changes to NPPL regulations on LAA website

[josher]

have just seen this

ppl medical (http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2010/General/ppl_medical.html)

which will appear in the next LAA mag. If I interpret this correctly my flying on a lifetime PPL with a medical declaration rather than a class 2 medical will require me to apply for an SSEAL rating after which time I will be deemed to be flying on that rating rather than the SEPL. Therefore the latter will lapse unless I take a GFT every two years as my SSEAL hours don't count towards my twelve for renewal of SEPL even if the same a/c is being flown

Apparently this change results from complaints to the CAA that pilots with a medical declaration are continuing to fly on a PPL and not changing to an NPPL. I wonder who?

Given that the medical declaration route has not been shown to have any flight safety implications one has to wonder why this was necessary. If the concern was the addition of other ratings to a PPL [IMC night and complex] an easier and more intelligable route might have been to require a class 2 medical for these ratings.

Seems to me this is going to drive a significant number of PPLs back into the arms AMEs and increase flying costs when we dont need it for no demonastrable safety benefit

[BEagle]

The information on the LAA website is inaccurate.

Under ORS4 No.756, with a non-NPPL, you could only exercise SEP Class Rating privileges restricted to identical terms as SSEA Class Rating privileges. No IMC, no night, for example. Pilots without JAA Medical Certificates may NOT exercise these privileges; if they do so then they will be flying illegally.

Unfortunately the original spirit of ORS4 No. 711 (the predecessor to ORS4 No. 816) was poorly drafted and had been misunderstood. The whole idea was to let pilots (who could no longer hold a JAA Medical) to continue to fly without extra cost or paperwork - which meant that they had to hold a valid non-NPPL licence and SEP Class Rating issued by the CAA, plus a Medical Declaration. There was never any intention to allow pilots without a valid SEP Class Rating to use the ORS4 No. 711 / 756 exemption; they were to fly the SSEA GST and apply for the inclusion of an SSEA Class Rating in their non-NPPLs. But the "Where does it say you can't" brigade tried to ignore this....

Under ORS4 No.711/756, pilots had the option of revalidating a SEP Class Rating (exactly as under JAR-FCL) or of including a SSEA Class Rating and subsequently revalidating it under SSEA terms - which allow the flying to be spread over 24 months rather than being in the last 12 months of the Rating. But there were no difference in Rating privileges.

This was too complicated for some to understand and also risked pilots (who didn't understand the restrictions applying to SEP Class Ratings with Medical Declarations) flying illegally. So it has all now been simplified under ORS4 No.816. If your SEP Class Rating is still valid and you are flying with a valid non-NPPL and Medical Declaration, then there are no changes to your privileges. It just means that when the SEP Class Rating expires, you will now need an SSEA Class Rating - and the AIC will tell you how to do this. There is no need to do anything until then! The LAA have been told (repeatedly) that ORS4 No. 816 allows this, but for some reason seem not to have understood, judging by your link.

See http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4_816.pdf and note that the CAA have stated that An appropriate Class Rating means one which gives the privilege to fly the aircraft concerned. This will be the applicable 'NPPL' Class Rating or an SEP Class Rating (with differences training if SLMG/Microlight privileges are also exercised).

SSEA flight time will of course count towards SEP Class Rating revalidation - but unless you hold a JAA Medical Certificate you won't be able to revalidate or renew an SEP Class Rating. So if you've chosen not to hold a JAA Medical Certificate, the consequences are now clearer.

The only people who need to change to a NPPL are those who cannot hold JAA Medical Certificates and whose licences have an expiry date as such licences cannot be re-issued unless the applicant holds a JAA Medical. 'Lifetime' UK PPL holders do not need to obtain NPPLs - the whole idea of ORS4 No.711/756/816 was to remove this previous need.

Seems to me this is going to drive a significant number of PPLs back into the arms AMEs and increase flying costs when we dont need it for no demonastrable safety benefit.
If it's their choice not to hold a JAA Medical, then the consequences will also be theirs.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

If it's their choice not to hold a JAA Medical, then the consequences will also be theirs.
Yeahbut there's "choice" and "choice".

When an annual medical cost around an hour's flying that was one thing. But now the CAA are insisting on extra tests and a medical costs me £1,000 per year that's an altogether different sort of "choice", particularly when other people also have a say in the family budget.

[ifitaintboeing]

BEagle,

As you know, this is being discussed behind the scenes with the CAA in order that an AIC and amendment be issued to provide greater clarity.

I don't think it is appropriate to point criticism at anyone [including the author of the article] for any misunderstanding of the regulations as they have become incredibly complicated - in some cases the CAA themselves have difficulty interpreting them.

ifitaint...

[Charles E Taylor]

"in some cases the CAA themselves have difficulty interpreting them".



I posted this link in another thread yesterday. it looks like it will all change again soon.

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/620/srg_l&...s_Sept2010.pdf (http://redirectingat.com/?id=42X487496&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.caa.co.uk%2Fdocs%2F620%2Fsrg_l%26ts_Eur opeanLegislation_ExpectedEffectOnUKPilots_Sept2010.pdf&sref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pprune.org%2Fprivate-flying%2F429023-uk-ppl-licence-what-happens-after-5-years.html)


Is this progress?






Charlie

[Lister Noble]

Wow!

At least the aircraft I fly is ex-miltary ,designed in 1930's,and was active in WW2.
Should be OK,just need to sort out my licence now.
Ex PPL now NPPL, but have got a year or so to run on my PPL,can renew that providing I pay around £800 to the nearest AME.

Stitched up,I feel like a needlework box.;)

[ifitaintboeing]

LAA website amended. The page now contains up to date information for PPLs flying with a Medical Declaration.

ppl medical (http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2010/General/ppl_medical.html)

There is also a handy flow chart to assist in understanding the revalidation process:

http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2010/General/MedDecFlow.pdf

Regards,

ifitaint...

[BEagle]

Excellent flowchart - well crafted!

I hope that your 'no charge' statement will prove correct - it would be iniquitous for the Authority to have made the significant changes of ORS4 No.816 which they have and then to introduce a fee......

[ifitaintboeing]

That is certainly the case until 01 April next year. I recommend that anyone operating on a SEP/Medical declaration who thinks they might require an SSEA/SLMG/Microlight rating apply to get it issued now.

In fact, one might recommend this to anyone who holds a current SEP rating with JAR-FCL medical also - just in case.

ifitaint...