Your initiative in introducing the plastic photo licence was a great idea Dick, at least the darned thing fitted in the wallet or pocket.
Considering the advances in technology today they make even more sense.
All a pilots details could be stored on the card and read if required by a card reader.
I heard a suggestion from someone years ago that the plastic license could also be a substitute for the much maligned
ASIC card. Considering the security issues that plague us these days, at many airports, instead of gate codes etc at our airports, access could be obtained airside by a swipe card reader. From a security point of view that would provide a record of who and when and where someone entered airside
potentially saving some money as well.
Regarding part 61, compare the pair, 90 0dd pages in US and NZ regs against thousands in ours.
Massive increases in costs born by the industry. Has it made it any safer?