NPPL Revalidation Question

[J.A.F.O.]

Currently to revalidate a NPPL in addition to the hours requirement one needs to have either:

a) Completed a flight of at least one hours duration with an instructor in the last 24 months

or

b) Passed a NPPL Skills Test within the last 12 months

So, if the Skills test was passed 12 months ago do you have another year before you need to fly with an instructor as you did so for your test and, presumably, just prior to it?

Or do you need to do a flight with an instructor for currency/revalidation?

Hope somebody can shed some light on that, feel free to point out that I'm just being thick but don't bother posting links to the CAA or NPPL Group or suggesting I contact the CAA, PFA, BMAA or Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps as I want to know what a reasonable person (as you all are) would think on reading that.

Cheers.

[BEagle]

You do not need to complete the experience requirements AND a GST.

If you haven't achieved the 'rolling validity' experience requirements (including the dual training flight) before the proposed flight date, then you will need to do have flown a renewal GST in the 3 months before the date of the flight.

What happens on 3 months and 1 day after the date of the GST if you still haven't met 'rolling validity' experience requirements is something we've been asking the CAA (who made the whole cock-up in the first place) to tell us.

[J.A.F.O.]

Thanks Beags, got that.

The point that I didn't quite get is, let's say, today is 12 months and 1 day since my GST. I've flown more than 6 hours since then but not with an instructor since I was training.

So, do I have another 11 months and 30 days quite legally flying around before I have to find an instructor?

Thanks.

[BEagle]

Unfortunately, some total idiot at the CAA decided not to issue NPPL Ratings with 'valid until' dates. The ANO states:

A simple single engine aeroplane (NPPL) class rating shall be valid if either:

(i) the holder has within the 12 months preceding the flight flown not less than six hours in an aeroplane falling within the simple single engine aeroplane (NPPL) class rating, four hours of which shall have been as pilot in command and he has carried out a training flight of at least 1 hour duration with a flying instructor within the previous 24 months; or

(ii) he has within the three months preceding the expiry of the rating undertaken a simple single engine aeroplane (NPPL) General Skills Test.

So your rating will remain valid so long as you continue to observe para (i) above. But you turn into a pumpkin as soon as the last 1 hr flight with a FI was more than 2 years before the date you intend to fly.

Utter nonsense, isn't it. Which is why we've been trying to get it changed for nearly 2 years now since the original CAA cock-up.

[J.A.F.O.]

Thanks Beags.

Another year until pumpkin time, then. Although I'd better check the logbook in case it was a 55 minute flight.

How long will it be before a) Somebody introduces something sensible and b) SLMG time counts for revalidation (as I believe it does if you have one of these Euro licences but not if you've got a Brit one ??????? :confused: ???????)?

[BEagle]

Hopefully next spring. We have drafted the proposals and are waiting for the Belgranists to turn them into ANO legal-weasel speak before it is circulated, with a view to it becoming law next spring. We have been pressing them for nearly 2 years on this....

For 'SLMG' time to count towards SEP revalidation requirements, a JAR-FCL PPL(A) needs to have a TMG Class Rating included as well as a SEP Class Rating. Whereas if you fly SLMGs on a SEP Class Rating, the time does not count towards SEP revalidation.