Student Pilot Certificates Will Be Issued Through A FSDO Office

The FAA has published an update to its student pilot application process in the federal register that includes a major change in how the certificates are issued.

The action requires applicants to apply for a student pilot certificate through a Flight Standards District Office, designated pilot examiner, airman certification representative associated with a pilot school, or certified flight instructor. Aviation Medical Examiners will no longer issue a combination medical certificate and student pilot certificate.

Student pilot certificates will be issued on the same medium as other pilot certificates and will have no expiration date. All student pilot certificates issued before the effective date of this final rule will expire according to their terms unless they are replaced by another pilot certificate.

This final rule responds to section 4012 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act and facilitates security vetting by the Transportation Security Administration of student pilot applicants prior to certificate issuance. This action withdraws the proposal for pilot certificates to include a photograph of the individual pilot.

Section 321 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 supersedes section 4022 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which provided the basis for the proposed rule. The FAA intends to publish in the future a proposed rule that would implement section 321. Additionally, this action withdraws the proposal to implement fees for pilot certificates.

The rulemaking requires student pilots to apply for, obtain, and carry a plastic pilot certificate to exercise the privileges of the pilot certificate. Additionally, it modifies the process by which student pilots apply for a certificate. This rulemaking withdraws the proposals to require all pilots to carry a pilot certificate with a photo of the pilot and to implement a fee structure for pilot certificates.

The FAA estimates that the total costs for the final rule will be from $17 to $20.9 million over a ten-year period (2015-2024), which has a present value of $12.2 to $14.9 million using a 7 percent discount rate and has a present value of $14.7 to $18 million using a 3 percent discount rate.

Total costs to student pilots, including the time to complete and process paperwork, will be from $7.1 to $11 million during the next ten years, which has a present value of $5 to $7.7 million using a 7 percent discount rate and has a present value of $6.1 to $9.4 million using a 3 percent discount rate.

The FAA, in turn, will incur total unreimbursed costs of about $9.8 million to process the information, which has a present value of about $7.1 million using a 7 percent discount rate and has a present value of $8.5 million using a 3 percent discount rate.

FMI: Final Rule