Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't an airman with a current and valid driver's license medically self-certify to exercise sport pilot privileges if their most recent Special Issuance was withdrawn or last FAA medical certificate was denied, suspended, or revoked?

Response by the Federal Air Surgeon
To clarify that, if your most recent records on file with the FAA indicate that you were found ineligible to exercise airman privileges for medical reasons then, in the interest of public safety, you shouldn't go out right away and use your driver's license as medical qualification.

We understand that these conditions may not have been expected and may disappoint some people. That was not our intent, nor is it our intent that affected persons would have to maintain an airman medical certificate if they would rather use their current and valid U.S. driver's license to medically qualify as a sport pilot.

We ultimately concluded that, in those cases where the FAA has existing knowledge of medical ineligibility, we need the affected person to address it and, hopefully have it resolved. To meet the intent of the rule, the affected person should apply for reconsideration of their eligibility. In some denial cases, applicants simply may not have provided enough information to the FAA or may not have supplied information that the FAA may have requested. In certain other denial cases, applicants may not have exercised their appeal rights, which could have led to certification in some cases.

The FAA wants to see as many pilots as possible take advantage of this exciting new rule and looks forward to working with individuals seeking to exercise sport pilot privileges. We also intend to work with EAA, AOPA, and other industry groups toward that end.

Why can’t I get my original date of issue on a replacement license (certificate)?

Date of Issue
The date of issue on an airman certificate must correspond to the date the current Administrator signs it. To be valid, it must also be consistent with our current certificate format.

Employment Verification
You should not use the date of issue as employment verification. A certified copy of your complete airmen certification records will verify the date you got your mechanic certificate and rating(s).

Request a Copy of Your Records
To request a copy of your airman records, download and send this form or send a signed, written request with your:

full name (as it appears on the certificate/please print),
your date of birth,
place of birth, social security number,
certificate number,
class of certificate,
street address, city, state, and
zip code

Mail to:
FAA Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082

We will include an invoice stating the total charges due along with your airman file.

Why can’t I get my original date of issue on a replacement license (certificate)?

Date of Issue

The date of issue on an airman certificate must correspond to the date the current Administrator signs it. To be valid, it must also be consistent with our current certificate format.

Employment Verification

You should not use the date of issue as employment verification. A certified copy of your complete airmen certification records will verify the date you got your mechanic certificate and rating(s).

Request a Copy of Your Records

To request a copy of your airman records, download and send this form or send a signed, written request with your:

full name (as it appears on the certificate/please print),
your date of birth,
place of birth, social security number,
certificate number,
class of certificate,
street address, city, state, and
zip code

Mail to:
FAA Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082

We will include an invoice stating the total charges due along with your airman file.

Why can’t I get my original date of issue on a replacement license (certificate)?

Date of Issue
The date of issue on an airman certificate must correspond to the date the current Administrator signs it. To be valid, it must also be consistent with our current certificate format.

Employment Verification
You should not use the date of issue as employment verification. A certified copy of your complete airmen certification records will verify the date you got your mechanic certificate and rating(s).

Request a Copy of Your Records
To request a copy of your airman records, download and send this form or send a signed, written request with your:

full name (as it appears on the certificate/please print),
your date of birth,
place of birth, social security number,
certificate number,
class of certificate,
street address, city, state, and
zip code

Mail to:
FAA Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082

We will include an invoice stating the total charges due along with your airman file.

Why does the FAA use noise modeling vs noise monitoring?

Due to the need to generate detailed noise results over large areas, noise modeling is the only practical way to accurately and reliably determine geospatial noise effects in the surrounding community when analyzing proposals related to aviation noise.

The many challenges and limitations to using noise measurements for evaluating airport vicinity noise are summarized below:

Non-aircraft sound can have a large influence on noise monitoring data, which can be difficult to separate from aircraft noise during data post-processing.
Long-term (e.g., year-long) noise monitoring requires regular maintenance and calibration of the individual noise monitors on a continuous, year-round basis, which has considerable costs.
To ensure the same accuracy and fidelity of data generated by noise models, an extremely large number of noise monitoring locations is required. (e.g. tens of thousands of noise monitors, collecting year-round data in the vicinity of an airport would be needed to match the fidelity and accuracy of noise modeling).
Noise monitoring data is not capable of analyzing either "what if" scenarios or proposed future action airport and air space scenarios

Why doesn't the FAA do more Environmental Review?

Proposed actions and decisions by FAA officials are subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FAA is responsible for complying with the procedures and policies of NEPA and other environmental laws, regulations, and orders applicable to FAA actions. The FAA decision-making process must consider and disclose the potential impacts of a proposed action and its alternatives on the quality of the human environment. In meeting its NEPA obligations, the FAA should seek to achieve the policy objectives of 40 CFR § 1500.2 to the fullest extent possible. The FAA must integrate NEPA and other environmental reviews and consultations into agency planning processes as early as possible.

Environmental issues should be identified and considered early in a proposed action's planning process to ensure efficient, timely, and effective environmental review. Initiating the appropriate level of environmental review at the earliest possible time facilitates the NEPA process. Specific FAA actions subject to NEPA review can include, but are not limited to, grants, loans, contracts, leases, construction and installation actions, procedural actions, research activities, rulemaking and regulatory actions, certifications, licensing, permits, plans submitted to the FAA that require the FAA's approval, and legislation proposed by the FAA.

Why is it necessary to carry proof of passage when flying?

It is required by law. See 49 U.S.C. § 44809(a)(7). Recreational pilots may carry proof of The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) passage in an electronic or paper format.