Student pilot license expiration

[Diana]

A student under 40 years old gets a third class medical and student pilot license combination (i.e. all in one amber document). We know the medical expires at the end of three years. However, someone told the student that the student pilot license part is only good for two years. True or false?

 

[EdFred]

A student under 40 years old gets a third class medical and student pilot license combination (i.e. all in one amber document). We know the medical expires at the end of three years. However, someone told the student that the student pilot license part is only good for two years. True or false?

True, the student certificate is only good for two years regardless of age.

§ 61.19 Duration of pilot and instructor certificates.

(a) General. The holder of a certificate with an expiration date may not, after that date, exercise the privileges of that certificate.
(b) Student pilot certificate. A student pilot certificate expires 24 calendar months from the month in which it is issued.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

True See 61.19(b)

(Edit: Ed beat me to the punch)

 

[Michael]

so is the private pilot written exam. I had to take a second time because my first expired. yea it took me that long.

Michael

 

[SkyHog]

so is the private pilot written exam. I had to take a second time because my first expired. yea it took me that long.

Michael

LOL. That's why I didn't take my written until like a month before I took my checkride. It took me well over a year to get my PPL, would have hated to have to take the test twice.

Its also why I don't understand CFIs who require the written before solo. I can understand a presolo test, but in my case, it was about a year from first solo to PPL. Would have been a shame to take the test twice.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

LOL. That's why I didn't take my written until like a month before I took my checkride. It took me well over a year to get my PPL, would have hated to have to take the test twice.

Its also why I don't understand CFIs who require the written before solo. I can understand a presolo test, but in my case, it was about a year from first solo to PPL. Would have been a shame to take the test twice.

I require the FAA written unless it's just for a supervised student solo in the pattern, for which I still require the written portions of aerodynamics/performance/weight&balance and individual aircraft performance specs test. If they want to go away from the airport on their own, then they are the PIC and should know everything possible before such flights. I also like some other third party authority saying they have some degree of pilot knowledge besides the CFI.

 

[Bill]

Its also why I don't understand CFIs who require the written before solo.

Not before solo, but many instructors use the written test as a "gauge" of seriousness. My instructor, early in his teaching, had some students that just kept on flying with him, and not taking their test, even after their flying was quite good. A suprising number of them never did finish up.

So, now, after solo, he flys with them for a while, then pretty much says, "the knowledge test is going to be a roadblock to you being a pilot" or summat similar. shortly after, he'll tell you he sint goign to fly with you anymore until you knockout the test.

 

[poadeleted20]

Just remember that the solo endorsements on the old certificate are still valid and not transferred to the new one, which can be obtained for the price of asking at any FSDO and for whatever fee a DPE sets from one of them -- no tests, just apply and (if required) pay the fee.

 

[Diana]

True, the student license is only good for two years regardless of age.

(a) General. The holder of a certificate with an expiration date may not, after that date, exercise the privileges of that certificate.
(b) Student pilot certificate. A student pilot certificate expires 24 calendar months from the month in which it is issued.

I wonder what the logic/rationale is for that? If you don't need to prove any kind of competency or knowledge, then why wouldn't you be able to wait till you renew your medical?

 

[MSmith]

I think it's evolutionary. The 3-year medical showed up after the student pilot certificate.

 

[Michael]

my old CFI once told me that she had a few students that would get their solo status then continue flying solo (or with pax) without continuing thier flight training. She now dates her students solo lisences with a cutoff date (good thru: ).
I wonder if that might be the reason behind this as well.

Michael

 

[poadeleted20]

She now dates her students solo lisences with a cutoff date (good thru: ).

She might put such limits in the solo endorsements in the students' logs, and that's legal (14 CFR 61.89(a)(8)), but she doesn't have the authority to put such a limit on the students' Student Pilot Certificates. And the solo endorsements in the students' logs have a statutory 90-day expiration, anyway (14 CFR 61.87(n)(2)) even if she doesn't put a shorter limit in the log.

 

[astanley]

A student under 40 years old gets a third class medical and student pilot license combination (i.e. all in one amber document). We know the medical expires at the end of three years. However, someone told the student that the student pilot license part is only good for two years. True or false?

As others have noted, 2 years is the clock.

For what it is worth, it's a total PITA. I lost my long XC and about 3 hours of solo because of it.

Still ticked about that, that is basically what ended my PPL two years ago (that and work...)

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[DoubleD]

As others have noted, 2 years is the clock.

For what it is worth, it's a total PITA. I lost my long XC and about 3 hours of solo because of it.

-Andrew

I don't understand. You don't "lose" flight experience that's been legally logged. Nor do you "lose" endorsements that were on your "old" student certificate. So get back to work on that PPL!

 

[gismo]

I don't understand. You don't "lose" flight experience that's been legally logged.

You might if the flights were taken after the student pilot's certificate expired (without renewing).

So get back to work on that PPL!

Amen!

 

[Ed Guthrie]

I don't understand. You don't "lose" flight experience that's been legally logged. Nor do you "lose" endorsements that were on your "old" student certificate. So get back to work on that PPL!

You can't log solo flgiht time as a student without a student pilot certificate. Read 61.51:

(4) A student pilot may log pilot-in-command time only when the student pilot—

If you don't hold a valid certificate you aren't a student pilot...
.

 

[Henning]

Its also why I don't understand CFIs who require the written before solo. I can understand a presolo test, but in my case, it was about a year from first solo to PPL. Would have been a shame to take the test twice.

Two reasons, first and foremost, it's a CYA thing. If the student crashes, there is a second opinion of at least the students fundamental knowledge level as tested by the body that is going to come after you as his/her instructor, i.e. they won't come digging at you quite as hard because if they do, they risk exposing weaknesses in their own system and possible liability exposure. Beaurocracies are hesitant to do that.

The second is it motivates the person to get done.

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

it's a total PITA.
-Andrew

What is PITA? (other than the bread).

 

[SkyHog]

What is PITA? (other than the bread).

Pain in the a**