FAA Urging Pilots To Change Certificate Numbers

To help prevent “identity theft,” the FAA is urging pilots who hold an airman certificate that uses their Social Security number (SSN) as their certificate number to change it to a unique number. Pilots wishing to do so can find a “request for change of certificate number” form at http://registry.faa.gov/docs/SSN_Change.pdf or request the form by calling the FAA’s Airman Certification Branch at (405) 954-3261. The form also gives pilots the option of allowing the FAA to use their SSN internally as an ID number or eliminating their SSN from all FAA records. The recently reopened online pilot database doesn’t list SSNs or pilot certificate numbers.