Hours Before 2012

[tobster911]

Hi all,
I'm currently doing my training for my PPL, have logged 43 hours so far, and am (in terms of competence, apparently) ready for my skills test, just need to build up to the 45 hours.
However, I recently overheard that the CAA have changed the rules slightly, and aren't allowing hours clocked before April 2012 to count towards the PPL requirements. If this is the case, I'll need to do another 8 hours, which seems like an absolutely massive waste of money.
Can anyone confirm or not confirm this for me, as well as if you know anything about being able to apply for an exemption from this rule or something?
Many thanks in advance
T

[9 lives]

I can't speak to the actual regulation Tobster, but I can assure you that piloting skills are perishable, and flying time accomplished prior to 2012 will be more fond memory than useful skill now. I suggest that any additional time you fly will be of benefit, and far from a waste of money. If that time is plausibly required by regulation, all the better.

A PPL is a milestone in your flying, and may seem like an end goal, but is not. The PPL is a license to learn, and take a pax along as you do it. Don't view it as the end of your learning, and never think that more flying is not a good thing, or a waste of money. Decades from now, with thousands of hours logged, that eight hours will seem like nothing to you. In the mean time, a skill you hone during that eight additional hours could save your life. Go fly the time....

[tobster911]

Ah yes, sorry, I understand that, I think I came across incorrectly. I appreciate that all flying time is good flying time, but my first hours were literally straight and level flight. PPL to me is certainly not an end goal, I want to progress and continually learn, so would certainly fly the hours, but they'd probably just be solo time, which I can do after I have it (with the days getting shorter and weather becoming more unpredictable, I ideally wanted it done by the end of October, but I do fully understand your point. Thank you

[BEagle]

On behalf of AOPA (UK), I sorted this out with the UK CAA in June - see https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33...ice2016053.pdf

When you contact the CAA, they will tell you that the hours will count, but you have to apply for an 'exemption' valid for 2 months. The processing time for the application can take a couple of weeks and you MUST have received the exemption before you take the PPL Skill Test.

Your training organisation should be aware of this!

[tobster911]

Thank you very much for this. So best plan is to book test for 3-5 weeks in advance, then fill out the form?

T

[PA28181]

When you contact the CAA, they will tell you that the hours will count, but you have to apply for an 'exemption' valid for 2 months

Will the "exemption" be valid for the foreseeable future? if yes, whats the point of this, to me, unheard of rule change.

[BEagle]

There was no 'rule change'. The situation arose as a consequence of the slippage of dates associated with EASA licences. Article 9 of the Aircrew Regulation states:

Credit for training commenced prior to the application of this Regulation
1. In respect of issuing Part-FCL licences in accordance with Annex I, training commenced prior to the application of this Regulation in accordance with the Joint Aviation Authorities requirements and procedures, under the regulatory oversight of a Member State recommended for mutual recognition within the Joint Aviation Authorities’ system in relation to the relevant JAR, shall be given full credit provided that the training and testing were completed by 8 April 2016 at the latest.

Back when that was written, it was assumed that everything would have been converted years ago, the 'application of this Regulation' being Apr 2012. Which would have meant that the Apr 2016 clause wouldn't then have been an issue.

The CAA identified a pragmatic solution; the 2 month limit applies to a derogation under Art. 14 of the Basic Regulation which can be achieved without a lot of fuss. Further or longer derogations are both more expensive and liable to be challenged.

tobster911, I recommend that you identify a date for the Skill Test as you propose, but when applying to the CAA, stress that the Skill Test is planned for the date you've chosen and that you will need to have received the derogation by then. Do remember:

• Application must be made using CAA Form SRG2137. The CAA estimates that it will take around 10 days to process and issue the exemption and the exemption must have been issued before the Skill Test is taken.
• The administration fee is £53 for an exemption valid for a 2 month period.
• The Skill Test must be passed within 2 months of receiving the exemption

[Nick T]

I had the same recently... 12 hours logged in 2004/5, 11 year layoff then resumed and completed the course at the end of August.

I had to apply for the exemption as I was 'only' at 52 hours including them...

Got it all turned round in 10 calendar days after a few phone calls and reminders the test date was fast approaching!

Now, if they could only find some time to process my PPL application... 20 (working) days and counting...

[tobster911]

Thank you BEagle and Nick I'll get it all sorted