Licensed to kill
Whopity makes an important and interesting point.
What the CAA is suggesting is that National PPLs are converted now at a cost of £176. The purpose is to avoid waiting times come April 2012 because they, the CAA, do not have the manpower to cope. The benificiary of all that is the CAA. Licence holders following the advice will be out of pocket.
The CAA are threatening everyone that an application for the EASA licence, left too late for their lack of staff - say March 2012, could take months to process and the pilot will therefore be grounded at the time of change.
The EASA rulemaking will not be through the EU Parliament until at the earliest this May. The CAA believe that JAR issued licences, come April 2012, will be automatically recognised. They dont know that for certain nor that the national licences will not be.
Even if everyone converted now to JAR licences it shouldn't be forgotten that they are only issued for 5 years and so later, after the change to EASA, will need renewing again. The current fee for that is £84 for a PPL, more for a professional licence.
So, the total cost could be £176 + £84 at current rates. More for a professional licence following the CAA advice.
EASA LICENCES ARE TO be ISSUED FOR LIFE.
My advice is to save the effort of following the CAA advice and contact your MP.