate Desk
PO Box 25082
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125
You must include a check or money order for $2.00 made payable to the FAA. The Aerospace Medical Certification Division can fax you a record of your certificate that is valid for no more than 60 days, which should be enough time to receive your replacement certificate. To receive this fax and order a duplicate certificate, call (405) 954-4821 and select option 3 to reach the duplicate certificate desk.
You may apply under any entry-level vacancy announcement that contains a requirement for General Experience and/or Education and answer questions to self-certify that you have completed air traffic controller training and are a CTI graduate with the required recommendation or written statement that makes you eligible for Pool 1. When you apply, you will need to upload the required documentation to support your answers that you are CTI graduate and have the required recommendation.
To be eligible for Pool 1 as a CTI graduate, CTI school official/unofficial transcripts with degree confer date, and appropriate CTI recommendation letter, must be submitted prior to the close date of the vacancy announcement. The degree confer date must be prior to the announcement close date.
An appropriate CTI recommendation letter is not a personal recommendation. This letter must be on official CTI school letter head, signed by the designated CTI point of contact, and certify/endorse that all CTI program requirements have been met (or would have been met effective as of 12/31/13).
To facilitate your inspection, it is important that your Designated Employer Representative (DER) is able to describe and discuss your company’s testing program and provide the documentation requested by the FAA’s inspector. The FAA’s drug and alcohol testing program inspection process and authority is described in Drug and Alcohol Inspector Handbook Order 9120.1. We encourage you to review the Order prior to your inspection to understand how the process works and contact the inspector assigned to your company if you have any questions. To start the process of an announced inspection, the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division will send you a Letter of Notification, Point of Contact (POC) form, and a list of documents to make available for inspection. Our inspection guide, available in Order 9120.1 and on our Sample Forms and Policies web page, will describe the questions we ask and records for review. To facilitate our inspection, we request that you return the POC form with your contact information and the information about your service agents (e.g., Medical Review Officer, collection personnel, Substance Abuse Professional, and Consortium/Third Party Administrator). If our inspection will include a review or visit with your service agent, the inspection lead will let you know. We appreciate your assistance in facilitating our visit(s).
In accordance with 49 CFR § 40.331, you must release all written, printed, and computer-based records and reports, files, materials, data, documents/documentation, agreements, contracts, policies, and statements related to your drug and alcohol program. During our inspection, our inspector may also need to review some of the following types of records:
- Employment records (e.g., records of hire, transfer or termination, and applications or resumes)
- Documentation of your safety-sensitive positions (e.g., position descriptions)
- Documentation of an employee’s performance of a safety-sensitive function (e.g., flight logs, duty records, timesheets, work orders, invoices, receipts and other maintenance records)
At the conclusion of our inspection, we will conduct an outbriefing and advise you of the result of our inspection. If you have no issues, we will conclude our inspection. If we discover any deviations from the regulation, we will send you a Report of Inspection (ROI). The ROI will give you an opportunity to provide a detailed description of your corrective actions to return to full compliance and avoid recurrence, as well as providing documentation of the actions you took. Although your timely and sufficient response is not required, it is critical to demonstrating your willingness and ability to comply under our Compliance Program (which is defined in FAA Order 8000.373 and Order 2150.3).
As a best practice, we encourage you to use our inspection guide to conduct your own program audits, including your service agent(s), on an annual or bi-annual basis to ensure continued compliance with the FAA and DOT regulations (14 CFR part 120 and 49 CFR part 40). If you find discrepancies in your program, consider submitting a voluntary disclosure report in accordance with Advisory Circular 120-117.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
The COA application requires a minimum of 5 attachments as follows:
- The public declaration letter that declared the public agency's public aircraft status;
- An airworthiness statement from the agency's accountable executive declaring the UAS(s) they are operating is airworthy and that they will maintain an airworthiness program;
- A lost link document for each UAS that explains the loss of link protocol for the UAS;
- A loss of communication document that describes the loss of communication between the Remote Pilot in Control (RPIC) and their observer, and the loss of communication between the PIC and air traffic control if that is required; and
- An emergency procedures document that lists the different emergencies an operation may have and how the public agency will respond to such emergencies.
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Every incident is analyzed on a case-by-case basis. Generally, a city is liable to the extent that it authorizes the operation. Deviations outside of that authorization are generally not considered as violations by a city.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
No, the maps are for informational purposes only; they are meant to provide data that helps operators submit airspace authorization requests that can be quickly processed by FAA. An operator must obtain an airspace authorization to operate in controlled airspace in accordance with the Small UAS Rule (part 107).
