Officials at the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) are urging all pilots to comment on a Notice of Proposed Rule Making to add photos to pilot certificates, a move that could add up to $210 to the cost of those certificates.
On Nov. 19, 2010, the FAA issued an NPRM, Photo Requirements for Pilot Certificates (Docket No. FAA-2010-1127; Notice No. 2010-16). SAFE officials point out that key elements in this NPRM and in other documents include:
- A proposed fee to the FAA of $50 per new certificate and $25 per replacement.
- A requirement that student pilots wait 6-8 weeks to get a certificate before solo.
- A claim that the new certificate fee represents no net cost to society.
- An assertion that the proposed photo procedure is “in the interest of reducing burdens on the certificate holder…”
- A claim that foreign pilots holding U.S. certificates would incur no additional travel expense as a result of having to visit a testing center, FSDO, or DPE.
- An FAA estimated total cost of $718.7 million to implement photo certificates.
Taking all associated costs into account (e.g., FAA and testing center fees, pilot time, photo and travel expenses, etc.), the FAA estimates the financial burden on pilots to be $210 per new certificate. Under the current NPRM, flight instructors will have the added burden of needing to procure a new photo certificate every two years when they renew their CFIs.
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) now requires the FAA to issue pilot’s licenses with photographs. According to concerned SAFE member Robert Hadow, “The FAA has a legal reason to replace the certificate system for the second time in six years, and apparently sees this as an opportunity to increase fees and staffing.” A flight school owner and instructor, Hadow added, “The aviation community needs to get engaged in this issue to get something that works, rather than a regression to a paper-based 8710 system requiring a physical visit to a FSDO or testing center.”
General comments are due at the Department of Transportation on or before Feb. 17, 2011; however, comments related to data collection and cost need to be submitted no later than Jan. 18, 2011, SAFE officials warn.
SAFE is preparing an official response to the NPRM based on input from its membership. Pilots, flight schools, and other aviation organizations are urged to weigh in on this issue before the appropriate due dates as well.
For more information on the NPRM, click here, on SAFE, click here.
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Fellas, fellas! We all should know that government has to “justify” itself by doing SOMETHING! Think sbout this; politicians, generally are trained(JD)degreed and their real world experience is in the legal profession. Simple math;the more lawyers that are being “produced”, the greater the need for a job or work, hence more laws and regulations to create AND police = employment! Solution: 1. Put a “stop order” on all universities admitting students and granting law degrees for a period of 20 years 2. Anyone running for office MUST have a Business or Economics degree,10 years minimum in an executive or entrepreneurial position with a PROVEN record of profitability. 3. Have a “business plan” to fix deficit economic issues reveiwed by a board of 10 CEO’s of the 10 most profitable corporations in the US.
This is for starters!
I don’t think it’s a particularly a bad idea. However, there is no way to justify $210.00 Something like that done on a large scale can be done for much less. Hire an outside contractor. Problem is the government just can’t seem to do anything at a reasonable cost.
Ridiculous. Like everyone has already stated – GA Pilots are already overburdened with expenses, and now they want to add another $210 to my growing list of costs? I hate it… HATE it.. but unlike others that say they will hang their wings up if this goes into effect, I will pay it if I have to. but I can guarantee you that there will be other parts of my financial self that will go without to do it.
I wonder how the FBO’s and other aviation related business will feel when the GA population starts spending less at their businesses because the FAA is taking a bigger chunk of our expendable cash.
If the states can make drivers licenses with a photo on them for little-to-nothing, the FAA can to. Maybe the need work with state DMV’s to utilize their infrastructure to fulfill the photo pilots license requirements. Seems to make sense to me. But then again, that requires two governmental agencies to “share” their stuff, and we all know that they are all like toddlers in Kindergarten in that respect.
I will write my Congressman & Senators Asking for this photo ID law to be removed. We should all write the politicians to get this removed.
Maybe the TSA will require photo ID for all of the illegals sneaking across the border. That would make just as much sense.
More government intrusion.
More government people who don’t know what they are doing.
Hopefully we can do away with the class III medical and use our
dirvers license as ID proof.
This is probably to simple for the government to understand.
Gilbert Daiely, This bill was passed during the Bush administration. Last year Mica (R, FL)asked why it hasn’t been implemented. You are clearly misinformed and blinded by your political bias.
What else can you expect from THE Government! And the BHO Administration.
