PPL Lapse

[c-bert]

Ladies and Gents,

I gained my PPL last summer but due to excess spending over the winter I don't think I'm going to be able to get my 12 hours in this year. What will this mean for my licence? How long before I must go flying again and what will I need to do in order to re-validate the licence?

I've tried trawling through the CAA nightmare of a website but to no avail.

Thanks in advance.

[TractorBoy]

Your licence is valid for 5 years. It's your SEP class rating that would need to be revalidated. This is valid for 2 years, but as you passed last summer, you still have a year and a half to run on it. To revalidate the SEP rating, there are several routes - the easiest is to do 12 hours in your second year ( including an hour with an instructor who'll sign you off ). So technically you don't actually need to do anything at all. The club you're with will probably insist on a checkride though.
Incidentally, you're in exactly the same position as me. I passed in September, did a few hours over the autumn, and stopped over the winter. I'm looking to restart and have several sessions booked next week - and it looks like rain. Thanks UK weather :{ :{ :{

[Whirlybird]

A SEP Class Rating is valid for 24 months.

To revalidate:
Fly 12 hours in the 12 months preceding the expiry date, including 6 hours PIC, 12 take-offs and landings, and 1 hour with an instructor.
OR
Do a Proficiency Check with an examiner within 3 months of expiry.

Don't forget to get your licence signed before the expiry date, or it doesn't matter what you did - none of it will count!

If the rating lapses, you renew it by doing a Skill Test with an examiner. This has the same content as the Proficiency Check; it's only the name which has changed!

I just got back from an FI revalidation seminar - might as well pass on some of the stuff we went over!

[c-bert]

Thanks guys, most useful. Couple of Q's for Whirly:

Get the licence signed by whom? The instructor I use for the check ride?

When you say Skill Test/proficiency check, is that the same content as the GHT for the licence or just a cut down version of that?

[dublinpilot]

Get the licence signed by whom? The instructor I use for the check ride?

No by an examiner, not an instructor.

The instructor will sign in your log book to say that the 1 hour instruction flight took place.

You then show this to an examiner, and they will revalidate your licence.

Obviously it would be better if you could keep doing a little flying in the mean time, even if it's all dual. Otherwise you may find yourself very much out of touch and need a lot of dual, when you come to start flying again.

dp

[Whirlybird]

c-bert,

As dublinpilot says, make sure you get your licence signed by an EXAMINER beforethe rating expires. Even if you've done everything, and you're a day late, they can't do it.

As I understand it, the proficiency check/skill test is a scaled down version of the PPL skill test, but it doesn't include nav or anything like that, and is just what it says - a check of your proficiency. At least, that's what the chap who gave the talk said. He said that people who hadn't got the 12 hours could just get up to speed, flying an hour or two with an instructor if necessary, then do the proficiency check with an examiner, rather than spending lots of dosh trying to get the 12 hours. If you do this check in the last three months you won't lose any time on your rating, ie it will run for another two years from when it would expire.