BULLETIN TYPE:Flight Standards Information Bulletin for Air Transportation (FSAT)

ORDERS:8400.10

APPENDIX:4

BULLETIN NUMBER:FSAT 04-07

BULLETIN TITLE:Flight Attendant Certification

EFFECTIVE DATE:12/10/04

TRACKING NUMBER:N/A

M/M / ATA Code / 14 CFR / PTRS
N/A / N/A / 121 / N/A

APPLICABILITY:

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1. PURPOSE. This bulletin cancels N8400.64, Flight Attendant Certification. It provides revised guidance for principal operations inspectors (POI), aviation safety inspectors (ASI)-cabin safety, and directors of operations (DO) of certain air carriers concerning the flight attendant certification requirements established by Congress. It is reformatted for better readability.

2. BACKGROUND. In the fall of 2003, Congress established a flight attendant certification requirement under the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (the Act). Although flight attendants perform safety- and security-related functions, they previously had never been certificated like pilots, mechanics, aircraft dispatchers, parachute riggers, and others whom Congress calls airmen, collectively. Congress acknowledged that flight attendants perform vital crewmember functions onboard air carrier aircraft, including emergency functions for aircraft evacuations, firefighting, first aid, and response to security threats. Flight attendants are considered safety-sensitive employees subject to FAA drug and alcohol testing requirements and flight time limitations.

3. AVAILABILITY OF THE VISION 100-CENTURY OF AVIATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT. The entire Act may be downloaded at:

A. Click on Public and Private Laws.

B. In the query box enter “public law 108-176” (with quotes).

C. Click on Submit.

D. Click on the .PDF version of public law 108-176.

E. Flight Attendant Certification is in Title VIII-Miscellaneous, section 814, Flight Attendant Certification (page 102).

4. KEY PROVISIONS OF THE ACT. Among other provisions, the Act provides the following:

A. Definition of the term flight attendant. A flight attendant works in the cabin of an aircraft that has 20 or more seats and is used by an air carrier to provide air transportation.

B. Scope. The Act applies to flight attendants of air carriers providing air transportation using airplanes with 20 or more passenger seats under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 121 and 135.

C. Distinction. The Act distinguishes between this certificate and an airman’s certificate. This certificate is not an airman’s certificate as specified in Title 49 of the United States Code (49U.S.C.), section 44703; it is a separate kind of certificate as specified in 49 U.S.C., section 44728.

D. Appearance of the certificate. Each certificate of demonstrated proficiency shall:

(1) be numbered;

(2) contain the name, address, and description of the individual to whom the certificate is issued;

(3) be similar in size and appearance to certificates issued to airmen; and

(4) contain the airplane group for which the certificate is issued (Group 1 = Propeller-driven; Group 2 = Turbojet-powered). See Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14CFR) part 121, section 121.400).

NOTE: An airline name appearing in the Limitations section of the certificate is not required by the Act and is not a restriction; it simply identifies the origin airline. The first several thousand certificates were issued with an airline’s name appearing in the Limitations section. The more recent certificates do not show an airline name in the Limitations section, nor will they in the future.

E. Compliance deadline. After December 11, 2004, no person may serve as a flight attendant aboard an aircraft of an air carrier unless that person holds a certificate of demonstrated proficiency issued by the FAA.

5. IMPLEMENTING THE ACT, GENERAL.

A. The DO enters a record; the FAA awards a certificate. If a flight attendant has not been previously certificated, the Director of Operations (DO) submits notification to the FAA by entering certain pertinent information through a web-based interface into the Flight Attendant Certification System database signifying that the individual has successfully completed all requirements of the FAA-approved training program. A certificate of demonstrated proficiency is effective immediately upon receipt by the FAA of notification by the Director of Operations by the above method. The FAA will mail a wallet-sized hardcopy of the certificate to the flight attendant within 10 to 14 days.

B. If the DO verifies that a flight attendant already holds a certificate,no further action by the DO is required. If a flight attendant has previously received a certificate of demonstrated proficiency in connection with training provided by another air carrier, the DO of the current air carrier verifies that a certificate of demonstrated proficiency has been issued. This verification is accomplished by either of two methods:

(1) a flight attendant presents the hardcopy certificate to the DO, or to the DO’s representative, or

(2) the DO or DO’s representative queries the FAA’s database ( and finds a pre-existing certificate

C. If the DO cannot verify that flight attendant already holds a certificate, the DO must enter a complete record in the name of the flight attendant in the Flight Attendant Certification System database.

D. Carrying the certificate is optional. Flight attendants are not required to carry the certificate. If requested, flight attendants shall present their certificate to the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, or another Federal agency within a reasonable period of time after the date of request (FAA policy: 15 days). FAA ASIs are not required to verify if the flight attendant has in his or her possession the Flight Attendant Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency. An ASI may use the ISIS mainframe database or the SPAS airmen search utility (MSAT-A) to verify that a certificate has been issued.

6. IMPLEMENTING THE ACT, SPECIFIC.

A. Director of Operations.

(1) The DO requests, in writing and on company letterhead, access to the FAA’s Flight Attendant Certification System. The request shall include the DO’s E-MAIL ADDRESS and be mailed to:

Federal Aviation Administration

Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760

P.O. Box 25082

Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082

(2) The DO determines that a person has successfully completed the training requirements approved by the FAA for that person to serve as a flight attendant.

