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FAA Proposes Removing Obsolete Balloon and Pilot Certificate Rules from Part 61
The FAA aims to remove outdated regulations addressing free-balloon pilot certificates issued before 1973 and other expired pilot certificates and ratings to modernize Part 61.
The gist
FAA proposes eliminating old rules on free-balloon and expired pilot certificates that no longer affect current certificate holders.
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The Federal Aviation Administration has unveiled a proposal to excise two sections of 14 CFR Part 61 that pertain to obsolete and expired pilot certificates. These sections, 61.7 and 61.11, currently regulate free-balloon pilot certificates issued prior to November 1, 1973, as well as other outdated pilot certificates and ratings. This move is part of the FAA’s ongoing effort to streamline regulations by removing provisions that no longer have practical application in today’s aviation environment.
Section 61.7 specifically addresses the now-defunct free-balloon pilot certificates, while section 61.11 covers certificates and ratings that either expired or were issued under older rules with expiration dates. The FAA indicated in its notice of proposed rulemaking, published in the Federal Register, that these certificates and ratings are obsolete and would no longer be used by pilots today. The proposal, therefore, seeks to remove and reserve those sections without altering the privileges of current airmen who hold valid pilot certificates.
According to the FAA, there are only four airmen who still hold the obsolete free-balloon pilot certificates governed under section 61.7. However, all of these individuals have since been issued modern certificates and ratings that confer the same privileges as the old certificates. This fact reinforces the agency’s conclusion that maintaining these outdated regulatory provisions is unnecessary and offers no benefit to current certificate holders or the broader pilot community.
Section 61.11 encompasses rules concerning pilot certificates issued before 1949 and certain certificates issued after 1949 that included expiration dates. The FAA’s Airman Certification Branch reported that there is no longer any pilot using such expired certificates under these provisions. Given this absence of active holders, the rule no longer serves a meaningful purpose and its removal will help clarify Part 61, reducing complexity and eliminating archaic language.
This regulatory change was spurred in part by a recommendation from the Experimental Aircraft Association. In May, the EAA responded to a Department of Transportation request for information on regulatory reform by calling for the removal of section 61.11. The EAA pointed out that the rule deals with certificates that are invalid once a pilot reaches a certain age or certificates that would have been reissued decades ago, making the provision effectively obsolete.
The EAA’s broader filing touched on various aspects of general aviation regulation, beyond just the balloon and expired pilot certificate rules. Recommendations included updates to the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates (MOSAIC) program, recreational pilot certificate rules, third-class medical requirements, as well as rules governing flight engineers, navigators, and ATC transponder inspections. These collective efforts aim to modernize and simplify the regulatory framework governing general aviation.
Removing antiquated regulations such as these supports the FAA’s objective of maintaining a regulatory code that aligns with current operational realities without compromising safety. It ensures resources are focused on active regulations and certifications that pilot holders rely on currently. By eliminating outdated certificates and ratings regulations that do not affect any active airmen, the FAA avoids potential confusion and administrative burden.
The proposal does not alter the privileges or legal standing of any current pilot certificate holders, reaffirming that operational use remains governed by modern certificates and ratings. This careful approach ensures that no pilot’s authority is diminished while cleaning up regulatory clutter from Part 61. The FAA's next step will be to consider public comments on the proposal before finalizing the elimination of these obsolete rules.
This initiative reflects ongoing efforts within the FAA and the aviation community to continuously update and tailor regulations to reflect present-day aviation practices. Removing these outdated balloon and pilot certificate regulations marks a small but meaningful step in refining the legal framework to better serve today’s pilots and the broader aviation ecosystem.
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Duffy said the DOT will "slow-roll different aspects" of SMART rather than introduce the whole system at once. He said the agency has demonstrated it to Congress and plans to do so for Trump. "If there's paths through the weather that we can safely take, we can deploy those for our airlines and increase the through capacity," Duffy said. The secretary said the idea of SMART is not to "outsource" airspace management to AI but rather to give controllers another tool in their toolkit. "We can't control the weather, but we can control the decisions that we make to keep airspace open, or only close airspace when we absolutely have to," said Bedford. "The primary mission of the air traffic organization is to keep things separated. None of that's changing…It's going to create more safe capacity to stop the traffic jams on the airports and get flights moving." FLYING readers can track progress on ATC modernization using the FAA's Modern Skies portal .
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