UK SEP expiring
 

Hi guys,

it is the end of my first two years as a pilot so please excuse me for not expecting my current bad situation. I am living in Germany but do hold a UK PPL (A) with a SEP rating. The SEP rating now needs urgent renewal and I was just expecting to do this by experience: a one hour flight with an instructor as I do have (more than) 12 hours in the 12 months prior to next week. In fact, I already did four hours with a German FI in the last two weeks as I am going for the Night (A) at the moment. When the instructor wanted to extend the SEP entry using those hours, he stumbled upon the UK CAA website (google for "uk caaa Single-engine piston rating for aeroplanes") stating that a non-UK FE can't sign the certificate of revalidation. It also states that "SEP revalidation by experience can be signed in a UK issued licence by an examiner holding a valid UK issued Part-FCL examiner certificate or a Flight Instructor with the privileges of FCL.945."

I didn't expect this roadblock and don't really know how to easily fix this.

Does finding a UK FE who only *signs* the paperwork based on my flight log (and maybe a call with my FI) suffice? Do I need to find a UK FI with FCL.945 for another hour (willing to do so if need be)? If so, do you know one in Germany? Do I need to find a UK FE for that hour? Other ideas (on a German forum one person suggested that I "register" / accredit a German FE with the UK CAA but I am not sure how long this process takes and how much it costs - does someone have more info on that as well?

Help appreciated!

First question, is it an EASA licence or just a UK licence? As it was only issued 2 years ago it should be an EASA licence.
If you have the experience and the hour with an FI then all you need is a UK Examiner to sign the licence. A revalidation by experience cannot be signed by an Examiner whose licence was issued by another State, similarly a FI with 945 privileges can only sign the rating if they conducted the last flight of the one hours dual experience and they also have a licence issued by the same State.
It must be revalidated before the expiry date or you will be into a renewal.
You can always send the documednts to an Examiner for signing. There should not be any fee associated with this. You can send it to Gatwick but they will charge and take ages.

So said Examiner is expected to examine the log book, the licence and the medical. Then fill in the form, sign the licence, make necessary copies and take to a post box. Probably about an hour or so - for nothing?

I meant no charge for signing, postage etc is another matter. No requirement to check the medical.

For the sake of completeness....
 

You could always find a German FE(A) and elect to revalidate by 'test' prior to expiry. He notifies the CAA by email, does the flight and then also sign the paperwork for you there and then. A slightly more expensive way of doing things - but perhaps a tidier solution all round.

Renewal can also be done by a German or any other EASA FE(A) who could then sign the certificate. The main difference is after expiry the examiner would need a 'certificate of assessment/training' from an ATO before undertaking the test.

HTH

DD

Doing the Prof Check is quite straight forward but getting permission to sign it is a bit more of an issue.

Artus KG
Assuming you are talking about a UK issued EASA Licence, I can think of six options for you to maintain the continuity
(Revalidate) your SEP prior to its Expiry Date:
1) Complete (Pass) a Proficiency Check with a German Examiner who has obtained authorisation from the CAA
2) Complete an hour DUAL with a UK FI (with 945 Signing Privileges) in Germany
3) Fly to UK and find a UK Examiner to sign your Paperwork
4) Fly to UK and complete an hour DUAL with a UK FI (with 945 Signing Privileges)
5) Fly to UK and find a UK Examiner to conduct a Proficiency Check (not really worth it unless Rating expires and it becomes a Renewal)
6) Find a UK Examiner in Germany to sign your paperwork.

6) Would seem to be the best solution for you but, to make suggestions/offers, UK Examiners would need more information:
a) Where are you based, could you travel to, in Germany?
b) What is the Expiry Date of your SEP Rating?

Yes, it is an EASA license. Thus my mistaken assumption that reporting the revalidation by experience would be an easy cross-border but within harmonized EASA thing. Well, I have learned a bit about the practical reality of national states, their interpretations and implementations of EU rulings, Examiner Differences Documents and thelike in this process...

Thats better news than I hoped for. Looks like all I have to do is find a UK FE that is willing to meet me and inspect my logbook on an airport that is convenient for him and price-wise good to reach for me. Of course, a remuneration for his trip, time and efforts is fair.

Plus eventual trip costs to a place I can easily reach this weekend. So - not for free :)

Thanks a lot for this clearly structured breakdown!

3 + 6a) EDLP / EDLR. Willing to travel to any place reachable by ICE train or car within 4 hrs one way or 2 hours C172 if good enough VMC weather. Willing to fly to any UK airport that has a cheap flight available from Dortmund DTM or Hannover HAJ or Duesseldorf DUS.
6b) April 30th.

Heathrow - tube to Stanmore - minicab to and from Elstree. P.M. if you're interested.

Thanks!
 

Hi guys, had to find out that I can only have one PM at any given time. Also, I wasn't allowed to post earlier due to limits on new users...
Many thanks to Thatsthewaytodoit and MrAverage for lending a hand despite me being hard to reach and silent!

I've just replied to your PM.

Logbook, license and 1119 are on their way to UK. Again many thanks to all for making this possible. Now I only hope that Herrmes doen't loose the parcel :}

Many thanks!
 

Many thanks to everyone here lending a hand for this successful revalidation, especially to R.G. for signing the paperwork! I learned a lot about the process, easa and, foremost, helpful and generous fellow pilots!