A new bill introduced in Congress aims to digitalize pilot certificates—eliminating the need for pilots to carry physical copies of their medical and airman certificates.
What happens if your “smart” phone battery runs out without a physical certificate on your person? I don’t know of any state BMV that does this with a drivers license.
Once it’s “digital”, then both you and the FAA lose control over it.
Nothing is cheaper, or controllable, or as maintenance free as our current printed cards.
As of October 2024, these states have active mDL (Digital driver’s licenses) programs:
Can’t speak for other states, but I just renewed in Ohio and that option was never presented to me at the BMV office.
I suspect that those states still issue wallet card drivers licenses in addition to making them digitally available.
Lemme see here … the Country is operating on a temporary budget (barely) and all sorts of other very important “issues” need attention. Meanwhile, this Representative is introducing an ‘Act’ to fix something that ain’t broken and I’ve never EVER heard any aviators moan about. Got it. There’s your problem …
Considering the possible penalties for accidentally forgetting to bring along a physical copy of your certificate, this seems like a no-brainer to me. I use an EFB to meet FAA charting requirements, why not my certificates too? I’m not taking off without charts (EFB) aboard, and if I’ve got my iPad then I’ll always have my certificates. Google’s Wallet app provides a secure and acceptable (to a growing number of government agencies) means of storing digital ID. Use the app to take a photo of the document, and you’re good to go.
100% agree. This is a no-brainer. The cost and time required print and mail. A physical pilot and medical certificate is crazy in a world where credit cards, airline boarding passes, and so many other things are available at the touch of a button on your phone.
Currently, if you’re ever ramp checked and you don’t have your physical license on you, it’s a big deal and can result in major headaches for the pilot, even if that license exists and is perfectly valid.
I could see a scenario during the transition where all the luddites who want a physical a certificate could check a box and have one sent to them. But for the rest of us just give me a digital copy that I can pull up or access with a QR code anytime I need to get to it…
I just got a new rating earlier this week and had to make a note in my calendar to make sure I’d received my new pilot certificate within 60 days so that if I hadn’t I could make start making phone calls to my DPE and to the physio to start chasing someone down at the FAA to make sure they could find things and get it processed before 120 days. At which time I’d be illegal to fly unless I have the physical certificate in my hand. That feels pretty ridiculous…
It would need to have all the bugs worked out, but it’s worth pursuing. I’ll send my congressman a telegram endorsing the idea. 
This may come as a shock, but not everyone uses their phone for “everything”! I use my phone as a phone. If you can’t remember to carry your Pilot certificate and Medical evidence, then maybe you shouldn’t be flying! These 2 items have been in my wallet for over 57 years. I don’t carry my phone everywhere. I DO carry my wallet. I fail to see the problem that needs fixing.
That is also the answer to the “why” - it costs the government money to make, print, and mail pilot certificates, so the “problem” this aims to solve is a government money issue. It has almost nothing to do with solving a problem for the pilots themselves.
It’s the same reason why the FAA recently removed the expiration date on instructor certificates. We still have to follow the same currency/renewal process, except now it’s called a “recent experience” date and we keep the same instructor certificate. That too was all about government cost savings.
I’ve lived in Missouri for decades and never have been offered any digital license. I searched the official MO Dept of Revenue site re DL’s and there’s no mention of any digital license. Many licenses can be renewed on line, but that doesn’t make the license itself “digital”, so I’d have to dispute your including MO in that list.
What happens when your iPad or phone can’t get data? This just happened to me on my iPad. It wouldn’t load. How will you access your license under these circumstances? There are lots of dead zones out West. What then? I think this is a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist.
You would store a local copy on your device.
I’m pretty neutral on the idea myself. I don’t have a problem carrying a physical pilot certificate and driver’s license, but it’s also not that big a deal to have a digital version of either or both. The only two real issues with the latter are running out of battery (and there are ways to solve that) or losing or having your phone stolen (in which case hopefully you have everything sufficiently locked down so your information can’t be stolen; but that can happen if you lose your wallet, too).
I think that us older (more mature) aviators would be more inclined to say no to the idea. The young folks will jump all over this. But then, I like a six pack best also (both kinds).
Additional option? Absolutely! Sole source? No, thanks.
And I do have both the hard card and electronic versions of my Delaware DL – color me a “belt and suspenders” guy for my aviation life. I’ll be writing to my reps to encourage support.
To address all the negative comments, you can treat this as an AMOC, it’s not a “problem “, it’s an alternative.
“An alternative “ for now…