Certificate limitations

[orange]

When I do a search for my PPL certificate on faa.gov, I find it using a search but under Limits, it says "English Proficient"

Is that normal? I'm American and fully fluent in English.

Also, it says "Medical Not Available" . But I have a valid 3rd class medical.


Thanks

 

[Kritchlow]

The English proficient is completely normal. Not sure about medical stuff.

 

[cwoods798]

Might want to call the FAA and make sure that your medical is on file....I guess

 

[Zeldman]

I am going to have to get Engrish proficient on my certificate one day.....

 

[flyingron]

They started putting ENGLISH PROFICIENT on the certificates a few years back to appease the ICAO weenies.

Why they put it in LIMITATIONS rather than ENDORSEMENTS is beyond me. Perhaps whoever made that decision is not as proficient in English as he ought to be.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Might want to call the FAA and make sure that your medical is on file....I guess

No.

If you have the original paper copy, then you have what you need. If the FAA, for some reason, failed to get it into the database - why open what may turn out to be a worm can?

 

[Henning]

I am going to have to get Engrish proficient on my certificate one day.....

I'm surprised you don't yet. I kept my old paper certificate well after they issued plastic, then one day they sent me a letter, "You may no longer fly on the certificate you hold. Your rating is still valid, however you may no longer use your current certificate and it has to be replaced. For about 2 years before that if you looked me up on the database it said "Call for Information". Basically they forced me to get the updated with the English Proficient on it.

 

[flyingron]

The paper certificates were made invalid some time ago. The FAA always INVALIDATES (even if they didn't confiscate) an older certificate on the issuance of a newer one.

The lack of English Proficiency on the certificate means nothing to the FAA, it may not be valid for flying in some overly regulatory ICAO states.

They issued plastic certificates for a while before they started the English Proficiency nonsense. I got my plastic certificate when they decided I couldn't use my SSN as a certificate number anymore. That one didn't have EP on it. I didn't actually get an EP one until I added a rating.

 

[Zeldman]

I'm surprised you don't yet. I kept my old paper certificate well after they issued plastic, then one day they sent me a letter, "You may no longer fly on the certificate you hold. Your rating is still valid, however you may no longer use your current certificate and it has to be replaced. For about 2 years before that if you looked me up on the database it said "Call for Information". Basically they forced me to get the updated with the English Proficient on it.

I got my plastic certificate when I received my ATP in May 2003. That was well before they started replacing the paper certificates. It was the first plastic one many people, including myself, saw. I think, but not positive, that the FAA started issuing the plastic in June 2003.

I received a letter stating I had until x date to replace my paper certificate for a plastic one. I took the letter to our POI at the time. He told me since I already had the newer plastic to not worry about it. So I haven't. He did tell me that I may not be able to fly to some certain countries because I do not have the Engrish Proficient on my certificate.

 

[mscard88]

And if I recall correctly the FAA charged $2 for the English thing! They wanted it they should've sucked it up!

 

[Henning]

And if I recall correctly the FAA charged $2 for the English thing! They wanted it they should've sucked it up!

I didn't want to pay the $2 either, so I got an MES instead and they had to give it to me free. Damn, I love saving money like that.

 

[flyingron]

And if I recall correctly the FAA charged $2 for the English thing! They wanted it they should've sucked it up!

If you got a new certificate for any reason, they included the limitation. They allowed you to switch from an SSN to a different certificate number for free as does adding an additional rating.

If you wanted a new one with your address changed or just wanted an update with the limitation, it indeed cost $2.

The FAA doesn't give a hoot if you have the limitation or not. This was only to appease people using FAA certificates in overly-regulatory ICAO states who wouldn't believe that a US certificate already implied English proficiency without it specifically being stated.

 

[Zeldman]

I didn't want to pay the $2 either, so I got an MES instead and they had to give it to me free. Damn, I love saving money like that.

Good idea, I may do the same. I would hate to have to spend 2 bucks when I don't need to....

 

[Kritchlow]

The FAA doesn't give a hoot if you have the limitation or not. This was only to appease people using FAA certificates in overly-regulatory ICAO states who wouldn't believe that a US certificate already implied English proficiency without it specifically being stated.

Maybe they have vacationed in Miami?

 

[BigBadLou]

They started putting ENGLISH PROFICIENT on the certificates a few years back to appease the ICAO weenies.

Why they put it in LIMITATIONS rather than ENDORSEMENTS is beyond me. Perhaps whoever made that decision is not as proficient in English as he ought to be.

Maybe they have vacationed in Miami?

Or in Dallas. Addison is a highly-popular Asian training airport. I don't know how the controllers do it but they manage to get all these "foruners" into the air and back on the ground without fatalities. If I was in the tower, I'd lose my patience quickly and say "get the f*** out of my airspace and come back when you are English proficient for real, not just on paper".
Again, those controllers up there have the patience of angels. Kudos to them.

So yes, "English proficient" does have a meaning. Well, not to majority of pilots in the US but to majority of foreign pilots training in the US. Is it useful? Fudge no (as per my previous paragraph). That's why it is now ignored by pilots, DPEs and even the FAA. Why not just remove it? *shrug*

 

[flyingron]

That's why it is now ignored by pilots, DPEs and even the FAA. Why not just remove it? *shrug*

Same reason we have line up and wait and alphabet airspace. Slavish conformance to an ATTEMPT to be ICAO-compliant.

Don't even get me started on the new flight plans. Much complete drivel that isn't going to make one bit of operational difference in the existing system (90% of what you put on the form doesn't make it to ATC anyhow).

 

[BigBadLou]

True.
Though "line up and wait" doesn't bother me as much.
What does bother me a lot is that instead of me writing /G into the Equipment box, I will now have to write in shhhhhload of other abbreviations that will take me forever to memorize. Again, for no operational difference or benefit. (from my human point of view)