Another subtle ‘upper class’ attempt to dwindle the GA pilot population as we see it! We already advised them once to go with a $15.00 ‘initial’ for ALL of us, rookie pvt pilots and on (keep the ‘freebie’ paper student license/drivers/state ID photo license at the onset, to keep the students motivated to continue and not be priced out of the training market). Renewal for this ‘photo intensive’ license at every (5) five years for $10.00 may not break the financial backs of the dedicated GA pilots and covers significant physical attribute changes of the aviator for photo purposes. Can the FAA folks keep this one simple and profitable if appropriate…..time will show it…..rhh
Another case of “GROWING GOVERNMENT”! It will never end.
This photo ID certificate came about since the requirement was included in a federal bill – perhaps the Patriot Act, I’m unsure. Last year an elected official wrote to the FAA Administrator, pointing out that the FAA had not implemented the requirement and inquiring when it would be implemented. The FAA felt it had addressed the requirement by requiring that we all fly with government issued photo ID, like a driver’s license, but that was not what the bill stated – it required pilot’s certificates to carry a photo ID, and that is what this is about.
It took an Act of Congress to introduce it and it will take an amendment to the law to remove it. If licensees are unhappy then they should complain to their local Congressman and Senator and have the law changed – complaining to the FAA is not going to change this since the FAA is merely responding to federal law.
Thanks John Mica (R) Florida.
Looks like another FAA job security reg. The FAA would basically like all private pilots to just go away and after 45 years of flying (Comm., CFI, plane owner) they might just get their wish.
What is the cost increase from what the fees are now? It seems to me when the Auto Driver’s license had the photo ID added there was no increase, or a very small one…….what’s going on!!!!
Someone might want to clue in the FAA that they ALREADY have a way to get our photographs for NO COST. I was an Aviation Safety Counselor for a while and to get my photo, they simply linked to the state DMV which has a digitized, secure, properly authenticated photo (meets the newest security requirements for the positive ID program) on file for my driver’s license. Two clicks of a mouse, done deal.
This system already exists and is working – did anyone at the FAA talk to anyone else there before they decreed that they were going to re-invent a perfectly good and properly working wheel and do it at our expense? The state DMV photos already meet ALL federal security and ID requirements, and we do not need a completely parallel and totally redundant additional bureaucracy to just duplicate an existing system.
I have a pretty good opinion of the FAA, but c’mon guys, you’re smarter than this!!!
Wow, $210 seems extremely steep. Why can’t it processed like getting a Passport (which is less expensive and lasts 10 years)?
Ridiculous! It’s just another bloated government bureaucratic imposition on the “stupid American citizenry.” Is there a reduction to a 4-day work week and a raise in pay and benefits for them in there too?
If you really want security. Do not have a photo on any I.D. The government agencies should maintain a database of photos linked to an arbitrary number on a license. Think about it. If someone steals your license. They will not know what you look like or address or anything else identifying you. But a cop could type in your number and pull up a photo, to verify that it is you and any other info he would need. Even on a drivers license, photos or a bad idea. A clerk at a register could be set up to do the same. Enter the number and they see a photo and can instantly tell if it is you. Remove the photo and I.D. theft will drop.
With the present state of aviation, this is just one more obstacle
facing anyone who is considering getting a pilot’s certificate for recreation or business. It is also an impediment for the flight instructor to overcome before recruiting a new student who could benefit from the use of an airplane when it is appropriate and economically sensible.
For the FAA, which already has a problem with morale of employees, it is one more problem to solve and an unnecessary expense. It adds to the unnecessary and inefficient red tape that is swelling the payroll of government personnel. Mostly, it serves no reasonable purpose, provides no additional security, and impedes the simple process of becoming a productive pilot.
Sorry Guys,
If this FEE comes into law then I will just give up flying. Period. There are other activities that are less expensive that I will be enjoying. I am a aircraft owner and the cost of maintaining everything is just too much. A couple dollars here, acouple of dollars there, where does it end ? Who dreams this stuff up ? “WHY” ?
Also, I have been a licensed pilot for over 33 years and have ATP and CFI ratings in both Airplanes and Helicopters. I have paid enough dues obtaining these. The FAA doesn’t need this, just maintain what they already have. The NextGen stuff is really a waste of money. I will sell my plane. This straw will break the camels back.
Jeff Aryan
Is there anyway it can just be added to a Driver’s License where the pilotinfo is just another class of vehicle. Don’t they already do that for Cars, Trucks, and motorcycles. That way, they have the picture id and they don’t have to create whole new red tape for it. Probably, just wishful thinking on my part.
Karl