Nppl Changes!

[BEagle]

NPPL CHANGES!

Several changes regarding the UK NPPL came into effect today. The explanatory AIC was agreed yesterday, but the AIC production process means that it physically cannot be promulgated until the end of March.

Do I need to do anything immediately? NO – there will be a ‘transition period’ from now until the end of April 2009.

What are the main changes? Mainly to revalidation. Whereas up until now Microlight and SLMG Class Ratings on an NPPL have had 13 month validity periods and a logbook stamp, SSEA Class Ratings have had a ‘rolling’ validity period. After your next revalidation (which must be within the transition period) all Class Ratings will have a 24 month validity period and a Certificate of Revalidation will be used, not a logbook stamp.

Does this affect ‘old-style’ UK PPL(M) or PPL (SLMG) holders? No. They can stay on the present system if they so wish.

What are the new revalidation requirements? ‘12-in-24 + 6-in-12’ Meaning that in the new 24 month period you will need to fly 12 hours TT on SSEA, SLMG and/or Microlights, of which 8 must be as PIC and 12 t/os and ldgs are required. 6 of the 12 TT must be in the final 12 months.

Is there a ‘dual training flight’ requirement? It’s now optional – but if you don’t fly at least 1 hour with an instructor in the 24 month period then, when your Class Ratings are next revalidated, you will be restricted to ‘Single Seat Aircraft Only’. If you only ever fly something like a single seat Microlight or a Cosmic Wind, you may wish to exercise this option.

Is the ‘dual training flight’ still a minimum of 1 hour? No. You can do whatever training you wish in any of the 3 Classes of aeroplanes you can include in an NPPL. So, if you normally fly off tarmac and go to a nearby grass strip, do half an hour’s training, then land for lunch before coming home again, that’ll all count. If it doesn’t add up to at least 1 hour then you can do the rest at another time.

Up until now I’ve only held a SSEA Rating, but I’ve taken Microlight differences training and exercised my licence privileges on Microlights. Can I still do that? Yes, but when you apply for your next revalidation the Examiner will add a Microlight Class Rating to your Certificate of Revalidation with ‘Exempt’ in the ‘Date of Test’ column. For legal reasons you will need to fill out a form (which will be available from www.nppl.uk.com) and send it off to the CAA so that they can issue you with an updated licence. You can carry on flying both SSEAs and Microlights without needing to wait for the new licence. The CAA expect this to be a nil cost process, but this has yet to be confirmed. Don’t say anything sarcastic – they’ve been very, very helpful in all this!

Does the same apply if I’ve been using my SSEA Rating on SLMGs? Yes. And also if you’ve been exercising your NPPL (SSEA) privileges on Microlights and SLMGs.

Does this also apply if my SSEA Class Rating has lapsed? No. If your SSEA Rating has lapsed, then you will need to renew it by GST. If you then wish to add Microlight and/or SLMG Class Ratings to your licence – even if you’ve been previously flown such aircraft on your SSEA Rating - you will need to follow the requirements listed in NPPL XC REV 07 which you can find on the ‘Licence Allowances’ tab on www.nppl.uk.com .

If I hold more than one Class Rating, will I need to meet the ‘12-in-24 + 6-in-12’ requirements on each Class? NO!! Good news – the ‘12-in-24 + 6-in-12’ can be accumulated on any of the 3 classes, so long as the total adds up to at least ‘12-in-24 + 6-in-12’, including the 12 t/os and ldgs. The only additional requirement is that you must fly at least 1 hour on each Class – which may either be as PIC or as PU/T with an instructor on that Class. Again, that’s a minimum total in each Class. So, for example, 2 x 30 min in one of the Classes will be fine.
But that means I need only fly an hour in 2 years in a SSEA to maintain my validity if I do everything else in a Microlight? Isn’t that a bit risky? Not at all – if you own your own SSEA would you really let it rust for the rest of the period? And if you only did an hour, would anyone be happy to rent you an aeroplane? In any case, you still have to maintain 90 day recency in any Class to carry passengers in that Class.

What about Instructor Ratings? You will be able to include a FI or AFI Rating on Microlights and/or a FI Rating on SLMGs in an NPPL. This includes the right to receive remuneration.

Does this also apply to SSEA instruction? NO. There are no changes to the requirements for SSEA flight instruction.

What about Seaplanes? The ANO has introduced a formal requirement for differences training for seaplanes. For Microlights this will be as decided by the BMAA, but for SSEA seaplanes, the same requirements as for JAR-FCL SEP (Sea) Class Ratings will apply.

Any medical changes? Nothing significant – just administrative tidying up.