New Credit Card Style Pilot's Licenses

Alchemy

Well-Known Member
New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Hello, sorry if this has already been discussed/posted, but I was listening to the radio today and hear a 15 second blurb to the gist of "the nation's roughly 600,000 commercial and general aviation pilot's will be recieving updated pilot's license that work more like a credit card. The previous licenses were nothing but a sheet of plain paper".

Exactly when is this going to take effect? Will the FAA send everyone a new license, or just send out new-style licenses as people earn them. Any additional info appreciated. Thanks.
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

News to me!
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

News to me, too. Nothing about it on the AOPA site, either.

Works like a credit card, eh? Maybe it's an FAA affinity VISA brought to you by the folks at MBNA, with 5% of every purchase going to help keep the GOP from privatizing ATC!
tongue.gif
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Strange. I heard the report about 3 hours ago on a local abc news affiliate, sounded like it was a national story but I cannot find any more info on it from abcnews.com or any other major news site.
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Cool,

I figure I've spent about 50 grand!

The least they can do is give me something thats laminated and I don't have to cut out myself!
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

hmmm kinda got me thinking here... if its just paper I think I can probably make one pretty easily and save the $60,000+ that I will be spending on all this stuff.

time to send out some resumes... who's hiring?

It really is a joke though, I mean with all the government is spending on this stuff, is the actual certificate the place to skimp? A hologram or something shiny and durable would be cool to have... I see no reason that it cant be something similar to your driver's license.

Tim
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Looks like it's factual--here's an item from AOPA's ePilot email newsletter for 8/1:

[ QUOTE ]
BLAKEY UNVEILS NEW PILOT CERTIFICATES
Starting immediately, the FAA will begin issuing new pilot certificates made of plastic instead of cardboard that will feature nostalgic graphics. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey made the announcement at EAA AirVenture on Thursday. The credit card-sized certificates incorporate new security features, such as a hologram of the FAA seal. "The new certificate's durability and features will further protect pilot identities and add one more element of security to our aviation system," Blakey said. The certificates will be issued to all new and existing pilots as they achieve higher certificate levels or additional ratings. It will replace certificates that have been lost or damaged.

[/ QUOTE ]
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

It was in the FAA ASC Production Crew and the FAA Examiners newsletter email.
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Yes, now your flight time will accrue with 20-25% interest!
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

From the FAA news website...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APA 28-03
July 31, 2003
Contact: Alison Duquette or Les Dorr
Phone: 202-267-3883
FAA Administrator Unveils New Airman Certificate


OSHKOSH, WI – Beginning today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will
begin issuing new, security-enhanced airman certificates to the nation’s 650,000 active pilots. FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey unveiled the new certificate before hundreds of
aviation enthusiasts at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture.

The new credit card-sized certificates are made from high-quality composite PVC media card stock and incorporate
new security features, such as a hologram of the FAA seal. They will replace the existing paper airman certificates which can be easily damaged.

“The new certificate’s durability and features will further protect pilot identities and add one more element of
security to our aviation system,” said Blakey.

The certificate will be issued to all new and existing airmen as they achieve higher levels or additional ratings.
It will replace certificates that have been lost or damaged.

In keeping with this year’s Centennial of Flight celebration, the new certificate features graphics of the Wright Brothers, 1902 Wright Glider, 1903 Wright Flyer, Boeing jet aircraft,
DOT seal, and a hologram of the FAA seal. Images of the Wright Brothers were provided by the Wright Family Fund.

The new certificate was designed by the FAA’s Civil Aviation Registry, part of the agency’s Flight Standards Service.
The Registry issues approximately 246,000 airman and 70,000 aircraft certificates annually.
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

EXCELLENT!!! No more going to Kinko's for lamination!

[ QUOTE ]
The certificate will be issued to all
new and existing airmen as they achieve
higher levels or additional ratings.
It will replace certificates that have
been lost or damaged.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I read that right - as we achieve higher ratings, do we have to get new ones like we do now or is that "loaded" into a database and onto our cards???
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

I don't think these things have any kind of "smart" capabilities - so I think they'll just be issued like now but in plastic instead of paper. I'm waiting on my permanent IA certificate which will be superceded by my permanent Comm certificate (got the two about a month apart) I wonder if I'll get a plastic card? If not I'm sure I'll get one when I go for my CFI.

Pretty cool but the big question is - why are there still no pilot photos on these things? It's just flat out studpid. It'd be simple enough to requrie DEs to carry a digital camera and e-mail the photo along with the paperwork to the FAA. Either way, I'm glad to see the move but I'm already kid of nostolgic about not having the paper certificates anymore!
grin.gif
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Agreed. A photo on the card would be the next logical step. Remember though, this is the F.A.A., so we're not dealing with "logic" here.

As for the nostalgia... just think - we can now say to some of these young bucks on here, "Man, I can remember when we got our certificates on PAPER!"
grin.gif
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

What happened to AOPA lobbying and saying that it would cost too much money. AOPA was suggesting that a certificate shown with a valid drivers license would be sufficient.

Mahesh
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

From registry.faa.gov:
[ QUOTE ]
We are currently processing permanent Airmen Certificates with an approximate issue date of May 20th, 2003 .


[/ QUOTE ]

Looks like I'll be getting a plastic card or two!
grin.gif
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Anybody have a link to a picture of this thing, yet?
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Nah, I've looked. Can't find one. Guess we'll have to wait until someone gets one!
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

Woo hoo. I'll be going for commercial in a couple of weeks. Looks like I will get a new one.

One less use for my laminating machine now. But it still works great for laminating the Jepp plates... at least until they all go digital for less than a billion dollar a year subscription or whatever the rate is now.

Should be really easy to get a digital photo of someone. In CA at least, I know they keep the digital picture of you for a bit. It is the same one that is printed on a couple of credit cards I have that put a photo on, so you'd thing the state DMV would be able to allow the FAA to access that picture if needed. Enter in driver license number, check to make sure it is correct. Submit it all online during your checkride and you and the DA certify it by clicking a button. A couple weeks later, it arrives printed in the mail. All it would require is the DA to have net access, and your state to do a digital picture (which I think all do by now, right?). No additional cost that I see.

Josh
 
Re: New Credit Card Style Pilot\'s Licenses

You guys got me exited, i should be getting a new one as well since i finished my instrument in June. I just hope this wont delay them sending them out.
 
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