Flight Test before 17 years old??

[spitfirejock]

I feel sure the many experts on this forum will know the answer, and more importantly, where to find it......!

It's crystal clear the 'applicant' for a PPL must be 17 years old, but can someone who has completed the training, written the exams and met all other requirements including being in possession of a recommendation for test, complete the test before their 17th birthday?

I thought I was sure of the answer as I recall someone doing this many years ago, but find myself unable to locate the current reference/rule within EASA which clarifies - any help would be appreciated as I have a young 16 year pilot that has just asked me and they are ready with one month to go before their 17th birthday!

[Fl1ingfrog]

Of course your lad may be tested having completed: all training, written examinations and all other compliance such as the minimum hours. EASA makes no rule on this issue, so no words, and why should they. The skill test is to assess the candidates satisfactory knowledge and skill and is not a qualification and gives no privileges in itself. The CAA cannot issue the licence until his 17th birthday though The UK CAA when it was full of humanity (sic) used always ensure, in these circumstances, that they issued the licence on the actual 17th birthday, I don't know if they still recognise this special occasion in our modern cold bureaucratic times..

[Whopity]

FCL.1030 Conduct of skill tests, proficiency checks and assessments of competence
(a) When conducting skill tests, proficiency checks and assessments of competence, examiners shall:

(2) verify that the applicant complies with all the qualification, training and experience
requirements in this Part for the issue, revalidation or renewal of the licence, rating or
certificate for which the skill test, proficiency check or assessment of competence is taken;
Is Age not an experience requirement?
As all initial tests have to be approved by the NAA will they still grant permission?
It seems the UK CAA are still ameanable on this.

[spitfirejock]

Thanks for the replies, I thought this was the case, but as with everything EASA, it can be confusing and I didn't want to trip up!

[BEagle]

In the latest Aircrew Regulation amendment issued on 3 Mar 2020, a new paragraph FCL.015(f) has been added. This states:
(f) For the issue of a licence, rating or certificate the applicant shall apply not later than 6 months after having succeeded at the skill test or assessment of competence.’;


Which means that the youngest age at which a PPL Skill Test should be attempted is 16 years and 6 months, i.e. 6 months before the age of 17 at which licence application may be made.

[rarelyathome]

Is Age not an experience requirement?
As all initial tests have to be approved by the NAA will they still grant permission?
It seems the UK CAA are still ameanable on this.

Surely it’s the qualification requirement that precludes it. Not 17? Don’t meet the qualification requirement. I don’t think the 6 month time limit quoted by Beagle is meant to imply anything other than the application must be made within 6 months of passing the Skills Test. It doesn’t imply that a Skills Test can be undertaken before the candidate has met all the qualification requirements.

[Whopity]

Whilst the CAA turn a blind eye it will suit some. Other NAAs may have a very different view.

[BEagle]

FCL.015(f) is 'hard law'. NAAs may not ignore it!

Before it came into law, there was no clear policy. Some in the CAA used the 6 month limit which applies to Class / Type Rating training and tests, whereas someone else sent an e-mail which gave a 12 month limit. As that had been sent by the Authority, they agreed to honour it subsequently. But they could not do that today!

If someone wants a PPL issued on their 17th birthday, a covering note to the CAA asking for the licence to be processed on that date will probably suffice. Provided, that is, that the exams are still within their 24 month validity on the date of application and that the Skill Test was passed no earlier than 6 months before the date of application.

[Whopity]

FCL.015(f) is 'hard law'. NAAs may not ignore it!
In which case according to FCL 1030 you cannot take the Skill Test until you meet all the requirements for licene issue which includes the minimum age of 17 years.

[BEagle]

Age is not listed as a 'requirement'. Medical, Class Rating training compliance, theoretical knowledge exams, ELP are all 'requirements', whereas age is simply a limitation placed on the applicant for submitting documents for licence issue.

Experience requirements are those pertaining to the particular licence - i.e. dual, PIC, long cross-country, navigation hours and TT.

Have you really been misadvising people that they cannot take the PPL Skill Test until their 17th birthday?

[Whopity]

Have you really been misadvising people that they cannot take the PPL Skill Test until their 17th birthday?
I have only advised people of the relevant regulation, how you interpret it is entirely up to the individual.
verify that the applicant complies with all the qualification, training and experience
requirements in this Part for the issue,
If Age is not a measure of Experience why mention it at all?

[BillieBob]

Age is not listed as a 'requirement'.
​​​​​​Age most certainly is listed as a requirement.

Part-FCL Subpart C, Section 1 - Common requirements
FCL.200 Minimum age
(a) An applicant for a PPL shall be at least 17 years of age.

An examiner conducting a PPL skill test on an applicant under 17 years of age is clearly not complying with FCL.1030. Given the increasingly punitive attitude of the CAA, examiners would be well advised to take extreme care in this area.

[justmaybe]

A person cannot become an APPLICANT, for the purposes of the directive, until he or she passes the LST. Since the APPLICATION must be made within 6 months of successfully passing the LST, and taken in tandem with the other provisions of directive, there appears to be no impediment to preclude the LST being undertaken prior to the applicants 17th birthday, save for the 6 month REQUIREMENT alluded to Beagle et al.

[BEagle]

justmaybe , I've just been speaking with the relevant person at the CAA and he confirms that there is no limit on taking a LAPL/PPL Skill Test before a 17th birthday. But if it is passed before 16y 6m, it won't be valid for application at 17 due to FCL.015(f).

[justmaybe]

Tks Beagle, I think that represents the appropriate and intended outworking of the regulation. Unfortunately, with so much of EU law, drafting is invariably pòor and a lot is lost in translation.