License expired after 5 years?

[PompeyPaul]

This has just happened. Flown lots of hours, got my mic but just wondering what I need to do to get my license sorted again?

[RJC]

If you've just had a letter from the CAA, then it's a paper exercise to complete the form, photocopy your medical, complete the payment form, and post it all off. It is just a case of renewing the actual paper licence.

I have just had to do this for my PPL(H), new licence turned up in the post about a week later. I thought they all had a 5 year expiry on them.

If it's not that, then some more details would help others explain what is going on.

[BackPacker]

As RJC said. If you have a valid and current class or type rating, and a valid medical, it's a paperwork exercise.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

I thought they all had a 5 year expiry on them.
Nope. Plenty of us around who've got real lifetime non-expiring licences.

[PompeyPaul]

I'm just waiting on a letter from the CAA then. Nothing has come through yet.

[Johnm]

I thought they all had a 5 year expiry on them.

Nope. Plenty of us around who've got real lifetime non-expiring licences

This needs care. As I understand it JAR licences expire but will be replaced automatically with EASA licences that don't. A current JAR licence is considered to be an EASA licence until it expires and is replaced.

A lifetime CAA licence issued pre JAR does not expire but isn't automatically replaced by an EASA licence and will become invalid for EASA aircraft soon.

Edited to add:

I wouldn't rely on a letter from the CAA to remind you about licence expiry either. I'd get the forms and send 'em off.

[Whopity]

As I understand it JAR licences expire but will be replaced automatically with EASA licences that don't. A current JAR licence is considered to be an EASA licence until it expires and is replaced.
Nothing will happen automatically, neither will you receive a letter from the CAA. Its your responsibility as indicated in a letter sent to all pilots by the CAA about a year ago.

Your JAA licence is deemed to be an EASA licence because that is decreed in the EU regulation and requires no action by the CAA. When the JAA licence expires, there will be no action unless the holder initiates it.

Download and complete SRG 1102 (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG1102FF.pdf) to have your old licence re-issued. If you wait till mid Sept it will come back as an EASA licence that will be valid for life

[Gertrude the Wombat]

A lifetime CAA licence issued pre JAR does not expire but isn't automatically replaced by an EASA licence and will become invalid for EASA aircraft soon.
Yes, I'm aware of that ... but not exactly when the "soon" is, other than I have a vague feeling it might be some time in 2014?

[Whopity]

A lifetime CAA licence issued pre JAR does not expireSome do. UK PPLs issued between Jan and July 1999 were issued for 5 years rather than the usual "lifetime" this has caught a lot of people out. It came about because the law was changed prior to the issue of the first JAA licences.
I have a vague feeling it might be some time in 2014?UK licences will cease to be valid on EASA aircraft at midnight on 7th April 2014

[BEagle]

UK licences will cease to be valid on EASA aircraft at midnight on 7th April 2014

Except if used within the scope of the LAPL(A), when they may be exercised until midnight on 7 Apr 2015.

[Katamarino]

License "renewal" is a misnomer. It would be more accurately described as an arbitrary license tax.

[BillieBob]

License [sic] renewal is not a misnomer, it is incorrect terminology. The correct term is licence re-issue, assuming that we are talking about UK/JAA.