The United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2247, the Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act, on Mar. 24. The bill, introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee’s 2nd District, seeks to modernize Federal Aviation Administration inspection processes by permitting pilots to present either physical or digital copies of required certification documents.
The legislation updates Title 49 of the United States Code to allow airmen to use secure digital versions of their certificates during FAA inspections. These can include documents stored on mobile devices or cloud-based platforms. Currently, pilots are generally expected to carry physical documentation, which may be lost or damaged and sometimes becomes inaccessible.
“Technology has advanced, and aviation regulations should reflect that,” said Rep. Tim Burchett in a statement released after the vote. “If passengers can have their boarding passes on their phones, pilots should be able to digitally carry copies of certification documents. My bill will give pilots the flexibility to safely and securely present their credentials in a way that matches today’s digital world.”
Burchett is currently serving in Congress representing Tennessee’s 2nd district after replacing Jimmy Duncan in 2019 according to public records. He has served as U.S. Representative since 2019 and previously held seats in both the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1995-1999 and the Tennessee Senate from 1999-2010 as reported by legislative history sources.
Born in Knoxville in 1964, Burchett is now age 58 and continues to reside there according to biographical information. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville according to his educational background.
Observers say this legislative change could streamline compliance for pilots while reducing risks associated with paper documentation.
