Thanks Buckshot. I never knew that. I had to hand my licence over to the OIC when I took VR, I've always thought it was cancelled since then. I guess somewhere in the catacombs of AsA or CASA they have a record of it stamped into a clay tablet if I ever wanted to recover the Licence No. etc.
Its a pity the MOS 65 contains a typo (?) that repeats the ATC duration in the FS section:
Chapter 6 - ATC
6.1.2.1 An Air Traffic Controller Licence shall remain valid for the lifetime of the holder, provided the conditions specified in CASR Part 65 continue to be met, unless the licence is suspended or cancelled by CASA.
Chapter 11 - Flight Service
11.1.2.1 An Air Traffic Controller Licence shall remain valid for the lifetime of the holder, provided the conditions specified in CASR Part 65 continue to be met, unless the licence is suspended or cancelled by CASA.
Probably no one has ever noticed or cared
From MOS 139 (v1.14 2017):
Therefore, applicants for the issue of a CA/GRO Certificate must hold, or have held within the last ten years, an ICAO recognised Air Traffic Controller licence or an Australian Flight Service Officer licence.
Doesn't say it has to have been current.
There was this
https://www.casa.gov.au/file/421/dow...token=xdXflipk back in 2006 to widen the net, but I'm guessing it went nowhere as the current MOS hasn't changed. The rational for the NPC was that it was getting harder to find eligible candidates, so perhaps the "current" is implied/preferred, but it is not stated.
MOS 65 states that "provided the conditions specified in CASR Part 65 continue to be met", which seems to be holding a rating and carrying out the functions. A Class 3 medical is a pre-requisite for initial granting of the licence, and must be maintained while exercising it. Any ratings/endorsements or qualifications granted by the ATS provider are invalid when the holder ceases employment with the ATS provider. CASA can then use non proficiency or non medical currency to suspend or cancel the licence, but must notify the holder in writing after making them jump through some hoops. I have never been formally notified my licence has been cancelled.
Maybe the OIC threw it in his bin after I left his office, which is probably about as official as it will ever get.