Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act
What changed between versions
The short title changed from 'Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act' to 'Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act,' broadening the bill's stated scope from pilots to all airmen (including flight engineers, instructors, and other certificate holders).
The rulemaking requirement expanded from updating only part 61 of title 14 CFR to parts 61, 63, 65, 67, and 107, covering a much wider range of airman certification regulations (including sport pilot, flight instructor, aircraft mechanic, and remote pilot rules).
The digital certificate provision now requires the certificate to be issued by the FAA Administrator (rather than any digital copy), adds a condition that cloud-based presentation is only permitted where there is sufficient connectivity, and requires presentation in accordance with authentication and verification requirements established by the Administrator.
A specific deadline of November 30, 2028 was added for the FAA to issue a final rule implementing the amendments. The previous version had no fixed date.
The applicability provision that required the FAA to apply part 61 in a manner reflecting the changes beginning one year after enactment was removed entirely.
The physical certificate language changed from 'a physical, original copy issued by the Administrator' to 'a physical certificate issued by the Administrator,' removing the word 'original' and simplifying the description.
