The short answer
A pilot mailing list gives you names and addresses. You still design the card, print it, pay postage and do it again every month as new pilots come due. A done-for-you postcard service like PlaneLists uses the FAA's airmen data to mail every pilot in your area whose medical is coming due, every month, with your practice on the card and a QR code to your booking page.
Buy a list if you have staff and a printer and want a one-time mailing. Use a service if you want pilots reached every month without your office running a mailing each time.
What are the ways an AME can reach pilots whose medicals are coming due?
There are four common routes:
- Buy a general pilot list from a broad data broker that sells lists across many occupations.
- Buy an aviation list built from FAA data from a seller that specializes in aviation.
- Do it yourself from the FAA's free airmen file. Our guide How AMEs find pilots whose medicals are coming due walks through it step by step.
- Use a done-for-you service that handles the data, the card, the printing and the mailing each month.
Most AMEs also rely on word of mouth. These routes reach the pilots who don't know you yet.
Is a general pilot list the same as FAA airmen data?
Not necessarily. Some general list brokers let you filter pilots by age, income and location, but not by when the pilot's medical expires. That date is what matters to an AME.
The FAA publishes airmen data, including medical class and medical dates, in its Airmen Certification Releasable Database. Before you buy any list, ask the seller:
- Is the list built from the FAA airmen file?
- Does it include medical class and expiration date?
- How often is it refreshed?
If the answer to the second question is no, you're mailing pilots at random, not pilots who are due.
What does buying a pilot list actually cost?
The price per name is usually the smallest part. Aviation list sellers commonly charge per name, often with a setup fee. On top of the list you pay for:
- Design: a postcard that says who you are and how to book
- Printing: cards and address labels or mail merge
- Postage: paid separately for every card
- Staff time: pulling the list, preparing the mailing, and dropping it off
- Repeating it monthly: pilots come due every month, so a list bought once goes stale
Compare total monthly cost, including staff time, not price per name.
Why does timing matter?
How long a medical lasts depends on its class and the pilot's age (14 CFR 61.23). Pilots come due every month of the year, not once.
A one-time mailing reaches the pilots who are due that month and misses the rest of the year. A monthly mailing reaches each pilot as their medical comes due, which is when they're choosing where to go for the exam.
When does buying a list make sense?
- You have staff with time to run a mailing each month
- You already work with a printer or mail house
- You want a one-time mailing, such as announcing a new office or a new AME joining the practice
- You want to mail pilots for something other than medical renewal
When does a done-for-you service make sense?
- No one in your office has time to run a mailing every month
- You want every pilot coming due in your area reached, every month
- You want pilots sent straight to your booking page
- You'd rather pay one monthly price than manage data, printing and postage separately
How does PlaneLists compare?
| Feature | General pilot list | Aviation list (FAA-based) | Do it yourself (FAA file) | PlaneLists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical expiration targeting | Often not offered; ask | Depends on seller; ask | Yes, if you filter it yourself | Yes, every pilot coming due in your area |
| Card design | You | You | You | We build your card with your photo, practice details and booking QR code |
| Printing and postage | You | You | You | Included in $0.97 per card |
| Monthly repeat | Buy again | Update service, if offered | You re-run it | Automatic, every month |
| Staff time | High | High | Highest | Minimal: set up once and set it to recurring; check campaign status whenever you like |
| Price | Varies; often unpublished | Per name, often plus a setup fee | Free data; you pay print and postage | $149/month plus $0.97 per card sent |
| Contract | Varies | Varies | None | None; cancel anytime |
PlaneLists Self-Service includes a three-month subscription refund guarantee. See pricing or see how many pilots are coming due near you.
Common questions
Where does pilot medical data come from?
From the FAA's Airmen Certification Releasable Database, which the FAA publishes and updates. PlaneLists handles no medical records. It uses the medical class and dates the FAA publishes.
Are the medical expiration dates accurate?
They are as accurate as the FAA's own file. PlaneLists doesn't estimate them.
Can I buy a list and mail it myself?
Yes. If you have the staff and a printer, a list or the free FAA file works. Our do-it-yourself guide shows how.
Does PlaneLists mail every pilot or a fixed number?
Every pilot whose medical is coming due in the area you choose. You pay $0.97 for each card actually sent.
How much work is PlaneLists after setup?
Very little. Once your campaign is set to recurring, it mails each month on its own. You can check campaign status at any time.
How quickly can I start?
Once we have your practice details, we build your first postcard within one business day.
Sources: FAA Airmen Certification Releasable Database, 14 CFR 61.23 (medical durations).
PlaneLists mails a postcard each month to every pilot in your area whose medical is coming due, with a QR code to your booking page. See how many pilots are coming due near you.