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View Full Version : Did the class rating on a NPPL used to expire?


Deeday
27th May 2011, 01:44
The SSEA (land) rating on my NPPL has an expiry date on it, just like a SEP rating on an ordinary PPL, which baffled the CFI at my club.
He says that he's always seen class ratings on NPPLs as "not having any dates on them", i.e. not requiring a signature from a CAA examiner every two years, even if the requirements for revalidation by experience still apply.

I got my licence two years ago: has anyone got an older NPPL with this supposedly "not dated" class rating on it?

Cheers.

jgs43
27th May 2011, 06:48
When the NPPL was first introduced the CAA managed to mess up the wording such that the SSEA rating did not have a fixed expiry date although it still needed the revalidation requirements to be met "before each flight".

This was changed a couple of years ago to bring it into line with other ratings hence it now requires a revalidation signature from an Examiner every 24 months. There was a period of grace available to holders of the "non-expiring"
rating in which they had to change over to the new system.

So, if you have an expiry date on your current SSEA rating, you will need to meet the revalidation requirements and have the rating page in your licence signed of by an examiner prior to the expiry date. Failure to do so will result in the need to renew the rating by a proficiency test with an examiner.

There is no requirement to fill in and return any form to the CAA as is the case with the JAR licence and sep rating.

Fake Sealion
27th May 2011, 12:07
To obtain the signature from an Examiner of course you need to provide him/her evidence of meeting the hours requirements for the preceeding 24 & 12 months. This includes at least 1 hour "training" with a FI for that class of aircraft.

Its all set out in the ANO.

BEagle
27th May 2011, 13:42
...which baffled the CFI at my club.

The rules changed over 3 years ago; the relevant AIC was dated 24 April 2008. There was a transition period whilst the new requirements were introduced; this ended on 30 June 2009.

Whatever sort of bone idle club CFI doesn't bother to keep up to date with AICs? It's hardly difficult and there have been plenty of weathered-out winter days when he could have spent an hour or so checking them.

I hate to think what's going to happen when the utter lunacy of EASA hits us all....

Whopity
27th May 2011, 19:51
To obtain the signature from an Examiner of course you need to provide him/her evidence of meeting the hours requirements for the preceeding 24 & 12 months. And unless you had a valid certificate at the time you obtained them, they are null and void and its a test to renew!

There are dozens of pilots flying illegally, with so many different and confusing requirements!

Deeday
27th May 2011, 22:59
Thanks jgs43, BEagle; that makes sense. I'll also let my CFI know that the SRG 1119 form he sent off to the CAA has probably been binned by now. :}

xrayalpha
28th May 2011, 00:46
Fake Sealion wrote:

This includes at least 1 hour "training" with a FI for that class of aircraft.

Xray Alpha replies:

No. It is one hour total time with an instructor on all or any aircraft you have an NPPL rating for.

ie If you have an NPPL micro, then 60 mins total with a microlight instructor (and can be a 30 min flight plus a 10 min plus a 20 min - doesn't need to be a minimum of a one hour flight)

If you also have an SSEA as well as a Micro rating on your NPPL, you can have 30 mins on a micro and 30 mins with a SSEA - that gives you 60 mins with an instructor.

If you had the full set, you could do 10 min with a micro, 10 with an SSEA and 40 in a SLMG!

(You still also need the 12/6 hours (8 as P1), 12 take-offs and landings, etc)

All very well being in the AICs etc - but even as an examiner I find it almost impossible to keep up with!

It was only confirmed this year that a microlight examiner could revalidate an SSEA rating if the applicant held a NPPL micro and a SSEA - and we have had a NPPL for how many years!!

ps. Of course if you don't have the instructional hour (at least with microlights) you can get a "single seat only" endorsement - so you don't even need time with an instructor to revalidate.

How that works with SSEA revalidation if you have that rating too, I don't know - and I am an examiner! (so at least I know to ask when that instance arises!)

BEagle
28th May 2011, 05:58
Of course if you don't have the instructional hour (at least with microlights) you can get a "single seat only" endorsement - so you don't even need time with an instructor to revalidate.

The same applies to all NPPL Class Ratings.

The methods for removing the 'Single Seat Only' limitation and for aligning Class Rating expiry dates were agreed with the CAA in May 2010. The authority has been asked every month since then to publicise these methods.

Approval for Microlight Examiners to sign SSEA/SLMG paperwork for revalidation by experience was agreed by the NPPL Policy and Steering Committee in October 2006; on 26 Oct 2010 the CAA finally published details about how a Microlight Examiner may apply for 'R' Examiner status.....:hmm:

Whopity
28th May 2011, 06:50
I'll also let my CFI know that the SRG 1119 form he sent off to the CAA has probably been binned by now. SRG1119 is not required for NPPL, only for licences maintained in accordance with JAR-FCL. If submitted, it will be on your record permanently.