Definition
An FAA-maintained electronic system that stores and shares a pilot's employment, training, qualification, and disciplinary records. Air carriers and certain other operators are required to report pilot records into the database and to review a pilot's records there before making a hiring decision.
Plain English
A central FAA system that holds a pilot's history of training results, employment, and any disciplinary actions, so that companies hiring pilots can check that history before offering them a job.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in professional pilot hiring, airline or commercial operator paperwork, and FAA recordkeeping requirements.
Why Pilots Care
Airlines must consult this database before hiring, so any inaccuracies or negative entries directly affect employment prospects and overall flight safety.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse the Pilot Records Database with a personal pilot logbook. A logbook records your flight experience; the Pilot Records Database is an official FAA system used by approved employers to review required background records.
Example Sentence 1
Before extending a job offer, the airline reviewed the applicant's Pilot Records Database file to check her training and employment history.
Example Sentence 2
A pilot can request access to review their own entries in the Pilot Records Database for accuracy.