Magnetic strip on back of PPL Card

JordanDelaney

JordanDelaney

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oswego12344
Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any idea what the credit card like magnetic strip on the back of the airman certificate is for? I tried searching google but with no luck. I'm guessing this feature is a bit new?

:dunno:
 
I was just wondering too. Anyone have a magnetic card reader at home...?
 
I have access to various magnetic card readers, and so far, none of them were able to read it. If there's any info, it's not put together like typical 3 track data on credit cards, and other various encoded cards.
 
Well this has turned into quite a conspiracy lol.

EDIT: Perhaps it's something the FAA has built into the card so that they can use it later on for a certain feature? Google is returning no results. I asked my DPE and he is just as curious as I am.
 
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After some research I found this:

"Magnetic Strip on Pilot License?

Dear Editor:

I am a senior aviation medical examiner in Texas and daily am asked what the “magnetic strip” on the Pilot License contains and what it is or will be used for….It would be helpful if you would publish this information in your next issue of the Federal Air Surgeon’s Medical Bulletin.

Sincerely,
William Henry Krass, DO
Bedford, Texas
----------------
Dear Dr. Krass:
According to Harold Everett, Manager,
Airmen Certification Branch, the paperwork for certificates (licenses) is examined and processed in Oklahoma City and the information to print the certificate is sent to a contractor in California. The “strip” helps ensure that the contractor in California matches the certificate with the correct card carrier that is mailed with the certificate. The strip contains a sequence number and card type, and the “unique identifier” number. The strip contains no personal information— no Social Security Number or any other personal information.
—Editor "
SOURCE: http://www.leftseat.com/AME/FASMB200803.pdf

So I guess the FAA sends the blank card with the encoded strip to their printing agency, which, probably in the interest efficiency simply scans the card and their computers interpret and print the information. The conspiracy is solved :)
 
JordanDelaney said:
The conspiracy is solved :)
Click to expand...

Solved?!? Are you kidding? No conspiracy theory worthy of the name is solved by the "official story". There's still plenty of questions left and a lot of inconstancies in the government's story.

For instance, if there is data on there, why didn't any of Meanee's various readers pick it up?

Why would they use some secret, non-standard format for something they claim has no personal information?

For that matter, what is this '“unique identifier” number' that can be used to match the card to a specific person, and how is it not personal information?

Why do they have to ship these cards halfway across the country to get them printed? (And notice they pick California, the state with the most number of businesses, which makes it that much more difficult to check up on one that may or may not print FAA certificates. Interesting... California is also about as far as you get from D.C. and still be in the 48 states. Misdirection...)

And am I the only one who finds it suspicious that after claiming you looked and found nothing, you suddenly stumble upon this convenient answer? Almost as if someone realized people were asking questions and quickly made something up to stop people from digging too deep. Makes you wonder what the real story is.
 
It's actually to open the door of the Black Helo that comes to pick you up after you violate an unannounced TFR. It also contains a mini GPS to locate you for the pickup and since you MUST have it while flying, you cannot escape. :eek:

Cheers
 
Lol. Well believe whatever you want, I guess unless I actually contact someone from the FAA we'll never know for sure. Keep in mind though:

(1): There are only so many things you can do with a magnetic strip.
(2): It would kind of make sense that card readers can no longer read the strip, most likely if the story I posted is true, then the data on the strip would be wiped out.

Something I still don't understand is why is the strip still there if it isn't needed, a simple computer system could transmit data over distances, and most likely if the company in California is printing on the card, they would probably produce the cards as well!
 
If a non-printed card has no pilot data on it, why would they need to track individual cards until they're printed?

Sounds like they were worried about the blanks being printed into fake certificates and reported as "lost" by the printer. Cheaper to mag stripe and keep the encoding secret than to put serial numbers on the cards?

If the printer is tying personal data with a card serial number in their local DB, then the serial number (however its encoded) on the card *is* directly related to personal data if the database is stolen or lost. And that happens all the time.

The data printed on the card is publicly available (in violation of Federal law), so it's not as big a deal as it might be if the data weren't available on a public website.

Allow for true privacy as required by law, that innocuous database at the printer becomes a target for corporate espionage and probably vulnerable to handing a person relatively small money to copy it.

