Recreational to Commercial.

[vincent228]

I flew under and have a FAA recreational certificate number for some time. I just passed my 107 commercial test and have my temp number, and now waiting for my permanent number in the mail. I wrote the FAA and asked “do I cancel the recreational registration? Keep both? Do they transfer the info from the recreational registration to commercial?”. The response I got was “the FAA doesn’t transfer drone information”. So basically no answer at all. Can anyone here please help me with my question?

 

[BigAl07]

You simply remove the Hobby Reg # from the aircraft (use it on other non Commercial if you have any) and put the Commercial # on the aircraft. The good news is the Commercial Reg # works for both hobby and commercial use.

Just like a car, an airplane can only have a SINGLE registration # on it so it must be Commercial for this particular instance.

 

[vincent228]

Excuse me if I’m not understanding. I already registered the drone under the 107 . But, for instance, if I go to the FAA drone zone, I have my drone listed with a 107 commercial drone number, and have the labels for it (which is obviously different Than my recreational user certification number). Then if you check under the heading of users, I am listed under and as a recreational certification . So what I am trying to find out is, do I deactivate the recreational user certification? And have to reregister when I get the 107 FAA Identification?

 

[rangemaster728]

To answer your questions, no, and no...

A Recreational certificate is issued to the pilot, not to the aircraft.

If you signed up for a Recreational certificate in the USA, YOU have one registration number – yours – which goes on each and every recreational aircraft you own. It doesn’t matter if you have 1 or 20 drones, that number goes on every one of them.

You paid one registration fee to register yourself, not a drone. That number can be used on all your hobbyist drones.

You do not need to cancel that aircraft’s registration as a Recreational aircraft; in fact the aircraft isn’t registered, you are!

(On the FAA Drone Zone website there is no way to manage a recreational aircraft inventory, but there IS on the Part 107 side...and an aircraft displaying a Part 107 registration number may also be used for recreational purposes.)

If however you have an aircraft that will be used in part 107 operations you must register each individual aircraft which will be issued a unique registration number. If you have 20 drones you’ll wind up paying 20 individual fees and will get 20 unique aircraft registration numbers.

In Part 107 operations YOU must have a Part 107 pilot certificate; in addition to that EACH aircraft must be individually registered and have a unique registration number.

If you have an aircraft that currently is labeled with your Recreational pilot certificate number, and you wish to use that aircraft for Part 107 operations, register the aircraft under Part 107 and put that (P107)registration number on the aircraft. Remove your Recreational pilot certificate number from the aircraft.

So go out and fly your aircraft that you registered under Part 107 with its unique number, and make sure you take your temporary authorization as a Commercial Remote Pilot with you and you’ll be fine.

I have asked this question of the FAA before, and that was their answer.

And by the way, one reason you should likely stay registered as a Recreational pilot as well as a Commercial one is if you buy another drone and you’re not sure if you want to use it in commercial service. You could always put your recreational number on it to fly out for testing, training and evaluation or just for fun.

In this way you don’t have to go and individually register (and pay a fee) for every drone you own as a Part 107 bird - just the ones you’ve decided you want to use for commercial purposes.

 

[vincent228]

Thank you very much for the clarification rangemaster728. That is very understandable. I can’t wait to get my own 107 number in the mail. My drones are all ready to go each with their own unique number. The funniest part was, when I registered my P4P under 107, the unique last part of the registration # was TANK-4F. So it’s nickname became “TANK”! ?

 

[rangemaster728]

If you passed your Part 107 exam, and the results are in IACRA I believe you should be able to print a temporary airman certificate shortly. Please read this:

Advisory Circular 107-2 on Section 107.64 Temporary certificate.

When the applicant uses this online option, the application will be transmitted electronically from the applicant to the Airman Registry. The only electronic signature that will be reflected on the IACRA application will be the applicant’s. The applicant will then receive a confirmation email once his or her application has completed the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) vetting process. The email will provide information that will allow the applicant to log into the IACRA system and print a copy of the temporary certificate.

 

[vincent228]

Thank you very much for all of that!
I saw my temp number listed, but wasnt sure how "temp" it was.
while i was reading your awesome info, my mail "dings", and its the email from the FAA saying "here is your temp number" (which was the same, DUH).
I appreciate the great lesson in the knowledge I am lacking.
And this is the very reason I joined this group.

everyone is a great bunch of folk.

Thanks again!

 

[Hawkwind]

To answer your questions, no, and no...

A Recreational certificate is issued to the pilot, not to the aircraft.

If you signed up for a Recreational certificate in the USA, YOU have one registration number – yours – which goes on each and every recreational aircraft you own. It doesn’t matter if you have 1 or 20 drones, that number goes on every one of them.

You paid one registration fee to register yourself, not a drone. That number can be used on all your hobbyist drones.

You do not need to cancel that aircraft’s registration as a Recreational aircraft; in fact the aircraft isn’t registered, you are!

(On the FAA Drone Zone website there is no way to manage a recreational aircraft inventory, but there IS on the Part 107 side...and an aircraft displaying a Part 107 registration number may also be used for recreational purposes.)

If however you have an aircraft that will be used in part 107 operations you must register each individual aircraft which will be issued a unique registration number. If you have 20 drones you’ll wind up paying 20 individual fees and will get 20 unique aircraft registration numbers.

In Part 107 operations YOU must have a Part 107 pilot certificate; in addition to that EACH aircraft must be individually registered and have a unique registration number.

If you have an aircraft that currently is labeled with your Recreational pilot certificate number, and you wish to use that aircraft for Part 107 operations, register the aircraft under Part 107 and put that (P107)registration number on the aircraft. Remove your Recreational pilot certificate number from the aircraft.

So go out and fly your aircraft that you registered under Part 107 with its unique number, and make sure you take your temporary authorization as a Commercial Remote Pilot with you and you’ll be fine.

I have asked this question of the FAA before, and that was their answer.

And by the way, one reason you should likely stay registered as a Recreational pilot as well as a Commercial one is if you buy another drone and you’re not sure if you want to use it in commercial service. You could always put your recreational number on it to fly out for testing, training and evaluation or just for fun.

In this way you don’t have to go and individually register (and pay a fee) for every drone you own as a Part 107 bird - just the ones you’ve decided you want to use for commercial purposes.

@rangemaster728 Very good and complete response. I too have a hobbyist registration, but hadn't thought of keeping both that and the 107.Thanks for the insight!