Renewing a long expired UK PPL(A)

[Tomahawk53]

My UK PPL(A) expired in about 1991 after I had done around 100 hours. Having retired and now at the tender age of 62 I am considering getting back in the air. I have been encouraged to do this by the impending changes to medical requirements which look far less onerous. Before I spend a lot of time looking into this does anyone have recent experience of the steps they had to go through to renew their licence? My assumption at the moment is I would have to start again from scratch but it would be nice to think that my previous 100 hours counted for something. All thoughts gratefully received.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

When I retrained after 13 years it was indeed a question of starting again from scratch, but I went through the course at about twice the original speed. (Turned out I'd more-or-less remembered how to drive an aeroplane around the sky but had forgotten all the procedural stuff. YMMV of course.)


What you need is training as needed to pass the test, there's no particular number of hours specified. (Unless it's all changed yet again, of course.)

[foxmoth]

Not normally starting from scratch, if you still have your books it may be worth reading through the lessons, then go and have a flight with an instructor, that will give an indication, in all likelyhood it will be 5-10 hours training, but this does depend on how well you pick it up again.

[dobbin1]

My UK PPL(A) expired in about 1991 after I had done around 100 hours. Having retired and now at the tender age of 62 I am considering getting back in the air. I have been encouraged to do this by the impending changes to medical requirements which look far less onerous. Before I spend a lot of time looking into this does anyone have recent experience of the steps they had to go through to renew their licence? My assumption at the moment is I would have to start again from scratch but it would be nice to think that my previous 100 hours counted for something. All thoughts gratefully received.

The previous hours all count. You need to go to your local flying school and fly with an instructor. They will evaluate your personal training requirements and design a tailored training course for you. In my experience most people only need a few hours to recover their skills and fill in any gaps. Once the training is complete, the instructor will write up a course completion certificate and then you will do a proficiency check with an examiner.

[300hrWannaB]

I didn't fly for 7 years. It took me two training sessions - one upper air, one circuits, then I went for a GFT with an examiner. To re-qualify in 3 sounds like a brag, but it was the sweatiest 3 flying sessions I've had.

First port of call is your favoured flying school, especially the CFI.
Secondly talk to the CAA. You may have to decide which licence you want to go for. NPPL or EASA. There may be additional competences to be demonstrated. It depends on the aircraft you wish to fly. The modern plastic NPPL types are now extremely civilised, quick, safe and frugal. Changes to the Medical are primarily for NPPL, I gather.

[India Four Two]

I thought ancient UK PPLs were valid for life and did not expire. Is that not so?

[Flyingmac]

I thought ancient UK PPLs were valid for life and did not expire. Is that not so?

True. The OP only needs to do what's required to revalidate the licence.


Less of the 'ancient' please.

[Meldrew]

As stated above, you do not need to start from scratch if you had a UK PPL previously. An instructer at an ATO will decide how much retraining you need by flying with you and evaluating how rusty you have become. When satisfied he will put you in for a proficiency check with an authorised examiner. This is NOT a full GFT, it is similar to the bi annual check ride. You will need to convert your old UK license to an EASA one. This is done by the CAA when you send in the paperwork after the proficiency check. Your examiner will do the neccessary paperwork with you. Good luck.

[Flyingmac]

You will need to convert your old UK license to an EASA one.

Are you sure about that?

[Meldrew]

Hi Flyingmac. I am just reporting my personal experience after not flying for 13 years until last years PPL renewal. I may be wrong about the EASA coversion, I was guided by my ATO that that was the thing to do. Perhaps someone on here could put me right?

[MrAverage]

The old licence can still be used, but with limitations that could possibly become more onerous in the future. That's why conversion is often recommended by clubs/schools.


Tomahawk 53.








Flying with an instructor first is incorrect. You are required by regulations to seek out a head of training at an ATO or RF who has to assess a minimum training requirement before the LPC. You fly with an instructor after the assessment.


Feel free to send me a PM if you wish.

[3db]

Tomahawk53, I note you say the medical requirements have changed. If the medical was the reason you stopped flying (as in my case) you should get a medical first in my view. I am similar to you, 67 yrs, lost medical (Diabetes) in 2002 haven't flown since. Medical changes to the FAA system (I have a FAA license) might allow me to fly again. Hence, FAA medical booked for next week. Best of luck.

[BillieBob]

A few misconceptions here, arising mainly from sloppy terminology. The UK PPL does not expire and, therefore, never needs to be revalidated or renewed. All that is required is to renew the SEP class rating (or any other class or type rating) attached to the licence. The UK CAA has determined that the revalidation requirements for ratings/certificates attached to UK licences will be the same as for EASA licences

Refresher training, at an ATO, is required sufficient to reach the level of proficiency necessary to safely operate the relevant class or type of aircraft. The amount of training will be determined by the ATO, which will issue a Course Completion Certificate when the necessary level of skill has been achieved. An examiner may not commence a proficiency check unless the candidate holds a valid course completion certificate.

Under current regulations, the UK PPL will be valid on EASA aircraft until 8 April 2018 with LAPL privileges and, thereafter, will be restricted to Annex II aircraft (e.g. ex-military/ vintage/ homebuilds/ etc.).

[India Four Two]

Less of the 'ancient' please.

Flyingmac, nothing personal. ;)

I was talking about my licence - which was originally the old brown one. I'm planning a special flight (using the privileges of my Canadian PPL) on 15 September this year - the 50th anniversary of my first solo! :)

[Tomahawk53]

Thanks all for your responses so far which I find very encouraging.:)

[Squeegee Longtail]

I have a 1989 issued CAA PPL brown license, replaced with a light blue sometime in the 90's. Not used it since late 90's as I now fly (regularly 50-70 hrs per year) on an FAA license.

So, I am current for SEP on my FAA Private cert.

With the new (proposed) medical declaration system being talked about I would be able to re-start using my CAA PPL. I wonder how much instruction/refresher training I would be required to do? or exams?

Anyone speculate?

[billythefrog]

Unlike anyone else on here, I have an expired CAA-issued JAA PPL, which states a validity period of five years: "This licence shall remain in force from 04 APR 2000 until 03 APR 2005 unless revoked, suspended or varied". Originally given up for medical reasons but time, the PMD, and my homebuilt aircraft, will now allow me back up in the air.

I'm super keen to get my currency back; I went up for a c. 5 hours with an instructor a few weeks ago with my eye on an NPPL given the JAR expiry date of 2005, and they considered me imminently ready for a NPPL GFT/skills test, but not sure that's the right route, e.g. can I get my JAR PPL renewed/revalidated somehow, does anyone know?

The CFI at the school I recently visited couldn't work it out... The CAA don't seem much help either. I'd really appreciate some advice.
Thanks all

[Arrow Flyer]

A pilot in this situation went through our ATO a few months ago, they completed training as required to pass the SEP proficiency check.

We recommended conversion to a new UK FCL licence. For this conversion, make sure you've demonstrated proficiency using radio aids and this has been certified in your logbook.

After you've passed the check, there's a fair bit of paperwork.

SRG1104 - Converts a previous UK issued licence to a UK FCL licence
SRG1119C - Renewal of an expired Class Rating
SRG2199 - Examiner Report
SRG1199 - English Language Proficiency (I think we may have used SRG5012 because it was easier to send with the rest of the paperwork, it wasn't rejected)

Then send all the paperwork, your logbook and certified copies of your ID/licence to the CAA.