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The ‘A2’ designation on an Operations Specifications paragraph (A449) for a repair station is used when the safety-sensitive employees are part of a combined contractor registration. If the repair station’s A449 paragraph has an ‘A2’ notation, you should request a copy of the program registration that lists the repair station’s certificate number.
The ‘A3’ designation on a repair station’s A449 is used when the safety-sensitive employees are part of a combined program with an air carrier or air tour operator (as defined in 14 CFR § 91.147). If the repair station’s A449 paragraph has an ‘A3’ notation, you should request a copy of the part 121, 135, or 91.147 operator’s A449 paragraph or Letter of Authorization (LOA or A049) from the employer that is responsible for testing and the employee’s safety-sensitive duties.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
Yes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drug and alcohol testing regulation, 14 CFR part 120, requires an air carrier to ensure that any individual who performs safety-sensitive duties (e.g., maintenance or preventive maintenance) directly or by contract, including subcontract at any tier, is subject to testing under its FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program. It is the air carrier’s and its contractor’s responsibility to ensure that any maintenance contracted out is done by an individual covered by an FAA-mandated Drug and Alcohol Program.
Employers who need more information about the definition of maintenance or preventive maintenance should review our Safety-Sensitive Job Categories Alert or consult directly with their FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector or local Flight Standards District Office. The Flight Standards Service is the expert in clarifying maintenance or preventive maintenance duties. Please visit the FAA's website to find the Flight Standards District Office closest to you.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our Web site to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulation:
Yes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drug and alcohol testing regulation, 14 CFR part 120, requires an air carrier to ensure that any individual who performs safety-sensitive duties (e.g., maintenance or preventive maintenance) directly or by contract, including subcontract at any tier, is subject to testing under its FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program. It is the air carrier's and its contractor's responsibility to ensure that any maintenance contracted out is done by an individual covered by an FAA-mandated Drug and Alcohol Program.
Employers who need more information about the definition of maintenance or preventive maintenance should review the FAA Flight Standards Service's Guidance Alert on Maintenance or consult directly with their FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector or local Flight Standards District Office. The Flight Standards Service is the expert in clarifying maintenance or preventive maintenance duties. Please visit the FAA's website to find the Flight Standards District Office closest to you.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
14 CFR § 120.7(i)
14 CFR § 120.105
Yes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drug and alcohol testing regulation, 14 CFR part 120, requires an air carrier to ensure that any individual who performs safety-sensitive duties (e.g., maintenance or preventive maintenance) directly or by contract, including subcontract at any tier, is subject to testing under its FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program. It is the air carrier's and its contractor's responsibility to ensure that any maintenance contracted out is done by an individual covered by an FAA-mandated Drug and Alcohol Program.
Employers who need more information about the definition of maintenance or preventive maintenance should review the FAA Flight Standards Service's Guidance Alert on Maintenance or consult directly with their FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector or local Flight Standards District Office. The Flight Standards Service is the expert in clarifying maintenance or preventive maintenance duties. Please visit the FAA's website to find the Flight Standards District Office closest to you.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
14 CFR § 120.7(i)
14 CFR § 120.105
As of December 12, 2017, the National Defense Authorization Act for 2018 restored the FAA's registration rule with respect to model aircraft. If you are a model aircraft owner who registered prior to December 12, 2017 and did not request to have your registration information deleted, the FAA has extended the expiration date until December 12, 2020, which is 3 years from the rule restoration date.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
Yes, an individual who is deaf can obtain a pilot certificate in one of the five categories of aircraft: airplane, rotorcraft, glider, powered-lift, or lighter-than-air.
What types of certificates can a deaf pilot obtain?
A deaf pilot can obtain a student pilot certificate, recreational pilot certificate, private pilot certificate, and, on a limited basis, a commercial pilot certificate; for example, agricultural aircraft operations, banner towing operations, or any operation which does not require radio communication. With new interface technology for in cockpit receipt of weather information and digital communication, additional pilot certificates may be available to deaf pilots in the future.
What are the grades of pilot certificates?
There are five grades of pilot certificates that are available: student pilot, recreational pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, and airline transport pilot.
What are the differences in the certificates?
