A new bill introduced in Congress aims to digitalize pilot certificates—eliminating the need for pilots to carry physical copies of their medical and airman certificates.
Congressman Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., introduced the Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act earlier this month, aiming to improve efficiency by allowing pilots to store these documents on electronic devices or cloud platforms.
“Everything we do is online nowadays,” said Rep. Burchett in a Dec. 9 press release. “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.”
As it currently stands under FAR Part 61.3, pilots must have a valid pilot certificate, a medical certificate and an identification (ID) while flying. These documents must be readily available for inspection by the FAA, law enforcement or other authorities.
Proponents say the Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act would streamline the credentialing process for both pilots and authorities, offering a simpler and more efficient way to present credentials while also reducing paper waste.
The legislation, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., is now awaiting review by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
