Microlight hours and unfreezing an ATPL

[FlyingGasMain]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone's taken up the issue of microlight hours counting towards a commercial license with the CAA recently ? I get the impression from previous threads that they're a bit uncertain about it.

I've got 240 hours of C-42 instructing in my logbook but I've got a horrible feeling the CAA are going to say I cant count it towards unfreezing my ATPL. Seems crazy when its a 3 axis aircraft that outperforms the C-152 in many respects. Also, you can have the very same aircraft certified as an SEP !


FGM

[madlandrover]

LASORS refers.

1) A2 (Section A, page 3): Whenever a reference is made to aeroplanes this does not include microlights as defined nationally, unless otherwise stated.

2) G1.2 (Section G, page 1): An applicant for a JAR-FCL ATPL(A) shall have completed as a pilot of aeroplanes at least 1500 hours of flight time.

[Whopity]

Also, you can have the very same aircraft certified as an SEP !

Your choice, but then you can't teach Microlight on it! The issue with qualifying for an ATPL is usually the 500 hours multi-pilot time. If you have that, then surely it won't take long to acquire the requisite hours.

[RTN11]

I know when I was building to remove the initial restriction from my FI(A) rating they wouldn't accept any microlight time. The reason they gave was that it was a JAR licence/rating, so only JAR time on JAR aircraft counted. I'm sure the same would apply to an ATPL.

[Whopity]

Sounds like classic Gatwick uninformed comment. The real reason is given by Midlandrover in para 1. In many countries microlights are not regulated and training does not meet ICAO requirements

[FlyingGasMain]

Thanks for the replies. Am I not right in thinking that our microlight system in the UK is regulated in that you get a PPL(M) on qualification ? I'm just wondering if I could argue my case with Gatwick on this basis.

I admit I should know more about this area, but my microlight instructing has all been as a part-time instructor, so I show up, obey all the local rules, the ANO and the CFI amongst other things, without delving into the minutiae too deeply. I do also have 140 hours of SEP instructing, many of which were in far more beaten up, less capable C-152s !

I am approaching the 500 hrs multi-crew time required but I would really like to avoid having to duplicate the 240 microlight instruction hours if I can help it, mainly because my day to day flying is in corporate so the hours are built up quite slowly (compared to say, airline flying)

[Whopity]

Am I not right in thinking that our microlight system in the UK is regulated in that you get a PPL(M) on qualification ? I'm just wondering if I could argue my case with Gatwick on this basis.

They have not issued a PPL(M) since 2002. It is not an ICAO licence and they will not accept the hours towards the issue of an ICAO licence. You have no chance.

[S-Works]

So if you are working in a multi crew environment you are gaining the hours. What's up with actually acquiring them in line with the regulation or does your ego require you to change your licence colour at the earliest opportunity?

[FlyingGasMain]

Apologies - I realise I should have said NPPL(M) rather than PPL(M). As you say, an NPPL(M) is not an ICAO license. Thanks for the opinion Whopity, appreciated.

Bose X - I couldnt find the smilie for 'wind your neck in' so how about this . My ego doesn't require me to change the colour of my license. However, my desire to make a reasonable living in aviation does mean that yes, I do want to unfreeze my ATPL, because it will make me more marketable for future jobs. As I see it my hours spent instructing in 3 axis microlights are just as valid in practical terms as those instructing in SEPs. Not being able to count the former is annoying, but I do accept that the CAA will probably just quote the rules at me and that's that.

I do believe that there are probably a not insignificant number of other microlight instructors out there who face the same problem with their hours not counting for licenses, and I think its a shame if the CAA dont recognise their experience.

[S-Works]

Bose X - I couldnt find the smilie for 'wind your neck in' so how about this . My ego doesn't require me to change the colour of my license. However, my desire to make a reasonable living in aviation does mean that yes, I do want to unfreeze my ATPL, because it will make me more marketable for future jo

Yawn...... What crap. Your experience flying in your current role will make you more marketable not getting your ATPL 'unfrozen' early by trying to fenagle your microlight hours into counting.

The recruiter in me asks what other corners you are prepared to try and cut in order to be 'more marketable'.........

[BristolScout]

For Gawd's sake, cut the guy a little slack, bose-x. He's as confused as the rest of us by the ambiguities in the licensing system and asked a perfectly reasonable question. There's no shame in wanting to progress through the system as quickly as possible - I recall champing at the bit at the slow progress of my night hours which were needed to trade my SCPL (remember those?) for a green book.

[eph6]

oooohhh Bose-x. You're a recruiter! Wow! Now, who has the ego?
Prats like you are the reason I don't frequent this site anymore.

[S-Works]

As a company we recruit pilots. As Head of Training I review and test the applicants. Not sure how that an be construed as being an ego issue.......

One of the characteristics we look for in potential pilots is an ability to follow the rules not look for curves on a straight road. It might not suit some people to accept that the rules are there but we have to live with them.

If someone has a job that allows them tomwork towards the issue of an ATPL then they are on the ladder. The rest of what makes them employable comes from the experience they gain on the ladder. Counting microlight hours in a MC environment is a waste of time. Showing a little patience and acceptance of the way things works shows a much mature and conforming attitude of the the actually needed in the cockpit. Trying to find a short cut just makes me wary about what other corners they are prepared to cut to get what they want......