Need help ICAO glider licence to UK CAA SPL

[pafanador]

Hi folks,

I have a EASA CPL(A) pilot licence issued by the CAA UK but I also have a Glider Pilot Licence issued by Transport Canada, I would like to know if someone knows how to convert to Canadian GPL to the EASA SPL, I've checked the CAP 804 and the information is not clear.

Thanks for you help.

P.

[Prop swinger]

I would recommend emailing the BGA, contact details here (https://www.gliding.co.uk/contact-us).

There is no easy solution, Part-FCL is completely silent on non-aeroplane/helicopter non-EASA licence conversions. I think the BGA have to verify that your training & experience meet EASA minima & then recommend to the CAA that you be issued with a licence, all of which would be a lot easier if you were a member of a BGA club.

[bookworm]

Annex III of the aircrew regulation says:

B. CONVERSION OF LICENCES
1. A PPL/BPL/SPL, a CPL or an ATPL licence issued in compliance with the requirements of Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention by a third country may be converted into a Part-FCL PPL/BPL/SPL with a single-pilot class or type rating by the competent authority of a Member State.

2. The holder of the licence shall comply with the following minimum require* ments, for the relevant aircraft category:
(a) pass a written examination in Air Law and Human Performance;
(b) pass the PPL, BPL or SPL skill test, as relevant, in accordance with Part- FCL;
(c) fulfil the requirements for the issue of the relevant class or type rating, in accordance with Subpart H;
(d) hold at least a Class 2 medical certificate, issued in accordance with Part- Medical;
(e) demonstrate that he/she has acquired language proficiency in accordance with FCL.055;
(f) have completed at least 100 hours of flight time as a pilot.

[LTCTerry]

EASA CPL(A) = written tests done.


Have you made a 50km glider flight? Or 100km with instructor?


Maybe the easiest way: Fly with an examiner. Submit the paperwork. Done.


What I did over several years: The British Gliding Association (BGA) issued me a glider license by mail after I provided copies of logbook pages and my FAA certificate. The German Luftfahrtbundesamt (LBA) gave me a PPL(C) after I flew with an examiner. After paperwork and money the PPL(C) became an EASA SPL.


The LBA permits flying D-registered gliders with most foreign certificates/licenses. Is that the case in Spain? Perhaps you can just fly with what you have. I did that for a whole soaring season in Germany.

[pafanador]

Hi Guys,

Thanks all of you for the responses; combining them I have a clear idea about the steps to follow. This summer will visit a BGA club in the UK where I can get an authorized examiner, since there is no need for a written examination, just a flight test and the paperwork.

I haven't done any 50km or 100km with an instructor, but I can do this flight while I visit the BGA club.


Thanks again!.

P

[LTCTerry]

pafanador,


Check with the BGA before you go that route.


Can you get an actual EASA SPL in the UK yet? I was under the impression that wasn't going to happen until 2018. Unless things have changed, you get a BGA gliding license, not an EASA SPL.


There are gliders and, I presume, clubs and examiners in Spain. In Spain you can be sure of getting an EASA license and don't have to travel. Also, if you're going to join a club so you can soar in Spain, I would encourage you to do the work there.


If you do go to the UK, there are three clubs I know of that function in a quasi-commercial manner and are quite open to people coming for a course or a weekend as a day/reciprocal member. Look at Booker, Lasham, or London Gliding Club. They are all within an hour of London. I've enjoyed flying at all three - ridge and thermal at LGC, "just" aerobatics at the others.


Terry

[ChrisJ800]

Aren't the glider badges or certificates under the umbrella of the FAI and pretty much global? eg A, B C then bronze C, silver C , gold C and diamonds? Im a silver C with gold c distance and have glided in Oz and UK. Flight checks are different acronyms in each country and its low aerotow predominantly in Oz and high tow in UK. And no cloud flying in Oz but OK in UK. So need to understand local requirements, radio freqs and etiquette etc. Local gliding club experience and instructor check flights etc seems like the best way. In UK we had visiting Europeans eg from Germany, show their badge and log book have necessary check flights then fly solo. All done at gliding club level. That was 30 years ago when I glided in UK so maybe more paperwork now?

[LTCTerry]

Chris,


A, B, C, and bronze are nationally managed. Silver, Gold, and higher are managed by the FAI. In Oz and the UK soaring has traditionally been club-based rather than managed through the CAA/CASA/etc. In most European countries, as well as the US, soaring is managed through the FAA, LBA, or whatever TLA (three letter acronym) some country uses.


The club-based system has a long history of safe flying without big government oversight. This approach has allowed visiting pilots in the UK and Australia to get a local checkout and fly. (In Germany you can fly a D-reg glider with almost any foreign glider license and a medical.)


Side note, I looked at the BGA FAQ page(s) and found that you can go through them to get an EASA license now. Though I still think that a CPL holder who lives in Spain would find it simpler to do at home than risk weather delays in the UK.


Terry

[PaulisHome]

>> Can you get an actual EASA SPL in the UK yet?

Certainly - I have one (though you don't need one to fly in the UK till 2018). It's administered through the BGA, and there's detail about how to get one if you meet the criteria (basically Bronze badge plus cross country endorsement - no requirement for 50K I think, which is a part of the Silver badge). I'm not sure how much thought has been put into acceptance of other countries' licenses though.

It's my understanding (from someone who had this problem) that there's a rule that says that if you have multiple EASA licenses, they have to be from the same country - and since the OP said he had a UK EASA CPL, if that's true he'll need to get a UK SPL, so getting one in Spain wouldn't work.

But I agree with others - talk to the BGA and see what they say.

Paul

[pafanador]

Yes PaulisHome, you're right I already checked with the CAA and there are all the forms needed to get the SPL through the CAA UK, the only thing is that there are not ATO as such until April 2018. As you said, according to EASA you only can hold licences from a single Member state, that's the reason why I need to get the UK EASA SPL.

Thanks to all for your help, I will definitely do the paperwork this summer when the weather improves.

Regards

P.