CAA: GA News, "FAA Issues Photo ID Rule for General Aviation Pilots"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thursday, October 24, 2002

FAA Issues Photo ID Rule for General Aviation Pilots 
Press Release


WASHINGTON - In a move to further 
balance security and the needs of the 
aviation community, the U.S. Department 
of Transportation's Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) is issuing revised 
rules that provide a readily available, 
low-cost way for pilots to carry 
acceptable photo identification when 
flying. FAA Administrator Marion C. 
Blakey announced the new rules today at 
a conference sponsored by the Aircraft 
Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in 
Palm Springs, Calif.

The new regulations also require pilots 
to present that ID when requested by 
the FAA, Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA), National 
Transportation Safety Board or any law 
enforcement officer. Both rules are 
effective immediately.

The FAA expects the most commonly used 
photo ID will be a valid driver's 
license issued by a U.S. state, the 
District of Columbia, or a U.S. 
territory or possession. The agency 
based its rule changes on a petition 
submitted by AOPA last February. AOPA 
suggested that a valid driver's license 
would be an immediate, cost-effective 
solution to address security concerns 
about pilot identity in the general 
aviation community. The organization 
also proposed that pilots be required 
to present photo identification on 
demand.

Other suitable forms of identification 
under the new rules are a valid federal 
or state ID card, a U.S. armed forces' 
ID, credentials that authorize access 
to airport secure areas, or other 
identification that the FAA accepts. 
The rules published today were 
developed in response to provisions 
contained in the Aviation and 
Transportation Security Act (ATSA), 
enacted in Nov. 2001. 

The TSA requested immediate adoption of 
these rules to help prevent hazards to 
aircraft, persons and property within 
the United States, and the FAA agreed. 
The TSA has issued other regulatory 
documents that became effective 
immediately to minimize security 
threats and potential security 
vulnerabilities. The FAA has issued the 
new rule changes without prior notice 
and public comment for the same reason.

The new regulations can be viewed by 
clicking on the "Recently Published 
Documents" link at 
http://www.faa.gov/avr/arm


   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA General Aviation Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID2

*****************************************