When I went to renew my medical last week, I realized that I had
just introduced a discrepancy in the system: I always bring along
copies of the previous years 8500-8 forms to avoid introducing
inadvertently unwanted discrepancies -- administrations hate
discrepancies. This time however, I couldn't help it. You see, I
am no longer a bloody foreigner and had to change what I usually put
in box 6.

I promptly visited the FAA website to figure out how I could fix
this; after all, one can change address and all sort of things
online, it would be a snap; I finally found the page that explains
how one can notify the administration of more drastic changes such
as gender, date of birth and/or citizenship (I couldn't find in
the regs anything that would compell me to do so, I mean you have
to tell them about new addresses, see 14 CFR 61.60, but it says
nothing about the other stuff, I was just trying to avoid
potential questions and simplify future ramp checks, and being
a good boy); anyway, these more drastic changes need to be done
in person at the local FSDO, with supporting evidences and
documents.

I picked up the phone and got an appointment with my local FSDO
for the next day. Well, it turns out -- the website should indicate
it, it would save a lot of time -- that one has to fill up
a 8710-1 form (that's what the 'other' box at the top of the
form is for) for each certificate held and I have three of them
(so far, hope to get another one this year :-);

The FAA inspector was very helpful and made sure all the t's were
crossed and all the i's dotted (and there are quite a few), but
I am starting to think that I set myself up for more scrutiny than
the whole situation warranted.

Anyway, I got myself temporary certificates and should get the
new things in the mail withint 120 days. Will let you know if
it works.

--Sylvain

*date of birth*? you can change your date of birth? now that's
a new one to me; why don't ATPs use this to avoid the age 60
rule?