Definition
FAA Form 8710-1, titled 'Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application,' is the official application form used by pilots and other airmen to apply for a new pilot certificate, an additional rating on an existing certificate, or the renewal or reinstatement of a certificate. It records the applicant's personal information, aeronautical experience, instructor endorsements, and the type of certificate or rating sought, and is submitted to an FAA representative or Designated Pilot Examiner before a practical test.
Plain English
It is the FAA's standard application paperwork a pilot fills out when they want a new certificate or rating, or to renew one. It lists who you are, what flying experience you have, and what you're applying for.
Context Anchor
You encounter FAA Form 8710-1 during checkride preparation, instructor endorsements, and certificate or rating applications, often through the FAA’s online IACRA system.
Why Pilots Care
Submitting this form is required to legally obtain or upgrade pilot credentials.
Intuition Check
Do not treat 8710-1 as a regulation number or a test score. It is simply the FAA’s identifying number for this application form.
Example Sentence 1
Before her private pilot checkride, Maria completed FAA Form 8710-1 in IACRA and had her instructor sign the endorsement section.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor verified that FAA Form 8710-1 was properly filled out prior to endorsement.