Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your FAA questions.
According to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Procedural regulation, Title 49 CFR part 40, §§ 40.13(f), 40.47(a), and 40.227(a), an employer is prohibited from using the Federal custody and control form (CCF) and DOT alcohol testing form (ATF) for a non-DOT test. If you discover that you or your collector used a Federal CCF or DOT ATF on a non-DOT test for a non safety-sensitive employee and you want it changed, you may contact the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division for guidance.
However, if the error concerns a test on a safety-sensitive employee, we require you to contact our office to request a change. Under § 40.209(b)(10) and 40.275(b), you cannot cancel a DOT test based on claims that the employee was improperly selected for drug or alcohol testing. Therefore, we will conduct a case-by-case determination regarding errors that affect a safety-sensitive employee’s test regardless of the result.
To request a change on a DOT drug or alcohol test result to a non-DOT result, you must provide us a copy of the test result and a statement explaining whether it was an inadvertent error on a non-safety sensitive employee, or you made a regulatory error by incorrectly testing a safety-sensitive employee for drugs and/or alcohol. Please note that a service agent cannot make a request on your behalf.
You may send your written request and supporting documents by email to drugabatement@faa.gov or fax to (202) 267-5200. Once we review your information, we will send you a written statement of our decision and provide additional instructions.
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 Regulations:
- 49 CFR § 40.13(f)
- 49 CFR § 40.47(a)
- 49 CFR § 40.209(b)
- 49 CFR § 40.227(a)
- 49 CFR § 40.275(b)
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has a book available on choosing your flight instructor and flight school. The International Deaf Pilots Association (IDPA) has information regarding flight instructors who know how to sign. Generally speaking, you should visit the location to observe the professionalism of the school. You will need to discuss your particular degree of hearing impairment with the flight instructor and establish how to communicate best with each other. Have the flight instructor you select contact the IDPA for additional advice and assistance.
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
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
To locate a complete list of all Regional Ombudsman and their contact information, visit: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/noise_emissions/airport_aircraft_noise_issues/noise_ombudsman/.
The FAA’s federal drug and alcohol testing regulation is outlined in 14 CFR part 120 and applies to the following persons:
- All air carriers and operators certificated under 14 CFR part 119 and authorized to conduct operations under part 121 or part 135 of 14 CFR; all air traffic control facilities not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. military; and all operators as defined in 14 CFR § 91.147.
- All individuals who perform, either directly or by contract, a safety-sensitive function listed 14 CFR §§ 120.105 and 120.215.
- All part 145 certificate holders who perform safety-sensitive functions and elect to implement a drug and alcohol testing program under part 120.
- All contractors who perform safety-sensitive functions and elect to implement a drug and alcohol testing program under part 120.
The steps to establish your program depend on your type of operation. According to 14 CFR §§ 120.117 and 120.225:
- A part 121 or 135 operator, or a part 145 repair station that elects to conduct its own testing must obtain an Operations Specification paragraph (A449) by contacting its FAA Principal Operations or Maintenance Inspector.
- An air tour operator as defined in 14 CFR § 91.147 must register its program by contacting the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and requesting a Letter of Authorization (LOA). The FSDO will issue an Operations Specification paragraph (A049) as the LOA. A part 121 or 135 operator that intends to begin operations as an air tour operator must advise the FAA Drug Abatement Division.
- An air traffic control facility not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. Military, or a contractor that elects to conduct its own testing must register its program with the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division.
Once you establish your program, you must implement the testing program prior to the date you start operations as a part 121 or 135, air tour operator, or air traffic control facility, or prior to performing safety-sensitive duties by contract (including subcontract at any tier) for a part 121 or 135 or 91.147 employer. You must ensure that your testing program meets all the requirements under 14 CFR part 120 and 49 CFR part 40. For implementation information and resources (including a registration form, videos and posters, sample policies and forms, guidance, and more), you should visit the FAA’s industry drug and alcohol testing website and the Department of Transportation’s website. If you hire a service agent (defined in 49 CFR § 40.3 as a consortium/third party administrator (C/TPA), collector, breath alcohol technician and screening test technician, medical review officer, and substance abuse professional) to assist you in implementing or managing your program, you must ensure the service agent is qualified (where applicable) and compliant with the federal regulations. As the employer, you are responsible for all actions of your officials, representatives, and service agency in carrying out the requirements of 14 CFR part 120 and 49 CFR part 40.
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:
You can find information on how to file an FOIA request on our website.
You can find information on how to file an FOIA request on our website.
Airports are in the best position to address local concerns and should be the first point of contact.
However, to learn more about how the FAA is working to address noise issues or to submit a complaint or inquiry, please visit the Noise Complaints & Inquiries page.
To find a list of Metroplex sites, please visit the Metroplex page.
You can find aircraft accident and incident information on the National Transportation Safety Board website.
You can find preliminary accident and incident information on our website.
You can also find other aircraft accident and incident databases on the FAA's National Aviation Safety Data Analysis Center website.
Please visit our Business Opportunities website to learn more.
There may be a variety of circumstances that result in a community meeting, including airspace changes, airport projects, and other situational changes that would require the FAA to meet with local communities to discuss issues surrounding an airport.
To find out if there is a regularly scheduled roundtable or Noise Advisory Committee meeting, please contact your local airport for more information or contact your Regional Ombudsman: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/noise_emissions/airport_aircraft_noise_issues/noise_ombudsman/.
To find out what about Community Engagement meetings and other happenings in your area, check out your region's Community Engagement webpage: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/community_engagement/.
In addition, please monitor our social media feeds and look for announcements in the press.
FAA Social Media:
Twitter - @FAANews
Facebook - Federal Aviation Administration
Instagram - FAA
- 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.
The requirements to get a mechanics certificate are on our website.
The requirements to get a mechanics certificate are on our website.
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.
If you are in the U.S. at the time you apply, you will need a letter from your country’s Civil Aviation Authority attesting that your training and experience level meets the U.S. requirements.
If you are not in the U.S. at the time you apply, you must show proof that you need the certificate to maintain U.S.- registered aircraft. Procedures for providing proof are located in FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System, Volume 5, Chapter 5, Section 3, Certificate Foreign Applicants Located Outside the United States for Title 14 CFR Part 65, Mechanic Certificate Rating.