I had my license out recently and noticed that all the personal info is wearing off. Some of it is barely legible, some is plain gone. I found my way to FAA.GOV to order a replacement, but what gives with cheesy FAA license imprints? I only have about as much loose sand and lint and sawdust in my wallet as most of you probably have.

-DP

It just means that you have whatever certificates and ratings you state you have when asked. See? RIght there---->

AND... I does not show when it was originally issued just the date of this replacement card. Feels like I lost part of my history.

My first plastic license wore out so I ordered a second and now it is getting hard to read the info on. I'll have to end up getting a third one which I will laminate in clear plastic I guess. My old paper license is laminated and still looks like new.

How often do you have to pull out the license? I have only had to show my A&P once.

Tom wrote:How often do you have to pull out the license? I have only had to show my A&P once.

I have to show my license every two years at flight review time. This last time I could barely read my cert #. I don't have it memorized.

I keep my pastic repairman cert clipped in my aircraft log book so it won't wear out too.

The new ones look like a library card. I've never shown mine in the US, only crossing borders. My Zambian one looks cooler, its a little book, lots of stamps.

The big advantage of the book style license is to leave a bit of local currency folded up inside it. When you got asked for it, no matter how angry the official was, you got it back a little lighter and he was smiling.

Up in Canada they are book style, just like my passport. I think it's a pain I'm the ass cause you can't get it wet, mad where do you keep the damn thing? At least a plastic card you put in your wallet and done...

If you have a scanner you can scan it into your computer, email it to yourself, so you will have it at home and where ever you have access to a computer. Just a though. I have been doing that lately with different things. Works out pretty good.

Tom

That's a great idea. But I believe that I have to carry it with me while I fly. Or am I wrong on that? I'd way rather have a plastic card in my wallet that I have with me anyways, rather then a paper book that can't handle getting a bit wet and doesn't really fit in a pocket well. Just my own opinion. Doesn't mean it's even remotely right.

Just got my new card in yesterday after getting my commercial multi-land in October. I'm thinking about framing it and hanging it on the wall. I don't fly any twins, my old commercial ASEL&S card is still in my wallet slowly losing all the ink, and my new one is so pretty!

I don't believe that the old paper ones are legal any longer. But as already noted, how many times do you really show the thing anyway.

So the card wears out. That's what the give us, that's what they get. If they ask to see it and can't read it, so what? Now if you want to make a copy for yourself, great! But to pay the FAA another $2 (or any amount) to replace their crappy quality card? Don't think so.

SkySteve wrote:So the card wears out. That's what the give us, that's what they get. If they ask to see it and can't read it, so what? Now if you want to make a copy for yourself, great! But to pay the FAA another $2 (or any amount) to replace their crappy quality card? Don't think so.

That's my train of though, and if you have it scanned and have a Legible copy available in your email for the slim chance you need to show your license and its worn out. I could be completely wrong but it seems to be a waste to get new copy's. although I have been getting a new rating about the time you can't read the old license. . Although the A&P is pretty worn out.

Tom wrote:How often do you have to pull out the license? I have only had to show my A&P once.

Why did your A&P have to see your pilot certificate? I've had IA's ask to see the airworthines certificate & registration as part of doing an annual, but never had anyone ask to see my pilot license -- except for all the pretty girls I've bragged to about being a pilot (yeah, right).

Tom wrote:

SkySteve wrote:So the card wears out. That's what the give us, that's what they get. If they ask to see it and can't read it, so what? Now if you want to make a copy for yourself, great! But to pay the FAA another $2 (or any amount) to replace their crappy quality card? Don't think so.

That's my train of though, and if you have it scanned and have a Legible copy available in your email for the slim chance you need to show your license and its worn out. I could be completely wrong but it seems to be a waste to get new copy's. although I have been getting a new rating about the time you can't read the old license. . Although the A&P is pretty worn out.

Exactly......and if an FAA person asks to see it, THEY have access (back at the office) to the database, so they can look it up. The reg says you have to have the CURRENT certificate on your person, it doesn't say it has to be legible...

Maybe.

MTV

hotrod150 wrote:

Tom wrote:How often do you have to pull out the license? I have only had to show my A&P once.

Why did your A&P have to see your pilot certificate? I've had IA's ask to see the airworthines certificate & registration as part of doing an annual, but never had anyone ask to see my pilot license -- except for all the pretty girls I've bragged to about being a pilot (yeah, right).

My mistake with words, ive never had to show my license, except after a check ride, i have only been asked for my A&P license once, by the feds when i first started working MX at a flight school, they asked to see my A&P license.

Tom