Possible to check UK license validity?

[Alex Berry]

Hi all,

Is it possible to check whether someone has a valid UK PPL without checking it in person? The FAA offer a web-based search, but I don't see anything obvious in the UK - therefore, is it possible to just call the CAA and ask - or?

Many thanks, Alex

[tmmorris]

£42 - see here: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/New%20simplified%20licence%20verification%20for%20UK-pJAR%20Licences_v3.pdf

It's the same process as asking them to verify your licence for the issue of a foreign licence. But, you need to be a company, NAA or airline to do it, by the look of it. I'd give them a ring.

If you are just nosey about someone's qualifications I doubt they would play ball. Though if you suspect someone of flying without a licence I'm sure they would look into it...

Tim

[Whopity]

If you have reason to doubt whether a person has a licence you can call Licensing and Training Standards and give the details of the individual and they will give you a simple answer Yes or No. Clearly you will need to identify the person, if you don't have a reference number you need the full name, address or location, possibly age as there may be several people with the same name. They cannot tell you anything about the person other than to confirm if there is a licence held that matches the details given. This has nothing to do with the Licence verification process. They may not be able to identify if the licence is currently valid as this information is not held on the licensing database.

[Ryan5252]

If you have reason to doubt whether a person has a licence you can call Licensing and Training Standards and give the details of the individual and they will give you a simple answer Yes or No. Clearly you will need to identify the person, if you don't have a reference number you need the full name, address or location, possibly age as there may be several people with the same name. They cannot tell you anything about the person other than to confirm if there is a licence held that matches the details given. This has nothing to do with the licence verification process. They may not be able to identify if the licence is currently valid as this information is not held on the licensing database.

I understand the seriousness of someone operating without a licence; they may even be carrying passengers!! But, if for example you had suspicions about me and you made a call to the CAA as a concerned aviator and they confirmed I did/did not have a licence this would constitute a breach of data protection policies.

Surely an conversation along the lines of; " Hello CAA I have concerns that Pilot X is flying around without a licence, can you help?" CAA: "I have just checked his details and although I cannot say one way or another, you have nothing to worry about." or "I have just checked his details and although I cannot say one way or another please be assured we will look into this."

I would imagine the correct way to go (although probably extreme) is get the police to look into it, even then they would have to send in a data subject access form if they were to get any answer in writing. Maybe this is moot as I think the CAA would have jurisdiction over such prosecutions?

In FAA land, the pilot must be made aware that his license status will be made public and by accepting such license he is agreeing to this by default? I would be very surprised if we all have agreed somewhere along the lines to the CAA disclosing our licence status to anybody by telephone no matter how serious the potential offense is?

[Whopity]

Confirming or denying if a licence is held in a specific name is not a breach of data protection according to the CAA. Why does an instructor sign your log book for a dual training flight? So that an examiner can call the CAA and identify that this person is a bona fide instructor by stating his name number and asking the same question!
I would imagine the correct way to go (although probably extreme) is get the police to look into itNo! If you have concerns about a person flying without a licence they should be made to Aviation Regulation Enforcement, part of the CAA not the police as suggested. ARE which is staffed by ex policemen has immediate access to all information held on the individual. So if you are really concerned that's another way to confirm if a person holds a licence.

Head of Aviation Regulation Enforcement
CAA Secretary and Legal Adviser’s Department
CAA House Room K504
45-59 Kingsway, London WC2B 6TE.
Telephone: 020 7453 6193

[Ryan5252]

No! If you have concerns about a person flying without a licence they should be made to Aviation Regulation Enforcement, part of the CAA not the police as suggested.
You must have forgot to read the rest of post;
Maybe this is moot as I think the CAA would have jurisdiction over such prosecutions?
The police do however have the authority to check the licence status of any pilot but my point is that they too have to satisfy various DPA regulations in that if they want anything beyond verbal confirmation there is paper work to be completed.

Confirming or denying if a licence is held in a specific name is not a breach of data protection according to the CAA.
I disagree if the confirming or denying done by the CAA is to a person I have not given my express consent for such information to be passed to. I would like to see where this is contained as I have not come across this before.

Why does an instructor sign your log book for a dual training flight? So that an examiner can call the CAA and identify that this person is a bona fide instructor by stating his name number and asking the same question!
If the instructor has signed my log book it is to verify the contents therein. The examiner calling the CAA to confirm the status of the instructor may be a privillege endowed on the examiner and instuctors therefore are likely to be aware that such practice takes place (by signing a log book and ultimately providing his number he is agreeing to, or at least aware, that such checks take place). This however is changing the topic slightly. The question posed is whether or not Joe Bloggs can call the CAA and be told expressly if any person holds a valid licence or not and it is my view that if that were to occur it would be a breach of data protection. I'm not denying if it takes place or not.

I note the forms as contained above require the licence holder to authorise the CAA passing his information to the Company/NAA/Airline concerned.

[IO540]

I wouldn't get too hung up on the DPA. There are many walter mitty types in GA, and some of them are instructors. I have met some myself. An FAA type database would be an excellent thing, and nowadays you can withold your mailing address from being shown, which is something you can't do with G-INFO (unless the plane is held by a Ltd Co etc in which case you stick your accountant's address in there... but then he gets all the garbage mailshots ;)

[Whopity]

If a person flies an aeroplane he/she is effectively telling all who observe that they hold a licence to do so; if not they are acting illegally. If an interested party wishes to verify that the pilot is duly licensed, the person has a right under the Freedom of Information Act to apply for this information. The Police are no different and have to follow this process to determine licence information thus reporting an aviation offence to them is inappropriate. In some cases e.g. drunkenness they would refer the matter to the Transport Police.

If a person flying an aeroplane did not hold a licence, then the CAA holds no information on them so there is no Data to protect and saying so does not infringe anything.

Examiners and Instructors do not have any special arrangements or understandings.

The CAA will not divulge what ratings a person has, of the state of validity of a licence. If the person has a licence then confirming it is not divulging any more information that the act of flying an aeroplane which presumably is what triggered the initial request. i.e. It is confirmation of information already displayed publicly by the individual.

Organisations sell our names addresses and phone numbers every day with no authority to do so. Confirmation of holding a licence necessary for safety is in the public interest and should be more freely available.