flyingscotsman99
20th Nov 2012, 09:49
As an ex-commercial pilot I let my ATPL lapse and took out a PPL on the basis that it would be cheaper in the long run to keep up my medical.
The PPL commenced 06/06/12 and I have an SPA IR valid to 03/05/12.
I was mistakenly under the impression that after 1 year an IR would simply revert to an IMC rating for a further year. Unfortunately that is not quite right. You have to go through a paperwork exercise to achieve that, and here is the sting; ANY change to a JAR licence now triggers a change to an EASA licence.
That means that to allow my IR to revert to an IMC rating for the second year, I would have to pay for an IMC rating and an EASA licence, having just paid £189 for a JAR PPL six months ago! Even changing your address requires a change to an EASA licence and £73!
I offer this as just one more cautionary tale! No doubt there are people who have grasped all this EASA stuff. I just don't happen to be one of them; obviously too much time flying and not enough reading CAP 804!
The PPL commenced 06/06/12 and I have an SPA IR valid to 03/05/12.
I was mistakenly under the impression that after 1 year an IR would simply revert to an IMC rating for a further year. Unfortunately that is not quite right. You have to go through a paperwork exercise to achieve that, and here is the sting; ANY change to a JAR licence now triggers a change to an EASA licence.
That means that to allow my IR to revert to an IMC rating for the second year, I would have to pay for an IMC rating and an EASA licence, having just paid £189 for a JAR PPL six months ago! Even changing your address requires a change to an EASA licence and £73!
I offer this as just one more cautionary tale! No doubt there are people who have grasped all this EASA stuff. I just don't happen to be one of them; obviously too much time flying and not enough reading CAP 804!