Language proficiency - letter from the CAA
 

Good old CAA... yesterday (14th March) I received an (undated) letter from them containing a replacement licence with the new Language Proficiency statement in the Remarks section.

The letter told me that they were sending these out in advance of a new requirement to have this in my licence by 5th March.

Doh!

Tim

I got one this morning,how do they know i speak english ?

Que? Por favor?

yeah I thought that too, a bit presumptious!

If you have a UK radio licence then that gives you automatic level 4 (which has to be renewed every couple of years) however once you renew it you should be able to get level 6 if you are a native speaker which doesn't need renewing. Exciting eh!

Level 4 means the CAA thinks you can probably speak English but needs to check up on you every couple of years. Level 6 means the CAA knows you can speak English and aren't too likely to forget how to do so so no check up required. Well that's how I see it. :E

I have not received anything, should I worry? (I have an old CAA PPL+RL)

Rod1

there's a 15 page thread in Rumors and News about this. The requirement is put out by ICAO and EVERY country has to abide by it.

Just because you have an English or American citizenship does not mean you can speak fluent English, right? :}

So, most countries, like Germany, too, are passing out either new licences or official letters (which Germany is doing) for level 4 to all who already have an English radio licence, without the testing. The testing then must take place latest in 3 years, so the letter is good for that time period and must accompany the licence. Without the letter,and you fly to say France, the French do not necessarily have to recognise your licence priviledges!

Not receiving a notice automatically, or in your case a new licence, could mean you have changed your mailing address and didn't inform the authorities or you have a radio licence that the CAA doesn't know about. I would give them a call.

It seems the ICAO put this notice out long ago, I believe around 2002, yet most countries ignored it until the date "suddenly" came close. :ugh:

So, don't get all fluffed about it, all pilots and controllers around the world are in the same boat!

Bora da,

I find it hard to believe that the CAA could do this free of charge.
Can I now expect to get more of these messages from the FAA and Transport Canada

Hen Ddraig

Time to spare, go by air

Called the CAA a couple of days ago regarding this.
They were in the process of sending them out. I asked if it was not required after 5/3. They just answered that they were in the process of sending them out. When I asked at what time I should start to worry if i haven't received anything they said "wait a month". Seems they have enough to do just now....

Dragon! Shhhhhhhh! They may not have realised :E and they'll soon put a stop to it if they do. :(

I haven't receieved anything either and hold PPL A and H so do I get two?

Ken,

Assuming the PPL(A) and PPL(H) are separate pieces of paper, you will certainly get two new licences: basically they are sending a covering letter enclosing a new licence with a bit added to the Remarks section. (Interestingly it included some other new bits, too, including removing the national ratings page and including the IMCR on the main ratings page instead; plus it was printed double-sided so I had to cut it down the middle to fit the nasty brown PPL holder.)

Tim