Following a concerted campaign by IAOPA on both sides of the Atlantic, the US Federal Aviation Administration has agreed to allow holders of FAA Part 61.75 licences to have their licences renewed by national aviation authorities in Europe rather than having to travel to the US to get the job done.
Part 61.75 licences are issued by the FAA to holders of comparable licences from other recognised aviation authorities, such as those in Europe, to allow holders to fly N-registered aircraft. No flight test is required as long as certain criteria are met, and the issuing process often takes only a few minutes.
Thousands of European pilots hold Part 61.75 licences, which carry the number of the pilot’s licence issued by the home authority of the pilot. But under the change to EASA FCL, all licence numbers will be altered to include the letters ‘FCL’, rendering the Part 61.75 licences invalid. Under normal circumstances, holders would have to travel to a Flight Standards District Office in the United States to have their licence reissued. However, the FAA has agreed this is too much to ask, and has informed EASA that it will allow national authorities in Europe to reissue existing Part 61.75 licences, providing that the holders can prove their identity.
National authorities need only provide the FAA with the pilot’s name, licence numbers (old and new), the FAA certificate number, the pilot’s mailing address, and a statement to confirm that the Part-FCL pilot licence is valid and is not suspended, revoked, or expired. The statement of positive identification will include an official photograph of the applicant and the applicant’s signature and residential address, if different from the mailing address.Craig Spence, Secretary General of IAOPA, said: “Recognising the impact that this issue was having for general aviation in Europe, IAOPA Europe began working with AOPA US to take the actions that were necessary on both sides of the Atlantic. Between the actions of the two organisations a logical, easy, no-cost policy was developed that will allow pilots to keep their FAA validations without the burden and costs of reapplying. This again demonstrates the power of a strong international organisation, working together
