How can states charge fees? Pilot licenses are federally-issued.
Well, Illinois does. I think they justify it by the pilots getting something for that fee (I was told what once, and it seemd about $10 worth) but that doesn’t wash in my book because the fee is mandatory. They’ve been doing it for years, though.
Johnny –
Let’s see what it says on the WA state registration certificate:
"In accordance with RCW 47.68.233, Resident pilots are required to register annually with the Aviation Division, WSDOT.
The registration fee is used for Air Search and Resuce, Safety and Eduation."
They send us a cool book with pictures of all state airports.
Best regards,
Mooney252
What? The Civil Air Patrol isn’t good enough? Do lost hikers have to register as hikers, in case they need to be airlifted off of a mountain?
AOPA has sends out an airport directory every year.
It just doesn’t seem right that a state can require a mandatory fee for a federal licensee who exercises his or her privileges on airports that (at least many of which) receive federal funding.
Mooney, since it says resident pilots does that mean any resident with a pilot’s license, whether or not they are “exercising the privilages of the certificate” or not? I mean, if someone stops flying due to poverty or medical reasons or whatever and yet doesn’t surrender their license are they still required to pay the fee?
I don’t know what the enabling legislation was but I do know that it’s common to fund state aviation safety activities. Nor have I ever heard of someone being asked for their certificate.
On a Mooney mail list that I subscribe to, people once asked if they’d ever had to show their pilots license. I think one guy did at a ramp check. I’ve never been asked for it, even when crossing the U.S.-Canadian border.