Check Rides Grind to a Halt After IACRA System Failure

The system outage comes amid an ongoing pilot examiner shortage that has already forced some applicants to wait weeks for a test date.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, March 03, 2023 at 12:33 PM ET

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Flight training. [Credit: Daryl LaBello/Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA's Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system is experiencing sporadic failures and data loss, making it difficult for designated pilot examiners (DPEs) to conduct required check rides.
This outage causes significant disruption for pilot applicants, who face lost time, wasted expenses, and extended waits for testing dates, contributing to the existing pilot shortage.
The FAA confirmed database issues from February 27-28, resulting in data loss, and advised that some applications may need manual processing or re-submission.
While a paper application (Form 8710-1) is an alternative, it presents challenges such as the need for physical signatures from flight instructors who may no longer be available.

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In January, the FAA’s Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) system crashed, spurring a ground stop of commercial air traffic. Today, it’s the sporadic failures of the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system (IACRA) that are making it nearly impossible for designated pilot examiners to perform check rides.

“It’s been going up and down for days,” said Doug Stewart, a DPE from the east coast. Stewart was also the first executive director of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators, an organization that, along with the National Association of Flight Instructors, strives to improve the quality of flight instruction to create better pilots.