Licence Validity
Poor old Aeronut……it looks as though you (like me) have been confused/misled by the advice given by well meaning people!.
Like Aeronut I am the proud owner of a hard earned UK PPL with SEP and TMG ratings so when I was contemplating retiring to France I asked whether I needed the extra aggravation of converting my licence to JAA to be able to continue to fly in France. “No worries”, I was told, “Your UK licence will be accepted.”
Needless to say I checked with the CAA and was informed that I could only fly “G” reg aircraft with my UK PPL!
On arrival in France I duly visited my local flying club who looked at my licence, sent details to the DGAC and I was informed that as long as I was a member of the Féderation Française Aéronautique and passed a check ride with their instructor I could fly “F” reg aircraft. All was well until my medical was about to expire. I was not planning on returning to the UK for some time so asked about the validity of a French JAR Class 2. Again “No worries” (or equivalent in French). “Of course we will accept a Class 2 medical issued by a French AME and you will be able to continue to fly here in France.”
So off to visit the French AME and obtain a JAR Class 2 medical certificate, which I duly copied and sent off to CAA asking for reassurance as to its validity. No reply from CAA…..
Unfortunately it was getting close to the end of my second year for revalidation of my licence and I was struggling against the weather to get my 12 hours in before my licence expired, which it did by 2 hours! “No worry.” My French instructor told me. “You are booked for a Skills Test next week, then you will be OK”
I duly took my JAR Skills Test (in French) and obtained a pass. I was then advised by my examiner to contact the DGAC in France who informed me that they could not renew my UK PPL in France……..so contact was made with CAA who expressed concern about the validity of a French JAR Class 2 medical certificate and the validity of a French JAR Skills Test, and that surely the best thing was to complete the forms (and send lots of money) to convert my UK PPL to a JAR PPL to avoid this hassle in future. (BEagle you state “Do NOT be persuaded to change your UK PPL(A) for a JAA PPL(A) - there is absolutely no need to do so whatsoever”) (Engineer you state “Until such time as EC Directive 91/670/EEC is withdrawn, a UK National licence can still be validated in other EU States”)
Was I conned by the CAA, did I really need to convert to a JAR PPL?
Well my new JAR licence duly arrived but with only the SEP rating revalidated but not the TMG. “Oh yes,” was the response from CAA, “you would have revalidated both the SEP and TMG if you had revalidated your licence by experience (12 hours in the second year). But you revalidated by a Skills Test and that was only SEP. If you wish to revalidate the TMG you need to do another TMG Skills Test!” My French Class 2 medical certificate was also converted to a UK JAA Class 2 so it seems that we have had some degree of success.
Now it appears that the CAA are happy that I am now flying in accordance with their rules. At least until my medical certificate expires! I have been informed by CAA that they will in future no longer able to convert my French medical certificate to a UK JAA Class 2……..No advice or suggestions forthcoming from CAA……..
As you can see, dear Reader (if you have got this far). All I want to do is fly, albeit in France. Everybody has been well intentioned but I have been going round in circles. And no, dear Engineer, I have not been able to read the 608 pages of LASORS or attempt to find the French equivalent (probably 1000 pages!)
Could I have kept flying in France on my UK PPL? Would a UK approved AME and UK Skills Test been enough (If I could have got back to UK)? Should I have persevered with the French DGAC to renew my licence as Engineer advised? How do I renew my medical for my JAA PPL or for that matter my UK PPL whilst living in France?
Any help, or advice is greatly appreciated.
Frelon
PS: Aeronut. Try to ensure that you do enough hours in your second year so that you renew by experience and not have to resort to a Skills Test.