johnh wrote:
Then there’s currency. In the US a licence is forever, but a medical isn’t. There are plenty of people who have a PPL but no medical. It’s possible to download the “airman database” and do whatever analysis you want on it.
Aren’t the class ratings time limited in the US? The licenses are also forever in Europe, so many CAAs (e.g. the Swedish ones) use valid class ratings rather than licenses for the number of licensed pilots.
Ratings are printed on an FAA pilot certificate and like the certificate itself are forever. Currency is the only thing that expires, and it is not tracked by FAA.
Silvaire wrote:
Currency is the only thing that expires, and it is not tracked by FAA.
No, but the “airman database” does tell you the date of issue of the most recent medical. So you can easily see people who no longer have a current medical. I agree it gives you no idea whether they are current in other respects, e.g. valid BFR. But at least in theory you can not fly for 20 years, then go up and get a BFR and you’re good to go again.
