MPL hours for PPL

[campione]

:confused: Can anyone tell me from experience or from knowledge how much of a Fixed-wing Mircolight Licence (yet to be completed- but soon) can be carried over towards getting my PPL (with the intention of going all the way to getting F-ATPL!).

Air Law, Nav, Human Factors, RT and Meteo are all exams I am having to do... but if they are not transferable, and neither the flying hours, then there is no point me wasting my time flying my fixed-wing 3 axis Microlight, and I should save up for my full F-ATPL!

Any opinions? ... The CAA are a little slow to respond to questions at the mo!

[BEagle]

Presumably it's a UK NPPL with Microlight aircraft rating which you're training for? Or are you removing restrictions from an existing PPL(M)?

With either licence, your next step would probably be to use the cross-credits to which you will be entitled in order to obtain a NPPL with SEP aircraft rating. That will mean that you'll be able to fly with passengers in simple SEP aircraft in day VMC in the UK. Later, you can then upgrade that to JAR-FCL PPL(A) with SEP Class Rating. See www.nppl.uk.com and look under 'Licence Allowances'.

The maximum credit you would receive for 3-axis microlight hours when applying directly for any JAR-FCL licence? 10% of the total up to a maximum of 10 hours. So, if you go via the microlight to NPPL SEP route, you will have a reasonably cheap route to obtaining a licence which will let you 'build hours' in the UK only; if you later upgrade to a JAR-FCL PPL(A) then you will be able to start a Modular CPL course when you have the appropriate hours....then the IR.

But whichever way, you'll still need to take all the JAR-FCL CPL or ATPL exams as the PPL ones are totally different.

The CAA's 'LASORS' is a publication which spells out all the various requirements, plus it contains valuable safety information - the 2003 version only cost £10 and the 2004 version has just gone to press. I recommend it to any one embarking on the long and stony path to the ATPL. Good luck!!

[campione]

Thanks BEagle.

some useful stuff to follow up on, especially the CAA "Lasors" Publication.

Its clear to me that it is best that I waste no more time or money with the MPL until I am ready to come back to it as pure recreational flying in many years to come... once I have my pro wings :D

[BEagle]

Mate - keep the rating valid! So that when you're thoroughly hacked-off with the arcane corners of Eurocracy in the ATPL exams, you can just go and hop into a Microlight and blow the cobwebs away.

Currently, we're trying to get agreement between all the various parties involved so that you'll be able to keep any or all microlight, SLMG or SEP NPPL ratings valid with the minimum of cost and fuss.