(3) The DO enters a record in the FAA’s database in a timely manner, in the following instances:

The first time a flight attendant not already holding a certificate completes initial, recurrent, or re-qualification training, or
An airplane Group rating is added to an existing certificate.

(4) The DO enters the following data for each record:

Name
Date of birth
Place of birth
Address
Physical description (height, weight, hair and eye color, and gender)
Citizenship
Qualification in Group I, Group II, or both

NOTE: Entering a record and generating a certificate is normally a one-time occurrence for each flight attendant, regardless of the number of air carrier training programs a flight attendant might complete. When a flight attendant completes training with a second (or subsequent) airline a subsequent record normally is not entered into the system, and no new certificate is generated.

One exception: When a flight attendant completes training with a second (or subsequent) airline and a new airplane group is added to the certificate. Only in this case must the DO enter updated information in the System; a new certificate is generated. (Two airline names would appear in the FAA database, the name of the origin airline and the name of the applicable subsequent airline.)

B. An individual flight attendant.

(1) Updating personal information is voluntary. If personal information shown on the Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency should change, such as a name, date of birth, citizenship, or gender, a flight attendant may request that the information be changed in the FAA’s database. He or she should send by United States Postal Service, a signed request stating the reason for the request. The request should include social security number, date and place of birth, and certificate number together with a copy of formal documentation showing evidence of the change(s) such as a marriage certificate, a divorce decree, or a court order. Mailing address is:

FAA

Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760

PO Box 25082

Oklahoma City, OK 73125

(2) Replacement certificates are available. To obtain a replacement certificate reflecting any such change(s) a flight attendant must provide a permanent mailing address, and include a check or money order for $2, payable to the Federal Aviation Administration. If the permanent mailing address includes a post office box number, a rural route, or a commercial address, then the current residence address must be identified. If the residence address is listed as General Delivery, Rural Route, or Star Route, the flight attendant must provide written directions or a diagram locating the residence, attested by his/her signature. Flight attendants should mail requests to the address listed above. Incomplete information in a request could delay the issuance of a replacement certificate. A form that may be used in requesting a replacement certificate may be downloaded from the FAA’s public website at:

(3) Address change: Notification to FAA not required. A flight attendant is not required to notify the FAA of an address change, but may do so voluntarily. Procedures apply as shown in (1) and (2), just above.

C. The FAA.

(1) FAA provides a user ID and password to the DO. When the FAA receives a valid request from a DO for access to the Flight Attendant Certification System, the FAA sends a confirmation message to the DO by e-mail containing a user ID and password for access.

(2) FAA awards a certificate of demonstrated proficiency. Concurrent with each record entered by the DO in the System (FAA notification) the FAA awards a certificate of demonstrated proficiency. Each certificate is effective immediately.

NOTE: Before December 1, 2004, the FAA Flight Attendant Certification System database accepted batch files as a courtesy to the airlines, and particularly to the DOs, to help them meet the start-up task of entering records for all their company’s flight attendants -- thousands in some cases. Most records (almost 100,000) have been entered as this bulletin goes to press. Since December 1 the FAA no longer accepts batch files. The DO must use the web-based system for entering flight attendant records.

Each airline’s DO registering with the Civil Aviation Registry receives a designator (user ID), a password, a help file, and a link to the web site for entering flight attendant records. The help file provides contact information in case any problems arise while using the System. If questions arise concerning flight attendant information or system difficulties, the Registry may be reached toll free at 1-866-878-2498.

(3) FAA mails a certificate to the flight attendant. Within approximately 10 to 14 days of awarding a certificate, the FAA sends a wallet-sized hardcopy of that certificate by U.S. Postal Service to the respective flight attendant.

7. PRIVACY ACT. Under the Privacy Act, personal information is generally not available to the public. Certain personal information held by the FAA in each flight attendant’s certification record is not releasable to the public, such as address, physical description, date of birth, and place of birth. Only basic certification information of an identified individual is releasable to the public, such as certificate number, ratings (Group I, Group II), and date of issue.

NOTE: For holders of an airman’s certificate (pilots, air traffic controllers, and others – but not flight attendants) the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) partially overrules the Privacy Act and requires the FAA to release certain information including address information, unless the airman specifically requests that address information be withheld. Consequently, a certificated flight attendant who also holds an airman’s certificate (as a pilot, for example) is subject to AIR-21, and possible releasability of address information. In such a case a flight attendant would have the opportunity to request that address information pertaining to the airman’s certificate be withheld from the public.

( click on Change Releasability Status of your Mailing Address )

8. ACTION. POIs or ASIs-cabin safety, if applicable, shall make the information in this bulletin known to the DO of each operator affected by the Act requiring flight attendants to hold a certificate. Inspectors should provide the DOs with a copy of this bulletin or refer them the FAA’s public website (

9. DISPOSITION. This bulletin will expire when Order 8400.10, Air Transportation Operations Inspector’s Handbook, has been updated to reflect this guidance. Questions concerning this bulletin should be directed to the Air Carrier Training Branch, AFS-210, at (202) 267-7480, or to the Civil Aviation Registry, AFS-700, at 866-878-2498 or 405-954-3822.

/s/ Thomas K. Toula, for

Matthew Schack

Manager, Air Transportation Division