FAA Paper Licenses Not Valid After 31 March 2010

[Check 6]

The deadline for switching to FAA plastic pilot certificates is weeks away. Paper pilot certificates will no longer be valid after March 31. The cost for a new certificate is $2. Temporary and student pilot certificates are not impacted by the rule.

How to replace paper license with plastic version. (http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/certificate_replacement/)

[bfisk]

And in JAA land, we still get a piece of paper that looks like it's been made in MS Word. And the cost, I can assure you, is not $2! :ok:

[fox niner]

True. replacing my JAA paper licence costs me exactly € 0.00
It is sent to me by mail, free of charge.

[stevieboy]

Cost us $25 AUD to reprint licence here in Australia. :ugh:

[lynnm]

Ok i'm going to fall foul to this change, since i have a FAA reciprical paper licence based on my CAA one - whats the process ( basically ) to renew it - i've registered online but this is not allowed for this type of licence...

I do plan on visiting the US later this year.. so it seems a visit to a fsdo is ont he cards, but want to make sure all the paperwork and processes are all lined up in advance.

cheers
Mike.. PPL 160h egmc

[5LY]

How long does it take for the new issue to be sent out?

[Kelly Hopper]

Website says 2 weeks.

[MarkerInbound]

Lynnm,

You might want want to contact the FAA Airman Certification Branch in OKC, not sure a FSDO can help you.

Contact the Airmen Certification Branch (http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/contact_airmen_certification/)

[Check 6]

MIB, you are correct. A FSDO can't help much other than referring you to OKC.

[lynnm]

Thanks all..

well i've got a trip planned back to the US late this year. so i'll go through the process and get another validation based on my CAA one..

I should be able to get the cert from the FSDO in orlando..

Just got to make sure i time it right and apply later this year for it to be ready when i arrive.

cheers all..

mike

[Check 6]

I believe that you will need to make an appointment at the FSDO, i.e. you can no longer enter the building without an appointment, so ring them first.

[heading 125]

Is there not an FAA office at Gatwick? Can you not use this to get your licence all sorted before you go.

I had a problem when I went to USA last summer. The flight school where I wanted to rent a plane said my paper licence was not valid (had it for 22 years issued on my CAA PPL). They said I needed a plasic one. In the end it was accepted, but they were a real pain. They did releive me of a biannual and check out of course before saying I could not fly - I am a UK flying instructor and have flown about 300 hours (5000 total time) in the USA and they still did a 2 hour flight check and 2 hours ground school (usual rip off). it took me 4 days to get it ok'd by the FAA. Of cousre it was an Orlando flight school!!! Having said all that great flying in a nearly brand new C172

[heading 125]

The reason I thought it was a ripoff was that I have done my biannual several times 3 times in California and 4 times in Florida and the last biannual was I felt a long on - it included 15 minutes orbiting over a zoo so I could be shown an elephant pasture !! Some VOR tracking and a few performance take offs and landings lasted 2 and a half hours and then two hours ground school. One thing I have learnt as a flying instructor is don't argue with the checkout instructor - just go with it keep quiet and next time chose another school.

On the licence - I have a UK CAA PPL not JAR - same as I had my FAA licence issued on. The CAA have asked me several time to change to a JAR but I have resisted. CAA one is valid forever and dosn't need to be renewed. I love flying in the USA and usually it is very good value and very interesting. But unfortunately I did feel the biannual was excessive and was at least twice as much as I normally have to do.

[muduckace]

Just updated my A&P to plastic and domestically if your ticket still is your SS # you can do an address/number/plastic change for free online. It was in the mail box in a week.

[jimmygill]

True. replacing my JAA paper licence costs me exactly € 0.00
It is sent to me by mail, free of charge.

Glad to know that JAA doesn't charge for replacement license unlike FAA. But the JAA's 14 written exams are complete rip-offs, especially with almost no provision of self study.

[fernytickles]

Glad to know that JAA doesn't charge for replacement license unlike FAA

It costs $2 so hardly going to break the bank - and you are not required to get a replacement just for an address change - it is entirely a personal choice.

CAA one is valid forever and dosn't need to be renewed.

Really? Why do I receive a letter from the CAA every 5 years telling me to renew mine?

Hurrumph - an FAA licence doesn't run out every 5 years, you just need a BFR to "refresh" it. The CAA require me to do a medical and a flight test to "renew" my licence. Oh, and pay them a bunch of money for all the hard work involved in sending out a piece of paper. For what? I'm more than current, just not using my UK licence. Why can't it hibernate until such time as I may need it again, when I would do the equivalent of a BFR? :ugh: grrr - its driving me nuts... Bluidy CAA/JAA bureaucracy....

[jimmygill]

It costs $2 so hardly going to break the bank

True, no bank breaks needed.

I got my FAA PPL, IR, CPL ASEL, CPL AMEL

only paper work involved was my logbook and four A4 sheets
one after each check ride to print the temporary certificate.

While getting this FAA license converted to Indian one, I needed around 200+ sheets of A4 paper, and around 700 USD in fees, approvals or certifications from 4 different ministries and 45 days of waiting.. thats bloody bureaucracy...

In this regard I am a total fan of FAA.