With Legal Enforcement Actions, airmen have extensive appellate rights. Administrative Enforcement Actions may take the form of a Letter of Correction or a Warning Notice which can stay on your record for two years. With Administrative Enforcement Actions, airmen have no appeal rights.

For pilots, the duration an FAA incident stays on your record depends on the nature of the event and the type of record being accessed. Under the Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) and the newer Pilot Records Database (PRD), most enforcement actions, such as certificate suspensions or revocations, remain on your permanent FAA record indefinitely. However, for employment background checks, "notices of proposed certificates" or minor administrative actions may only be reportable for 5 years. Specifically, records of drug and alcohol violations are kept for the duration of the pilot's career. If an incident resulted in a "Letter of Correction" or a "Warning Notice" through the FAA’s Compliance Program, these are typically removed from the public-facing record after 2 years, provided no further incidents occur. It is important to note that while the FAA might "expunge" minor administrative items, airlines often ask about your entire history during interviews, and withholding information about a past incident can be grounds for disqualification or termination later on.