Licence upgrade

[bigflyingrob]

I'm trying to upgrade my licence to NPPL from the old PPL M. I want to do tailwheel at the same time. My local strip has a Cub theoretically for hire but having had my time royally wasted over the last 2 weeks have decided to go elswhere. I'm in Essex so if someone can suggest a place to do tailwheel and NPPL conversion do say so.
Rob

[Arclite01]

Clacton ??

[effortless]

Cambridge flying group, Tigermoths - luvverly.

[rans6andrew]

I would like to upgrade from NPPL to PPL (m). Can we just swap with each other?

Andrew.

[Whopity]

I think what you mean is that you want to add a microlight class rating to your NPPL. The UK PPL(Microlight) ceased at the time the NPPL was introduced. Information can be found here: http://www.laa.uk.com/

NPPL (SEP), UK PPL (A) or JAR-FCL PPL (A) to NPPL (Microlight)

The holder of a NPPL (SEP), UK PPL (A) or JAR-FCL PPL(A) with SEP class rating who wishes to obtain a NPPL (Microlight) shall:

a. Produce the NPPL (SEP), UK PPL (A) or JAR-FCL PPL (A);
b. Pass the Microlight Aeroplanes Type (Part 2) oral examination conducted by a Microlight flight examiner. The examination shall include pilot maintenance requirements and conditions of the Permit to Fly;
c. Hold a valid NPPL Medical Declaration or JAR-FCL Class 1 or 2 medical certificate;
d. Pass the NPPL (Microlight) GFT.

So you will need to go to a Microlight school to achieve this: http://www.bmaa.org/clubs.asp

[rans6andrew]

er.... no. Whopity.

I want to convert my NPPL(M) to the good old PPL(M), the licence that I started training for before the NPPL came along and messed things up. For no good justifiable reason, the powers that be have decided to change the licence revalidation procedure to cause all NPPL(M) holders to fly with an instructor every couple of years. The old PPL(M) holders need only 5 hours P1 per year in their log books and they a validated for another 12 months.

This change (the NPPL holders have been OK with the 5 hours a year for the last 5 years) is going to add cost and inconvenience and has been brought in without any clear predicted benefit in increased safety or other area. If it was to be for safety reasons it would have been applied to the PPL(M) holders. It hasn't and it isn't going to be.

The knock on effects, for me of this change, are not just the cost of hiring an instructor but I need to find one that is happy to fly in my (kitbuilt) aircraft. I need to have the instructor added to my insurance and, if they come to my airfield I need to pay for a temporary club membership for them on top.

If I go to a training school, I will be struggling to find one with an aircraft which offers me enough headroom to fly comfortably. I only ended up with the Rans I have because it was the only microlight that I have found that, by removing the seat cushion, gave me enough headroom. Forget the CT2k, C42 and Thrusters as my height makes them unsuitable. I can manage to sit in a Eurostar as long as I lean towards the centre. Don't fancy flying like that for long.

The training, flight test and ground school for the NPPL(m) are the same as the PPL(m) used. The medical requirements are the same. The licence holder privileges are the same for the 2 types of licence so why does the revalidation need to be changed for the NPPL(m) licence holders?

Just let me upgrade to the PPL(M).

Andrew.

[BEagle]

No.

Next......

[Whopity]

They stopped issuing the PPL (M) when the NPPL was introduced; the law was changed to accommodate this and they can't issue with something from the past.