The printer's DB should be dumping the printed data out of it after reporting back to FAA that the card is printed. If its storing the data, it's a broken implementation.
 
JordanDelaney said:
Something I still don't understand is why is the strip still there if it isn't needed, a simple computer system could transmit data over distances, and most likely if the company in California is printing on the card, they would probably produce the cards as well!
Click to expand...

denverpilot said:
If a non-printed card has no pilot data on it, why would they need to track individual cards until they're printed?
Click to expand...

That's what I'm saying. Too many things just don't make sense. There's clearly something more going on here.

I heard someone mention once that the strip might be a miniature GPS tracking device. Have you ever noticed how often ATC knows where you are? Ever flown without your card and had them find you without the aid of the "magnetic strip"? Neither have I.

Of course if you fly without your card to test this theory and then go public with the results, they will suspend your flying privileges, preventing you from doing any more experiments. Pretty clever of them. They'll claim it's in the name of "safety" (but good luck getting them to explain how carrying a simple card around improves safety).

Think about it. The clues are there.
 
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\__[Ô]__/;999893 said:
That's what I'm saying. Too many things just don't make sense. There's clearly something more going on here.

I heard someone mention once that the strip might be a miniature GPS tracking device. Have you ever noticed how often ATC knows where you are? Ever have them find you when you weren't carrying your card with the "magnetic strip"? Neither have I.

Of course if you fly without your card to test this theory and then go public with the results, they will suspend your flying privileges, preventing you from doing any more experiments. Pretty clever of them. They'll claim it's in the name of "safety" (but good luck getting them to explain how carrying a simple card around improves safety).

Think about it. The clues are there.
Click to expand...

Don't you think that is a little bit extreme? Let's be honest, yeah the strip is something to wonder about but how in the world could a magnetic strip on a plastic card be used to transmit anything? They're not designed to do that.

ATC "finds" you on radar because your transponder emits the data. ATC could still "find" me when I had my paper third class medical/student pilot certificate.

I also heard about what you're talking about that but I think that idea is too extreme.
 
JordanDelaney said:
:lol:

I'm somewhat relieved you don't really think that :D
Click to expand...

Wasn't me. But I think it was tongue in cheek.

If its not, expect a handwritten "manifesto" from our ASCII art F-4 Phantom guy and watch out for strange behavior soon. Hehe.
 
If you google magnetic strip pilots license there is a link to an FAA magazine from 2009 that gives the production explanation.

Oh well.

Doug
 
I'm not sure, but guessing that there are employees named Moe, Larry and/or Curley working in the FAA department handling pilot certificates. Years ago, after 9/11, there was a recommendation to put pictures on the cards. In 2010 the FAA announced they intend, someday, to do that. In the meantime, they missed the perfect opportunity to do it when they forced everyone to get new cards recently. Oh well, another nice contract for the card printing company.
P.S. Could they have made them any harder to read? Dark, small, lettering on a dark green background. Nice work Moe.
 
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It is a back-up for the microchip they're going to put in all of us to make people feel "safer".
 
Sorry for revealing the mini GPS installed in the strip. I have been put on double secret probation by the unnamed Govenment agency whose initials are CIA.

Actually, the mini GPS is implanted in your chest by the stethescope the AME uses when he/she does your physical.

The strip is actually a miniature transmitting device that act as a repeater for all ATC communications. It was developed by Huawei, the Chinese firm just named by the Congressional Committee on Investigations. In the unreleased classified annex Huwaei's plans, directed by the Chinese Government, is to record all ATC instruction and then take over the network and cause all aircraft in the eastern US to midair over Yankee stadium and Fenway Park to end the Yankee Red Sox rivalry and completey demoralize the BOWASH corridor leading to the collapse of the USA.

Or not.

Cheers
 
I was going to say "this strip must be new, mine doesn't have one." Made me pull it out and take a look. I just assumed it had all the information contained on the card in electronic form like on my driver's license.

(Side note, grammar Nazis... is "driver's license" correct phraseology, or is it "driver licence?" My California DL reads "driver license". Looks odd to me.)
 
Sac Arrow said:
I was going to say "this strip must be new, mine doesn't have one." Made me pull it out and take a look. I just assumed it had all the information contained on the card in electronic form like on my driver's license.

