Representative Tim Burchett Introduces Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act

US Representative Tim Burchett introduced the Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act to Congress. This would remove the need for pilots to continuously carry paper copies of medical and airman certificates.

Burchett, a Tennessee Republican representing the state’s 2nd district, is being co-sponsored by Garret Graves. Graves is a Republican Representative for the 6th district of Louisiana.

Currently, pilots are required by the FAA to carry original paper copies of medical and airman certificates. Federal Aviation Administration or National Transportation Safety Board inspectors, along with federal, state, or local law enforcement officials, can ask to see them at any time during ramp checks.

This is required under FAR part 61.3, which states that “no person may serve as a required pilot flight crewmember of a civil aircraft of the United States, unless that person… has in the person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization.” This regulation carries over to medicals in a later paragraph.

The FAA has good reasoning for this, seeing that it is practically no different from carrying a driver’s license while driving. Technology itself is part of the problem due to outages or poor connection. Another factor is that the agency wants to be able to physically remove your only legal form of certification if they decide to suspend or revoke it. 

Representative Burchett, however, believes that allowing pilots to fly with digital documents would be a more efficient method. This inspired him to build and present the Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act to the House of Representatives.

“Everything we do is online nowadays,” explained Representative Burchett. “I don't see a reason why our pilots should have to carry physical documents with them instead of keeping them on their phone like everything else.”

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on December 6 and is awaiting review.

FMI: https://burchett.house.gov