Yes.

Response by the Federal Air Surgeon
If you are ultimately certified then you are no longer on record with the FAA as having had your most recent application denied or your most recently held FAA airman medical certificate suspended or revoked, etc. Therefore, it is not necessary to maintain airman medical certification thereafter to exercise sport pilot privileges provided you hold a current and valid U.S. driver's license and provided you otherwise qualify.

No, you cannot instruct without the appropriate certificate(s) in your possession. Under 14 CFR 61.3, requirements for certificates, ratings, and authorizations, "A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember... unless that person has a valid pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization... in that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization."

You can find information about replacing an airmen certificate on our website.

No, you cannot instruct without the appropriate certificate(s) in your possession. Under 14 CFR 61.3, requirements for certificates, ratings, and authorizations, "A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember... unless that person has a valid pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization... in that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization."

You can find information about replacing an airmen certificate on our website.

The approval to operate under the COA, including the provision for night operations, is still restricted to an operation that meets the definition of a governmental function (Title 49 USC 40125(a)2) . If the unmanned aircraft is a component for the training mission, it can be flown under the COA.

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

The test is valid. Refer to the Department of Transportation's Notice about CBD for more information.  

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 website to learn more about our program.

Applicable Regulations:

49 CFR part 40

You can fly every mission as a civil operator under Part 107.  You can only fly some missions under your COA as a public aircraft. For daylight missions at a LAANC capable airport, Part 107 may be a better option for you. It's important to understand that if flying under Part 107, you must fully comply with Part 107 (which means a waiver to 107.29 to fly at night, for example). If flying under your COA, you must fully comply with your COA. You can't pick and choose parts of each that suit you. They are mutually exclusive legal frameworks.  The crew MUST clearly understand which rules they are flying under before they take off.

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

After you have passed the initial aeronautical knowledge test, you will then complete the FAA Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application (known as IACRA) to receive a remote pilot certificate. IACRA is a web-based certification/rating application that ensures you meet the requirements and electronically submits the application to the FAA's Airman Registry. Applications should be validated within 10 days. Applicants will then receive instructions for printing their temporary airman certificate, which is good for 120 days. The FAA will then mail you your permanent Remote Pilot Certificate within that 120 days.

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

Waiver processing times will vary depending on the complexity of the request. We encourage applicants to submit waiver requests well in advance of when they need a waiver – 90 days is strongly encouraged. Applicants will be notified via email about the outcome of their waiver processing.

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

Response by the Federal Air Surgeon
You should consult your private physician to determine whether you have a medical deficiency that would interfere with the safe performance of sport piloting duties. You may exercise sport pilot privileges provided you are in good health, your medical condition is under control, you adhere to your physician's recommended treatment, and you feel satisfied that you are able to conduct safe flight operations.

Title VIII of Division J Public Law 117-58 provides $25 Billion for the National Aerospace System (NAS). Five billion dollars will be administered  by FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) for much needed FAA facilities upgrades. FAA’s Office of Airports (ARP) will administer the remaining approximately $20 billion in grant funds for airport infrastructure, terminal development, including multimodal terminal development and on-airport rail access projects, and sponsor-owned towers.

The $25 billion comes directly from the U.S. Treasury’s General Fund.

Yes. Five billion dollars of Facilities and Equipment is being administered by ATO for improvements to FAA-owned facilities. ARP will administer approximately $20 billion of financial assistance funds to airport sponsors. This includes $15 billion of Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) and $5 billion for the Airport Terminal Program (ATP). The $20 billion is allocated over five years ($4 billion annually). Of the $20 billion made available for financial assistance, FAA will receive up to $118 million annually for administration of IIJA funds and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) will receive $2 million annually for oversight of IIJA funds.

(1)    AIG includes formula allocations (AIG Allocated) and competitive (FAA Contract Tower and AIG Funding Reallocation) funds of up to $14.45 billion. 

a)    AIG formula allocations-

• Primary Airports share not more than $2.48 billion annually based on enplanement and cargo volume. Nonprimary Airports share not more than $500 million annually, based on airport classification in the National Plan of Integrated Airport System (NPIAS) and the aggregated NPIAS eligible development cost for each classification.