(Side note, grammar Nazis... is "driver's license" correct phraseology, or is it "driver licence?" My California DL reads "driver license". Looks odd to me.)
Click to expand...

Since most holders of same usually just aim more than they drive, it's a moot point. ;)
 
denverpilot said:
Wasn't me. But I think it was tongue in cheek.

If its not, expect a handwritten "manifesto" from our ASCII art F-4 Phantom guy and watch out for strange behavior soon. Hehe.
Click to expand...

Yep, i was joking but i can see how there might have been confusion. It's Poe's law: "it is difficult or impossible to tell the difference between sincere extremism and an exaggerated parody of extremism"

No manifesto coming. I make no promises about lack of strange behaviour.
 
\__[Ô]__/;999770 said:
Solved?!? Are you kidding? No conspiracy theory worthy of the name is solved by the "official story". There's still plenty of questions left and a lot of inconstancies in the government's story.

For instance, if there is data on there, why didn't any of Meanee's various readers pick it up?

Why would they use some secret, non-standard format for something they claim has no personal information?

For that matter, what is this '“unique identifier” number' that can be used to match the card to a specific person, and how is it not personal information?

Why do they have to ship these cards halfway across the country to get them printed? (And notice they pick California, the state with the most number of businesses, which makes it that much more difficult to check up on one that may or may not print FAA certificates. Interesting... California is also about as far as you get from D.C. and still be in the 48 states. Misdirection...)

And am I the only one who finds it suspicious that after claiming you looked and found nothing, you suddenly stumble upon this convenient answer? Almost as if someone realized people were asking questions and quickly made something up to stop people from digging too deep. Makes you wonder what the real story is.
Click to expand...

And remember: "No airplane hit the Pentagon." :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
Sac Arrow said:
I was going to say "this strip must be new, mine doesn't have one." Made me pull it out and take a look. I just assumed it had all the information contained on the card in electronic form like on my driver's license.

(Side note, grammar Nazis... is "driver's license" correct phraseology, or is it "driver licence?" My California DL reads "driver license". Looks odd to me.)
Click to expand...

I grew up saying "driver's license," and I'm not going to change!
 
Sac Arrow said:
(Side note, grammar Nazis... is "driver's license" correct phraseology, or is it "driver licence?" My California DL reads "driver license". Looks odd to me.)
Click to expand...

DaleB said:
Mine says, "OPERATORS LICENSE".
Click to expand...

VA's says "Driver's Certificate." Wait...no...I've been hanging around airplanes too long. It says "Driver's License." :)
 
JordanDelaney said:
Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any idea what the credit card like magnetic strip on the back of the airman certificate is for? I tried searching google but with no luck. I'm guessing this feature is a bit new?

:dunno:
Click to expand...
If you lose your license, your magnet compass will point to it!
 
V1ROTATE said:
If you lose your license, your magnet compass will point to it!
Click to expand...
That’s why I leave mine in the car parked in the tie down space, so I can always find my way home , even in the clouds.
 
Magnetic recording technology has been around since the 30's. Hardly a high tech thing to be scared of. Then again, it is newer than the design of most of the piston engines we fly with today, so maybe the fear is valid after all.
 
My New Mexico driver's license say Licencia de conducir on it.

Ok, not really.

But my ATP certificate does not have the magnetic strip on it, while my CFI certificate does have the magnetic strip. I asked a fed about it once and he told me it was nothing to worry about unless I started flying internationally. So I still don't know what it is for.
 
There is a special card reader at the FAA that unlocks the door to the room where they keep the treadmill.
 
V1ROTATE said:
If you lose your license, your magnet compass will point to it!
Click to expand...
That joke is good enough that I'm not even mad about the 11 year old thread you resurrected to make it. Even more amusing that you've been lurking for 2 years and chose this to be your second post. I love it :rofl:
 
DesertNomad said:
There is a special card reader at the FAA that unlocks the door to the room where they keep the treadmill.
Click to expand...
Thought it was the bathroom door. Or possibly the door to the Stargate.

Here's another but mundane thought. Blank cards with blank mag strips are created by the thousands, the millions, for use by credit card companies, hotels, school id cards, etc. They already have the strip on them for the specific vendor to encode as they wish. Silly to manufacture two different types of cards. You need the strip? It's there. Don't need it? Then don't use it.
 
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