It can be found in EU Regulations 216/2008 and 1178/2011 but easier to read (I don't believe I'm, saying this!!) CAP 804, Sec.1, Part C, Para 1.2 (Page 35):
"Any pilot who intends to fly an “EASA aircraft” registered in the EU after the applicable dates will have to hold an appropriate EASA licence (or a validation if he has a licence from a country that is not an EASA Member State). In some circumstances the licensing requirements will also apply to the pilots of EASA aircraft registered outside the EU;
(see Section 4, Part Q)."
Part Q Sub-Part 1
"The Basic EASA Regulation and the EASA “Aircrew Regulation” requires all pilots:
a) flying an EASA aircraft registered in the EU; or
b) flying an EASA aircraft registered in a State outside the EU but whose operator is resident or established in the EU;
to hold either an EASA licence, or a non-EU licence that is validated by an EU Member State in accordance with the EASA Aircrew Regulation.
The EASA Aircrew Regulation provides for Member States not to require the validation of non-EU licences for non-commercial flights in accordance with EU regulations until 8 April 2014."
An EASA aircraft is simply ANY aircraft that can hold a Type Certificate, with the exception of certain aircraft, e.g. ex-military types, irrespective of the country in which it is registered.
The validation referred to is a concession by the competent authority, e.g. UK CAA, to allow holders of non-EASA ICAO licences to operate EASA aircraft on that 'foreign' licence for a period of one year only, except that the period may be extended for a further one year maximum but only if the person can demonstrate that s/he has commenced an approved course of theoretical knowledge towards the gaining of the EASA Part-FCL licence.
The validation process is really designed for professional pilots to give them time to convert their ICAO ATPL/CPL to an EASA equivalent.
I work in the industry and know many persons converting overseas licences in order to keep their jobs in the EU; it is a massive bone of contention that they MUST undertake the 14 x EASA ATPL examinations before they can be issued an EASA licence, despite their 10,000+ hours on heavy aircraft!!
Private owner/operators can continue to fly their 'N' reg aircraft until 8th April 2014 without licence validation.
As per usual, this is a minefield of regulation and takes some doing to decipher. It would have helped if the documents - significantly the respective Acceptable Means of Compliance to Part-FCL, Part MED et al and CAP 804 - had been given some thought and planned properly - as it is they are an absolute mess.