A student pilot certificate is designed for the initial instructional period of flying. The student pilot is limited to flying with the flight instructor or solo after appropriate instructor endorsements (Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) sections 61.87 and 61.89). A recreational pilot certificate limits the holder to specific categories and classes of aircraft, the number of passengers which may be carried, the distance that may be flown from the departure point, flight into controlled airports, and other limitations (14 CFR section 61.101). A private pilot certificate permits the pilot to carry passengers and provides for limited business use of an airplane (14 CFR section 61.113). A commercial pilot certificate permits the pilot to conduct certain types of operations for compensation and hire (14 CFR section 61.133).
All applicants that apply to and meet the minimum qualifications for our ATCS Trainee announcements, must take and pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (AT-SA) Exam, to be referred for hiring consideration, regardless of Pool.
Yes. Medical certificates can be issued in many cases where physical disabilities are involved. Depending on the nature of the disability, you may have some operating limitations. If you have any questions, contact an FAA-authorized aviation medical examiner before beginning flight training.
If you are an employer, you must ensure that any person hired to perform a safety-sensitive function, directly or by contract (including by subcontract at any tier), is subject to FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing under 14 CFR part 120. You may use a contract employee who is not included under your own testing program if that contract employee is subject to the requirements of the contractor's FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program and performing a safety-sensitive function on behalf of that contractor (i.e., within the scope of employment with the contractor). You must verify that the contract employee is subject to the contractor’s FAA-mandated testing program on an on-going basis. Although the regulation does not require specific documentation to be kept on file, you are responsible for demonstrating that you have ensured that you used a contract employee who is included under the contractor’s testing program.
The best way to verify a contractor’s federal testing program is to obtain a copy of the contractor’s program documentation, e.g., a copy of their current program registration, Letter of Authorization (A049), or Operations Specification paragraph (A449). If you obtain a copy of the contractor’s program registration, A449, or A049, we consider it sufficient proof that the contractor conducts its own testing, and they are knowledgeable of what work their employee is performing and can remove from service any employee who has a drug or alcohol result that requires removal from safety-sensitive duties. Ultimately, the contractor must ensure safety and individual privacy are correctly balanced should a positive drug test, refusal, or alcohol violation occur. The release of any drug or alcohol testing information or results to a third party is prohibited under 14 CFR §§ 120.111(c) and 120.219(c), and 49 CFR § 40.321.
If you rely on a copy of the contractor’s contract with a consortium or own statement, you may unknowingly fail to meet the requirement to ensure the contract employee is covered under an FAA-mandated drug and alcohol testing program.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about the program.
Applicable Regulations:
14 CFR § 120.5
14 CFR § 120.7
14 CFR § 120.105
14 CFR § 120.111(c)
14 CFR § 120.215
14 CFR § 120.219(c)
49 CFR § 40.321
Yes. The Pilot Records Database (PRD) regulation, 14 CFR part 111, requires an air carrier/operator to query a pilot’s records to help make hiring determinations. The PRD does not replace the requirement for you to obtain the drug and alcohol records in accordance with 49 CFR § 40.25. Employers may use FAA’s aviation release of information suggested form to request the drug and alcohol testing information from previous DOT-regulated employers to meet the requirements under 49 CFR § 40.25. Please refer to FAA’s Advisory Circular (AC 120-126) for more information about the drug and alcohol testing requirements.
For questions about accessing or entering data into the PRD, please review 14 CFR part 111 and the FAA’s Advisory Circular (AC 120-68), or contact the FAA’s PRD support office at 9-amc-avs-PRDSupport@faa.gov.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our Web site to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
Yes. The regulations require each employer to ensure that any employee who performs a safety-sensitive function within the territory of the United States, directly or by contract (including by subcontract at any tier) is subject to drug and alcohol testing. This includes full-time, part-time, temporary, and intermittent employees, regardless of the degree of supervision.
As a result, before hiring or transferring an individual to perform a safety-sensitive function (including a mechanic performing maintenance and preventive maintenance duties) wholly or partially within the territory of the United States, each employer must first conduct a pre-employment test and receive a verified negative drug test for that individual. At that point the individual is added to the random pool and subject to all of the requirements of the drug and alcohol testing regulations. Note: "Partially" would mean that the employee works within the territory of the United States to some degree (e.g., one day a month or once a year).
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
Part 107.51 details the 400 foot limitation with respect to structures on the ground. This applies to UAS or drones operating in Class G or Class E airspace. In other airspace classifications, like Class D airspace, an authorization per 107.41 is required.
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