b)    FAA Contract Tower-

• AIG provides $20 million annually in competitive grants (FAA Contract Tower) for sponsor-owned contract towers participating in the FAA Contract Tower Program and the Contract Tower Cost Share Program (FCT). These funds are available to: construct, repair, improve, rehabilitate, modernize, replace, or relocate an airport control tower; acquire and install air traffic control, communications, and related equipment in an airport control tower; and construct a remote tower certified by the FAA, including acquisition and installation of air traffic control, communications, or related equipment (to date, there is no FAA-certified remote tower technology). Starting in FY 2026, FAA will award FCT competitive grants for up to $100M per year. The FCT competitive grants will consist of AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth fiscal year (FY) of their availability. For more information about unobligated AIG funding, please see Q-9 and F-3 below.

c)    AIG Funding Reallocation (AFR) Program-

• In FY 2026, a new competitive grant program will utilize unobligated AIG funds in the final year of availability. Per the statutory text of IIJA, eligible projects include those that reduce airport emissions, reduce noise impact to the surrounding community, reduce dependence on the electrical grid, or provide general benefits to the surrounding community.  For more information about AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth FY of their availability, please see Q-9 and F-3 below.

(2)    ATP provides approximately $4.85 billion ($970 million annually) in grants, including multi-modal terminal development and on-airport rail access projects.

• These funds can also be used for projects for relocating, reconstructing, repairing, or improving a sponsor-owned air traffic control tower (ATCT) regardless of staffing. 
   

AIG Formula Infrastructure Allocations (AIG Allocated): Funds are available to sponsors of airports as defined in 47102 of title 49, United States Code (U.S.C.); that is, airport sponsors meeting statutory and policy requirements under this section and identified in the FAA’s published National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems  (NPIAS), updated with current year data, and are eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115.

FAA Contract Tower Competitive Infrastructure Funds (FCT Competitive): Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115 and participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. 47124.

AFR: Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115.

ATP: Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115.

All airports in the NPIAS, except unclassified airports, are eligible. Unclassified airports are not eligible for discretionary funding under IIJA.

AIG Allocated: Yes, but they do not receive an allocation. Only sponsors of airports in categories defined in 49 U.S.C. §47102 receive allocations. Airports must be included in the NPIAS to receive an allocation of AIG funds. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are not included in the NPIAS. While these airport sponsors may be eligible for some AIP discretionary funding under 49 U.S.C. 47115, they are not eligible for AIG Allocated funds under IIJA.

    FCT: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115 and participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. §47124. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds. These sponsors could compete for FCT funding if they are accepted into the FCT program.

    AFR: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds.

    ATP: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115.  Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds.
 

Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports in categories defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102 and identified in the FAA’s published NPIAS, updated with current year data, and are eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115. Airports in U.S. territories (American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam) meet these requirements. They receive AIG Allocation funds based on their information in the NPIAS, can compete for FCT funds if in the FCT program, and can also compete for AFR and ATP funds.

Unclassified airports are not eligible for discretionary funds under IIJA (see Q-5). Also, consistent with their role in the national airport system, unclassified airports have no development needs identified in the published NPIAS, updated with current year data.

Approximately $2.91 billion (approximately $2.89 billion of AIG Allocated funds and $20 million FCT Competitive funds) is available annually starting fiscal year (FY) 2022 through FY 2026. AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth FY of their availability will be recovered and made available for competitive AFR grants in the fifth year. See Q-F3.

*In order to meet the September 30th obligation deadline, the FAA has established the following annual deadlines: 

• May 1 – Deadline to notify FAA of your intent to use AIG funds in their fourth year of availability (e.g. FY2023, May 1, 2026 notification).
• June 30 – Sponsors must submit an application, based on bids, to the FAA for AIG projects that would use AIG funds in their fourth year of availability.
• After June 30 – During the last quarter of the FY, FAA will complete all obligations of AIG funds in their fourth year of availability and start the process of moving these unused AIG funds into the competitive programs (FCT and AFR) per the law. This includes issuing Notices of Intent to Fund for these discretionary programs.
   

Approximately $970 million of ATP funds are available annually starting in FY 2022 through FY 2026. Each FY of funding is available for five years. Funds not obligated (under grant) at the end of the fifth year will expire. This includes any funds recovered after grant closeout. 
    
Each Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides a date by which the grant funding must be obligated. This timeliness criteria ensures efficient obligation of ATP funding. The date is applicable to the respective ATP projects selected under that NOFO. Timeliness is a significant factor in selection of ATP projects.

This table represents the period of availability for FAA to obligate ATP funding prior to expiration. Sponsors must get selected projects under grant by the NOFO timeliness date to ensure funding.