Currency requirements.

[gingernut]

Can anyone explain the currency requirements for a newly qualified PPL. I can't seem to find any guidance in my textbooks / AIP. Thanks.

[2WingsOnMyWagon]

I presume that your flying a Single Engined Propeller aircraft and youve just gained your full PPL.
Your licence is valid for 5 years.
However
Your Class rating is valid for 2 years and to keep it valid you must

Pass a proficiency check with an examiner within the 3 months immediately preceding the expiry of the rating

or

Within 12 months preceding expiry date, complete 12 hours of flight time, including 6hrs P-I-C and 12 T/O and landings. Also at least 1 Hr must also be flown with a flying instructor.

Safe Flying
:cool:

[StrateandLevel]

And most important of all you must get an examiner to sign your licence before the validity date to certify that you have met the requirements stated above. If not, the rating expires.

As you approach the 5 year point, you apply to the CAA for a new licence which requires a valid Medical and a valid Aircraft Rating.

[rustle]

2WingsOnMyWagon

I presume that your flying a Single Engined Propeller aircraft ...

Please don't think I'm being pedantic, but SEP is Single Engine Piston :)

[2WingsOnMyWagon]

Maybe a little:D ;)
but your absolutly correct

:cool:

[distaff_beancounter]

gingernut
In addition to the above:-

If you wish to carry passengers, then you must have completed 3 T/Os & landings, in the preceeding 90 days, in an aircraft of the same class rating (presumably an SEP for you)

Have fun with the new licence :)

[knobbygb]

...and if you're renting from a club or school, they will probably have their own more stringent currency requirements. Mine, for example, say that if I haven't flown for 31 days then I need a checkride from an instructor (this can be just a couple of circuits). Once I have 100 hours, this is extended to 90 days. Seems like common sense to me.

[gingernut]

Cheers chaps, as ever informative and reliable.

Yes, passed the skills test last week. Still can't actually believe it !Walking about 3 foot taller.

[Irv]

Congratulations, Gingernut - everyone with a licence knows exactly how you're feeling! (and everyone without is desperate to find out!).
Isn't it odd though that in the 90's, every year during new rental checkouts I used to find a couple of pilots with out of date paperwork or soon to be expired paperwork and they had no concept at all of certifcates of experience etc. They had always gained their PPL a year to 2 years before, and had never been told about the 5 hours in 13 months as it was then - when you think about it at that time there was never any sort of 'date' mentioned (then) when the licence was issued.
Now we have JAR there is a date mentioned (5 years hence for the licence itself, 2 years hence for the SEP rating) so at least people like Gingernut actually have an idea that something ought to be done - but why aren't some instructors making sure pupils understand it before they actually step out on their own?
Just out of curiosity, Gindernut, did you know about the 2 year life or the rating itself (even if you didn't know how to revalidate it) before you saw it in the new licence or is that when you realised something needed to be done?

[gingernut]

Thanks IRV for the congratulations.

I haven't actually got my licence back from the CAA as yet. (Posted the bumph last week). I recall my instructor discussing currency, but it was a while back, and it appears to have seeped from the grey matter !

There was a thread on this forum a couple of weeks ago, that prompted me to remember, to ask, and as ever, pprune has come up trumps,

Cheers !

[Irv]

Gingernut wrote:
I recall my instructor discussing currency,
That's good news - big improvement on 10 years ago!

Licence coming: Seems to take ages doesn't it? - enjoy it when it arrives.

[Taildragger55]

In my experience any currency will do; pounds, dollars or euros, as long as you have thousands.

I have not yet got any flying on credit, despite years of trying

[gingernut]

Further to the last....I attended a CAA "Safety evening" last night at the flying club. Excellent presentation, and one of the slides described the currency requirements as above.

[jayemm]

If you wish to carry passengers, then you must have completed 3 T/Os & landings, in the preceeding 90 days, in an aircraft of the same class rating (presumably an SEP for you)

Can the 3 T/O & landings be touch & gos?

[FNG]

In addition to the CAA's own website, a useful source of info on this and related topics is: http://www.higherplane.flyer.co.uk/faq.htm

A touch and go landing is a landing, followed by a takeoff. Having said that, if you are flying a taildragger and are out of practice, it might be good self discipline to do at least three landings to a full stop, as you haven't finished landing a taildragger until you are sitting in the bar with the keys in your hand.

[FlyingForFun]

Also, not all 3 landings can be touch+go... at least the last one must be a full-stop, or you wouldn't be able to pick your passenger up! :D

FFF
----------------

[steamchicken]

I have a real currency requirement.....gotta find enough currency to pay for more training...

[Andy_R]

Slight diversion ....

In the period between passing your GFT and receiving your precious licence from CAA are you still obliged to fly under the supervision of an instructor? In other words am I correct in assuming upon passing you are unable to take passengers with you until your licence is in your possession?

[rustle]

cloud69

Correct.

You are not licensed until the licence is signed by you - t/f you need to receive it from CAA to sign it.

You can fly solo if an instructor signs you out (his licence), but you cannot take passengers.