U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Republican leader, called the FAA’s latest proposal to develop a new pilot’s license “embarrassingly inadequate.”
“I am astounded that the FAA continues to ignore the will of Congress by proposing to develop yet another pilot’s license that still does not incorporate any biometric capabilities,” Mica said.
“The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 required the FAA to replace the old paper pilot certificates or licenses and issue improved licenses that are tamper-proof, contain a photo of the pilot and are biometrically-enabled,” Mica said. “Six years later, and after spending millions of dollars, the licenses are now plastic but still have no biometrics and the only pilots pictured on them are Wilbur and Orville Wright.”
Mica continued, “Biometrically-enabled licenses will allow for improved identification verification, security, and screening efficiencies. There is no excuse for this ongoing delay to heed these Congressional requirements. Biometric technologies are currently employed for access control at secure government facilities, including those of the Department of Defense and most nuclear power plants regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“After years of delay, FAA is finally crawling towards compliance with the photograph requirement, but they inexplicably continue to ignore the Congressional directive to also include biometrics.”
The FAA has estimated the federal cost to replace the paper licenses with plastic cards to be as much as $6.75 million over five years.
The FAA announced the new proposal Nov. 18, and Mica immediately wrote to FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt outlining his concerns.
“This embarrassingly inadequate response to a six-year old Congressional directive is simply unacceptable,” Mica concluded.
For more information: FAA.gov, Republicans.Transportation.House.gov
As an Aviation Safety Inspector, who are the government employees who actually examine the pilot certificates in the field, this requirement is just not needed. It sounds good, but would cost a fortune to implement in the field and would not provide any real function. Pilots are currently required to carry a government issued photo ID as well as the pilot certificate. This is plenty to ID the polot standing before us.
@Richard: Pilot cert is a form of ID that doesn’t prove it belongs to you. Plus, the requirements are not coming from the FAA. It’s coming from your congress.
@Steve: Right now, I could use a fake photo ID from the weakest state to show that I’m you if I got ramp checked. Plus, the implication is that this is a step towards some manner of additional security where certs might actually be checked once in a blue moon.
@Darrin: That would be awesome, unless one agency posts some inaccurate information which disables your ability to use the benefits of that card. We all know how hard it is to get government managed information corrected. Let’s have some manner of separation between divisions.
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@Janice: Refarding Mica’s complaints, it looks like conversion from paper to plastic, including admin overhead, getting equipment, training, communications, etc, cost the FAA less than $17 per license to replace with no pilot copay. That’s really not too bad.
I think the photo certs are to be $22 each and good for 5 years. They already have a mag stripe, so “biometric enablement” is moot. You can put a signature and a photo on the front, and an encrypted squirt of data on the back and it’s all good. Alternatively, a 2D barcode, could also be done. I’d be opposed to an RFID tag because they require shielding in your wallet to be secure. My passport card is already worn and covered in metallic dust from the sleeve.
Considering the FAA has been operating on 3-4 month extensions for the last 3 years, I think they’re doing a pretty good job on complying with the 2004 requirements. I think if this mandate had been funded by congress, things would have been much further along.
Practically the entire US government is going to the Common Access Card or CAC. This ID has complete biometric information of the user and has been standard issue for the US military for years. Even retirees are getting the cards which with a USB card reader allow you to login and check your benefits online. Wouldn’t it be great to have an ID like that where we could update our 8710s near real time, have our medicals updated by AME’s and change our address without having to navigate through the FAA’s nebulous website.
Are terrorists or smugglers going to care if they have a valid license? Are they going to file an EAPIS manifest?
I still think the picture requirement is stupid. One picture ID
should be sufficient. I think the FAA is seriously trying to reduce
the pilot population. I guess those who issue medical certificates
aren’t doing enough damage.