I assumed when I converted my old German PPL(A) into an EASA one in 2015 that the SEP rating was renewed at the same time. The Civil Servant who helped me asked about "12 hours in the last year, with an instructor, blah, blah, blah*" so I assumed...
That turns out not to have been the case. The rating expired last November. Since that time I've only flown N-reg or gliders, so no laws broken. I only learned this because I would like to add on a TMG class rating, and PPL-to-TMG is easier than SPL-to-TMG (3 hours vs. 6 hours).
I know that if you have both SEP and TMG then the hours, instructional flight, etc. count for both. I also know that if you have SEP and pass a check ride to add on TMG then it resets SEP for two more years.
Now the "however part," I don't know the answers to these questions:
1. Even if the SEP is expired, can I use that as the basis for adding on TMG?
2. Will the TMG practical test reset SEP?
Before I tackle the German bureaucracy in my ICAO Level 5 proficiency, I'd like to know the FCL references.
This is really a money/time issue. I fly mostly, but not exclusively, power in the US and mostly gliders in Europe. Going to an ATO to be evaluated for an hour, "trained" for an hour, and tested for an hour is much more expensive than three extra hours in the TMG.
*I emailed her a few days ago "hinting" that maybe there was a typo on the license. She's out of the office for two weeks.
Thanks for your expertise.
Terry