Weird FAA Airman inquiry response

tawood

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Display name:
Tim
So my medical is expiring soon, and last week I searched myself in the FAA Airman database to find the date. I noticed the date, then forgot about it, so I searched myself again this week...except this week, the database doesn't seem to have my info!??? I've tried repeatedly, but sure enough, no bueno. I find several people with similar names, but not me...guess the FAA giveth, and the FAA taketh away.

Anyone ever encounter this?
 
So my medical is expiring soon, and last week I searched myself in the FAA Airman database to find the date. I noticed the date, then forgot about it, so I searched myself again this week...except this week, the database doesn't seem to have my info!??? I've tried repeatedly, but sure enough, no bueno. I find several people with similar names, but not me...guess the FAA giveth, and the FAA taketh away.

Anyone ever encounter this?
No, but a question: Why did you need to search the FAA database to find out what date your medical certificate expires? Did you lose it?
 
Do you feel yourself slipping away? Have your tax records disappeared? When the time lords change the past all records slowly disappear then your physical existence dissolves. Sorry.
 
No, but a question: Why did you need to search the FAA database to find out what date your medical certificate expires? Did you lose it?
No...just was at work, and I didn't have it immediately on me.
 
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Do you feel yourself slipping away? Have your tax records disappeared? When the time lords change the past all records slowly disappear then your physical existence dissolves. Sorry.

I’ve always said it’s better than the speeding bus method. Gives family time to adjust.
 
Just checked mine,like that they list the date of your last rating,makes me feel young.
 
Not unusual at all. I have looked for people who I know have tickets -- sometimes they're there, sometimes not. Even me, and I'm pretty sure I'm still here and still have a certificate.
 
If you have suppressed your address (which is all airman registry allows you to do because they continue to VIOLATE their exemption to the privacy act), then you can't use a state name in your inquiry. If you say "Nebraska" and you have a suppressed address then you won't match, even if you do live in Nebraska, for instance.
 
If you have suppressed your address (which is all airman registry allows you to do because they continue to VIOLATE their exemption to the privacy act), then you can't use a state name in your inquiry. If you say "Nebraska" and you have a suppressed address then you won't match, even if you do live in Nebraska, for instance.
Ah...bingo! I have returned to the living. Thanks @flyingron for bringing me back.
 
From the title, I wasn't sure whether it was the Airman or the Response that was weird. :)
 
If you have suppressed your address (which is all airman registry allows you to do because they continue to VIOLATE their exemption to the privacy act), then you can't use a state name in your inquiry. If you say "Nebraska" and you have a suppressed address then you won't match, even if you do live in Nebraska, for instance.

I've gotten peoples addresses from that database for reference purposes on forms.
 
Apparently...but also apparently I surpressed my record without remembering that I surpressed my record...surprise!
You must have suppressed the record and your memory of suppressing it.
 
I've gotten peoples addresses from that database for reference purposes on forms.
Then they didn't suppress it. The issue I was referring to was that when the FAA got their exemption to the privacy act for the public release of the airman database, the law requires them to allow an airman to opt out of ANY information being disseminated.
The FAA obstinately interprets that to mean only the mailing address. I've been through the FAA and DOT IG on this a few times. They further lied and said there was legislative history (there isn't, the exemption was inserted into the authorization act without comment). It would take a federal lawsuit most likely to force the issue.

Actually, there was a brief period of a few months where they actually used the "opt out" flag to hide the entire record, but someone reversed that.

Clearly there is a way to block entire entries, there were a few "famous" pilots who were blocked entirely.
 
Then they didn't suppress it. The issue I was referring to was that when the FAA got their exemption to the privacy act for the public release of the airman database, the law requires them to allow an airman to opt out of ANY information being disseminated.

Sorry Ron, I wasn't making a comment about that at all. It was more about the fact that I found it kinda useful, I've had to go back up to 10 years to get info on people I've worked/lived with. But yeah, I hate the fact that the FAA makes this info so easy to get.
 
