How do I get my FAA records? How do I find my flight plan information? How do I find out where my pilot certificate was issued?
These questions and more can be answered by using the Pilot Records Database (PRD).
The PRD is a searchable database that contains all of your personal records, including: name, date of birth, aircraft registration number, medical certification number, license type, expiration date, and other pertinent information about you as an individual.
It will also contain information about your professional career in flying.
Let’s take a further look into how you can find your FAA records, what you might find within them, and why you would want to find them.
What Is The Pilot Records Database?
The Pilot Records Database (PRDB) is a comprehensive resource for sharing pilot records among different air carriers within a clearinghouse.
It can also be used by pilots who are looking for their own or another person’s records.
The PRD is managed by the FAA, so this is the best way to find your FAA records within the shortest period of time.
It includes nearly everything you need to know about yourself as a pilot, from your name and address to your most recent medical examination.
Who Can Access The Pilot Records Database?
Anyone who is an air carrier or operator within the part 111 can sign up and use the PRD. However, it is important to note that not everyone with access to the Internet actually uses it.
If you have never accessed the PRDB before, it may be worth checking if there is someone else who has already done so. You can simply ask them for help.
If you are unsure whether or not you should be accessing the PRD, then we suggest that you check first.
People who are allowed to use the PRD can log in to read up on all of the FAA data on each pilot candidate so that they can make a more informed decision when hiring people.
You are allowed to register for a PRD account if you are a pilot that holds a FAA Commercial, Remote Pilot, or Airline Transport certificate.
Bear in mind that your medical will need to be up-to-date to read the records within the database.
What You Can Find In Your FAA Record
You can use the PRD to find out many things about yourself and other pilots assigned with the FAA. Here, you will be able to find out the following information for a pilot:
- Full name
- Address
- Certification status and information
- Medical information, such as class, potential limitations, and insurance details
- Any history of incidents/ accidents involved in, if any
- Any history of enforcement, if any
- Previous employers within the aviation background
- Last NDR request
- Any other records that the FAA deems acceptable to hold within the PRD.
All of this data is public knowledge within the aviation sector when pilots are able to log into the PRD.
You can look up to yourself, your peers, and even pilots that you have never even met. This is one of the reasons why it is so valuable for employers.
If you are up for a new job, you might consider looking up your opponents within the PRD so that you can see who has the more appealing FAA records between you.
Why Might You Want To See Your Records Within The PRD?
There are many reasons why you may want to access the PRD, but they include:
- To obtain a copy of your current medical certificate.
- To update your medical record.
- To verify your identity.
Bear in mind that you might not always be able to change the information within the PRD by yourself.
If you spot some incorrect data and cannot amend it yourself, you will need to talk to the FAA, or someone higher in power than you are, to ask them to change the data.
They will then review the changes and either accept or deny your request.
If they accept your request, then you should see a change within a few days to a few weeks.
However, if they deny your request you will have to accept that the data cannot be removed from your FAA records. This usually applies to incidents and enforcement history.
While you might not want potential new employers to see this data, it is important that it cannot be removed from your records.
This way the employer is able to see exactly who they are hiring and your background in incidents and enforcement.
Trust that they will give you a second chance if the incident was your fault, and attempt to explain the situation without making excuses for yourself.
Tell them how you handled the situation calmly and professionally, and hopefully they will see through your past mistakes.
Why Do New Employers Look Through FAA Records?
The main reason that new employers look at your FAA records is because they want to know what kind of person you are. They want to know if you are trustworthy and honest, and if you have had previous issues.
They also want to know if you have been charged with an offense or found guilty of a crime, and whether or not you were punished appropriately.
They do this to ensure that they hire someone who would fit into their company culture, and that they would be safe working alongside them.
The FAA records are also a great way to see all of your relevant information within the aviation sector in one place.
They no longer need to go searching for all of this information and take longer to do so – they can access it all within the PRD.
How To Access The Pilot Records Database
If you are interested in accessing your own FAA records, there are two ways that you can do so. You will need to create a MyAccess account using your pilot information. This will grant you access to your FAA records.
To create your account you will either need to use:
- The last 4 digits of your SSN
- An image of a Government issued ID document
If you cannot sign up to a MyAccess account for some reason, you will not be able to see your records.
However, if a new employer has asked for you to grant access to your FAA records but you cannot access them with MyAccess, hope is not all lost.
You can fill in a FAA Form 8060-14, which will grant the potential new employer access to see your FAA records. However, you will not be able to see your records yourself.
Summary
Hopefully, you now understand why new employers look at your records, and how you can find your own FAA records.
Bear in mind that you will need to have a SSN number or an ID that matches your flight records to be able to create an account for the Pilot Records Database.
Here will be lots of information about your flight history and personal history, such as your name, incident history, and insurance.
If you need to show your employer your FAA records but cannot access them yourself, you can fill out a form to grant them access instead. Good luck!
I decided to create this source of knowledge from my own experiences, in the hopes of helping budding pilots to get through their training.
So, if you’re thinking about becoming a pilot or are in the middle of your training, I hope that this website and my knowledge comes of some benefit to you. I’d love to think that my website made your experience a little less stressful and a lot more fun!
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