FAA flight navigator certificate?

Aviation General Aviation
1

Greetings. This is my first post and I don’t think it’s a question that’s been already asked here, but I apologise in advance if it’s been covered and somehow I missed it. Coming from a British background, I am very curious if anyone knows if the FAA’s Celestial Navigation certificate is still issued? I recall reading in* Flying* magazine circa 1989 when I was a student an op-ed by one of their editors which stated less than twenty certificates had been issued that year. I would imagine the demand now is even less, but it seems the cert is still on the books, but I wonder how one would go about getting one? Firstly, you’d have to find an instructor who was up on celestial nav and an examiner who is also. Most CFIs/CFIIs I know are perfectly unaware that the rating (apparently) is still valid. More surprisingly, I cannot find any clear info from the FAA itself on the topic.

I have read this discussion on Airline Pilot Forums but would love to hear any further info anyone here may have:

airlinepilotforums.com/hanga … gator.html

thanks!

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I remember hearing a story a few years ago about a group who wanted to fly on old plane with an (open cockpit I think) around the world (or some strange feat like that). The circumstances required one of the participants to get an FAA Navigator certificate. It took the guy nearly a year just to find an examiner who could give him the test. Eventually the guy got certified and the group completed their journey, so it must be possible to get it.

I searched the FAA Web site for “Flight Navigator” - RESULTS.

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Thank you much, NeedleNose! I knew most of the FAA info you searched and found (though it’s still quite unclear) but I didn’t know about that group who needed a navigator for their flight and that their man had such a hassle with it.