Ask Lemmy

The FAA had to alter IACRA because of me. Well, to be honest it was their own damn fault.

IACRA is the system where you apply online for pilot's licenses and such; instead of filling out an 8710-11 form and mailing it to the local FSDO or whatever, you do that on the internet.

I was applying for my light sport instructor license. One of the prerequisites to become any kind of aviation instructor is to demonstrate knowledge of the Fundamentals of Instruction. They accept four things:

• Scoring a 70 or above on the FAA's FoI knowledge test within the last 24 calendar months
• Proof of employment at an accredited college or university as a professor
• A state-issued teaching certificate for grade 7 or higher
• Any other FAA issued instructor certificate, logic being is, if you're already an instructor, you've presented evidence of one of the previous three.

I took and aced the FoI test fairly early in my CFI training...so early that the test result was threatening to expire. So rather than take it again, I decided to take the test for Basic Ground Instructor, which essentially made the test score permanent.

The day finally came for my CFI-SP checkride, I start filling out the IACRA form...and the website will only accept a knowledge test score. I call the examiner, she pulls it up, goes "Huh. Well, looks like you get to fill out a paper 8710 and I get to call Washington."

So if you're the web developer the government hired to make and/or fix that form, I was that guy! And since it's a US Government website, I bet you did it in the most bullshit unusable way possible.