New English Proficiency Endorsement Needed for International

[Doug Taylor]

SUBJECT: New English Proficiency Endorsement Needed for International Flying

BACKGROUND: Effective March 5, 2008, ICAO Standards require that all Private, Commercial,
ATPs, Flight Engineers and Flight Navigators license/certificate holders, operating internationally as
required crewmembers, have an airman certificate with an endorsement of English language proficiency.
Because a foreign civil aviation authority could choose to start enforcing this requirement with ramp
checks on U.S. and Canadian pilots starting March 5, it is important that you follow the recommended
steps below to obtain a replacement pilot certificate/license as soon as possible.

Both the FAA and Transport Canada are basing compliance with this new ICAO standard on pilots
having met eligibility requirements contained in FARs and CARs. Therefore, no additional testing is
required of current pilots in either country. However, all pilots in both the U.S. and Canada will need to
receive a new License/Certificate containing an endorsement of English proficiency. This endorsement
will simply attest that the holder meets the ICAO English language proficiency standards.

In the U.S.: The FAA is making available replacement certificates with the additional endorsement –
“English Proficient.” The FAA only recently published InFO 08008, which explains the requirements and
the process in place for pilots to receive a new certificate with the endorsement.

In Canada: Many Canadian license holders already have the language proficiency annotation on their
license; Transport Canada (TC) has been issuing them since October 2007. TC will be mailing re-printed
licenses, which include the language proficiency annotation, to the remaining holders of Commercial and
ATP licenses over the next few weeks. In general, there should be no need for Canadian license holders
to do anything to get the required endorsement put on their licenses; a new document should simply arrive
in the mail.


RECOMMENDATIONS:

U.S. ALPA members: All U.S. ALPA members who may fly as crewmembers on international flights on
or after March 5 should apply for their new certificates as soon as possible by:
1. The internet at https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/amsrvs/Logon.asp
2. Mail to the Federal Aviation Administration, Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760, P.O.Box
25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082. If by mail, include a signed, written request with the
following information: name, date and place of birth, social security number and/or certificate
number, the reason you need a replacement and a current address. The cost is $2.00.
PLEASE NOTE: To help ensure that you receive your new certificate as soon as possible, be sure that the
FAA has your current mailing address. If not, please be sure to update your address on the FAA website
above BEFORE requesting a new certificate. The FAA has advised us that they have made special
provisions to mail new certificates within five business days of receiving requests for the language
proficiency endorsement.

More information can be found regarding how to get a replacement certificate at
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certific...e_replacement/.

NOTE 1: The above two options for obtaining a new pilot certificate do not apply to FAA pilot certificates
based on a foreign license. Please see the “FAA InFO” document link in the above Background section of
this Bulletin for instructions on the process to follow.

NOTE 2: If you have not yet changed your pilot certificate number from your SSN to a different number,
doing so at the same time will essentially result in getting either the language proficiency endorsement or
revised certificate number for free since both will be done with the same $2 replacement fee. This can be
done by selecting the option to replace the SSN. This is recommended to help avoid identity theft.

Canadian ALPA members: Anyone who does not receive an updated license from TC in the near
future can contact his or her regional licensing office. However, the hope is that the TC process will result
in an updated license arriving without the need for any request from pilots. You can find a list of the
regional offices on the Internet at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/regions.htm

There is no difference in the process for obtaining a replacement license with the required endorsement
for pilots holding a Transport Canada license issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license.

Contact the ALPA Engineering and Air Safety Department at 1-800-424-2470 or EAS@alpa.org for
further information or to report safety issues.

[germb747]

The major heartache I have about this is that I applied for a new rating on Dec. 20th and have yet to recieve my permanent certificate. I'm not sure whether or not my new certificate will contain the endorsement. As of right now, my new type rating doesn't appear in the FAA's online database, so I'm wondering if I should still complete the "replacement certificate" form even though my certificate is still processing. And yes, I plan to be flying internationally on March 5th. They really should have been a little more proactive about this instead of releasing a memo on Feb 13 with a deadline of March 5th to comply an no grace period.

I think I'm going to give the FAA a call early next week to ask them about the status of my certificate and whether or not I need to request a new one.

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Que?

[BobDDuck]

I've (hopefully) got a new certificate coming in a month so I think I'm set. That and where I'm at won't be doing international flying ever again. But that said it's sort of repetitive to have to write it on the certificate when it is already a requirement of the certificate itself.

[aloft]

Originally Posted by germb747

The major heartache I have about this is that I applied for a new rating on Dec. 20th and have yet to recieve my permanent certificate. I'm not sure whether or not my new certificate will contain the endorsement. As of right now, my new type rating doesn't appear in the FAA's online database, so I'm wondering if I should still complete the "replacement certificate" form even though my certificate is still processing.

I wouldn't worry about it. If your new rating isn't in the online database yet, they haven't processed your app, and if they haven't processed your app yet, it'll have the endorsement when they do.

[inside0ut]

We just got a company memo about this. I had to fork over 2 bucks to the FAA to have something written on my license thats a requirement for said license. Great. Just as I pull up my line and find I have a Toronto overnight next month.

[chrisdahut1]

Here's something they didn't address: I've got a temporary certificate dated 1/22/08. It has no English endorsement on it. It'll take a while for the permanent certificate to come. I could request a new permanent English proficient cert. now, but it would be useless because it won't have the new type rating on it yet as that 8710 won't be processed for a while.

Do I just continue using my temporary as is, or request a new temporary with the language proficiency on it?

[sorrygottarunway]

Air France anyone?

[SDLpilot]

I think it any new cert. after 2/14-15/08 will have it on them. I did it online in about 5-10min.

[Clocks]

Just a heads up my certificate from my PC 12/20/07 came with the English Proficient on it (got it today).

[kellwolf]

Well, I've got no trips to Canada in March, so I'm gonna play it risky and gamble. Like Ethan, I should (hopefully) be getting a new cert pretty soon.

Of course, you COULD do this: if you wouldn't be flying international except for where you're working, pay the $2, and submit an expense report to the base manager.

[inside0ut]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Of course, you COULD do this: if you wouldn't be flying international except for where you're working, pay the $2, and submit an expense report to the base manager.

A bunch of us tried this, to no avail. Came back denied.

Well if I dont do it I cant fly so it is required, but you dont want to pay? Makes no sense.

[ClearedForOption]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Of course, you COULD do this: if you wouldn't be flying international except for where you're working, pay the $2, and submit an expense report to the base manager.

Originally Posted by inside0ut

A bunch of us tried this, to no avail. Came back denied.

The people i'm working for are doing the same thing... because the fee is mandated by the FAA it will not be reimbursed.

I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!!!!!!!

[WalterSobchak]

Got me myne! I'm englisch profishant!

[inside0ut]

Originally Posted by ClearedForOption

I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!!!!!!!

Me too! I almost thought about writing it on the back of my cert with a sharpie. After all, it is one of the requirements as per the FARs and I'm pretty sure I can demon...demonsreat....speak good engrish!!