What does the Skills Test entail (in activity and cost)? Is it the same as the PPL skills test?
No; its the same as the SEP Class Rating Skill Test about 1 hour and around £80. Content in
SRG1157 Unlike the SLMG Skill Test, you don't even have to stop and restart the engine in flight. The NPPL is a different licence and fees may not be the same as adding a rating to a UK or JAA licence.
all you then have to do is have a check flight to "unfreeze" it
Not according to the latest ANO Art 67. How do you obtain a C of R without a Test? A C of R based upon experience can only be issued to the holder of a valid rating with the relevant experience! The Exemption to operate an SLMG without a C of R was
withdrawn in June 2009!
67.—(1) This article applies to—
(a) JAR-FCL licences;
(b) United Kingdom licences for which there are JAR-FCL equivalents; and
(c) United Kingdom Basic Commercial Pilot’s Licences.
(2) The holder of a licence to which this article applies is not entitled to exercise the privileges of an aircraft rating specified in Section 1 of Part B of Schedule 7 which is included in the licence on a flight unless—
(a) the licence has a certificate of revalidation for the rating;
(b) the certificate is appropriate, issued and valid in accordance with Section 2 of Part C of Schedule 7;
To quote from the CAA Examiners Standardisation meeting Oct 2009
NPPL holders had until 30 June 2009 to convert to the new system and must now have a signed C of R in their licence for each class they fly