I read somewhere that sometimes the database only shows pilots with a current medical. Unfortunately CRS doubled by CRAFT won't let me remember where. So, it is entirely possible I was having an alcohol induced LSD flashback thinking I read that, even though I have never done LSD.

Noah W
 
I read somewhere that sometimes the database only shows pilots with a current medical. Unfortunately CRS doubled by CRAFT won't let me remember where. So, it is entirely possible I was having an alcohol induced LSD flashback thinking I read that, even though I have never done LSD.

Noah W
Maybe it's "sometimes" true, but not always. I just checked and my aviation mentor's info is still there, along with her last medical date (5/2006, so she could do Basic Med if she wanted) and the "must wear corrective lenses" restriction. My last medical info is also there (6/2015, so definitely expired too), along with the "Not valid for any class after" restriction, and my Basic Med course and exam dates.

Would be nice if meaningful opting out was possible, but apparently (per @flyingron) it's not.
 
I read somewhere that sometimes the database only shows pilots with a current medical. Unfortunately CRS doubled by CRAFT won't let me remember where. So, it is entirely possible I was having an alcohol induced LSD flashback thinking I read that, even though I have never done LSD.

Noah W
"Sometimes" might or might not be the operative word.

I was looking up someone the other day and found a similar name with the following:

Medical Information:
Medical Class: Third Medical Date: 3/1997
MUST HAVE AVAILABLE GLASSES FOR NEAR VISION.​

Pretty sure it's expired by now :)

I also came across a few with the "no medical information available" notation, but pilot certificate dates in the 1940s.
 
I read somewhere that sometimes the database only shows pilots with a current medical. Unfortunately CRS doubled by CRAFT won't let me remember where. So, it is entirely possible I was having an alcohol induced LSD flashback thinking I read that, even though I have never done LSD.

Noah W
I'm in there, and my last medical is long expired.
Perhaps you are thinking of the FAA "active pilots" statistics - they only count current medicals. So, I'm not counted in that one (along with some unknown number of other pilots flying under the Sport Pilot rule).

Medical Information:

Medical Class: Third Medical Date: 2/1979
MUST WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES.
BasicMed Course Date: None BasicMed CMEC Date: None

They do have the date when I got the plastic certificate:

Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT
Date of Issue: 4/7/2007

Ratings:
PRIVATE PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
 
I find my entry in the database weird also...I got my PPL in 1994, yet it says I got it in 2014. I think the reason is because when I got my PPL, the PPL number was my social security number...I stopped flying in 1999, then got back into it in 2014, and they issued me a new number so as to not be my soc....
 
There's no field for "when you got your licnese." All that is listed is the date your LAST certificate was issued. If you requested a new one for any change (such as change of address) or just that you lost the old one, the date the replacement is issued is the date that appears.
 
There's no field for "when you got your licnese." All that is listed is the date your LAST certificate was issued. If you requested a new one for any change (such as change of address) or just that you lost the old one, the date the replacement is issued is the date that appears.
Ok, yep, I moved then too...I just assumed it was for the dropping of the soc...Wow, that means that those guys that @midlifeflyer found, with certificates in the 1940s, have never moved???!!! (maybe deceased?)
 
The FAA doesn't require a new certificate when you move. It just requires you to notify them. If you want a new certificate to reflect the current address, it will cost $2.

However, the paper certificates all became invalid a while back, so anybody who has an issue date before they switched to plastic isn't legally flying.
 
I find my entry in the database weird also...I got my PPL in 1994, yet it says I got it in 2014. I think the reason is because when I got my PPL, the PPL number was my social security number...I stopped flying in 1999, then got back into it in 2014, and they issued me a new number so as to not be my soc....

Using SSN's went out og fashion years ago. In now have a random number on my certificate.
 
Random, or is it some combination of the last four of your social and probably some 9's.
 
My pilot certificate does not appear to incorporate any portion of my SS number.
 
Mine has the last four of my social followed by 998.
 
Mine has no relation to my SSN. The first three digits are the same as my home phone number (sans area code). I could wonder if that means anything... ;)
 
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