PPL Weight Limit

[Gordomac]

Apologies ift his was asked by me and answered before, somewhere else.. In starting the "New Thread", box opens and the title appears already which suggests it was posted and answred before. If so, I have forgotten the answer and it is still heated debate in the local Taverna,

You chaps on this forum will have the instant expertise to confirm my view and ensure my free drink.

My understanding is that all licences grant the privilege. of operating as P1, up to whatever weight limit. CPL also goes up but is defined. ATP has no weight limit. The HGV of aviation.

Pub question is ; what if a really rich bod, having just won the Euromillions, decides on buying his own , say B747 and wants to fly it himself. Off he goes and gets his PPL. Does he have to go the CPL/ATP route in order to fly his really heavy toy ? Can he fly the 747, Privately owned, registered and operated on his PPL as P1, albeit with other crew on board. Of course.

We. are talking only of licenced privilage. . I mean, is there such a thing as a PPL with no weight restriction ?

Large Jack & coke riding on this one. Thanks.

[36050100]

The licence you hold determines whether you have to pay for your flying (PPL) or can get paid to do it (CPL, ATPL).

The ratings that are attached to the licence determine what you can fly.

I suppose in theory there is no reason why you can't attach a 747 type rating to a PPL, BUT, as a 747 has jet propulsion, is pressurised, has hydraulic systems, incorporates an IR element in the type rating skills test, requires complex flight planning skills, is in performance category A, etc, by the time you have done technical exams to give you privileges to cover the subjects (and others) above, it might well have been quicker and cheaper to have done the ATPL theory subjects, and the CPL/ATPL flight training, and got yourself a CPL/frozen ATPL.

[Glevum]

With a CAA PPL you are limited to a MTOW of 5700kg.

[Meikleour]

Originally Posted by Glevum

With a CAA PPL you are limited to a MTOW of 5700kg.

There are many warbirds that exceed that weight and they are flown on a PPL with a type rating. I once heard a tale ( ? ) that Brian Trubshaw flew Concorde on a PPL!

[eckhard]

Pre-JAR and EASA, U.K. PPL had three “groups”:

Group A: Single-engine max Wt 12,500lbs
Group B: Multi-engine max Wt 12,500lbs
Group C: Any type with max Wt over 12,500lbs.

I believe that Brian Trubshaw flew Concorde on a PPL with the type entered in Group C.

[Jhieminga]

AFAIK the 5700kg/12,500lbs weight limit is not specified anywhere in EASA Part-FCL. I think it was there when I got my licence over 20 years ago... but I don't know what happened to it. So going back to the pub question, depending on where the PPL was issued it may well be possible to add a 747 type rating to a PPL, provided you meet the other requirements related to operating such a type.

[172510]

In EASA (it might be different in the UK) you may fly a 747 with a PPL provided you have the type rating on your licence.
To get the type rating, you need a multi engine IR, an MCC and advanced UPRT training.
The ATPL(A) theoretical is mandatory for multipilot aircrafts(FCL.720.A (b) (3))
So compared to the traditional training route for airline pilots, you save 15 hours of training for the CPL, and you only need a class 2 certificate instead of class 1.

[Edgington]

Like you say there are no weight restrictions for licences, looks like that changed when JAR-FCL came in.

So yes a PPL could get a 747 Type-Rating, requirements being 70 hrs PIC, hold or have held a Multi-Engine IR, completed the ATPL theory and hold a MCC certificate. FCL.720.A refers.

Because you need the ATPL Theory, you might as well do the CPL skills test otherwise your ATPL's would lapse and wouldn't be able to do another type rating unless you resit all the exams. That is should you eve want to exchange your 747 for something smaller.....

[Whopity]

I have seen a number of PPLs with a 747 Type rating on them. Usually the holder will have previously held the type rating on a professional licence. In one case an airline pilot with a foreign licence wanted a UK PPL and the only rating he had was a 747. He then had to complete a SEP class rating course to add those privileges. As part of the initial Type Rating a PPL holder you would have to complete the theoretical knowledge applicable to a "high performance" type as well as a full type rating course.

[Gordomac]

Thanks good people. Looks like the weight of opinion (pun intended) suggests our lottery winner can look forward to flying his 74 on a PPL....................blimey, what a journey though !..............
I am dodging the Taverna for a couple of days.

[172510]

Originally Posted by Edgington

Because you need the ATPL Theory, you might as well do the CPL skills test otherwise your ATPL's would lapse and wouldn't be able to do another type rating unless you resit all the exams. ..

Your ATPL's will indeed lapse and won't be valid anymore for the CPL after 3 years.
But to get a type rating there is no requirement for it to be valid. The text says "have passed the ATPL(A) theoretical knowledge examinations "

Same thing with FCL.915.FI (b) (2) (i) "passed the CPLtheoretical knowledge examination" with no requirement of recency.