NPPL(M) and new EASA LAPL - Conversion route?
 

Hi - I'm hoping someone can offer some advice as I've spent ages reading a few forum posts (here and elsewhere) along with the CAA FAQs on the subject and am still a little lost.

I previously looked at flight training (having done a few 'trial lessons' in various aircraft) but - whilst many friends around me achieved their PPLs - it's not been financially viable for a while and now that I'm in a position to properly embark on training the whole licensing landscape has changed entirely.

I was pretty sure I'd wanted to go down the route of the NPPL(M), training in a C42, as it was a nice aircraft to fly and the local airfield operating them was by far the friendliest (and most affordable) with the possible option of converting to NPPL(SSEA) in the future.

Ideally I would like to be able to train in something like the C42 but have the option to potentially fly larger aircraft (up to 4 POB at most) in the future (with appropriate training and conversion obviously!) as well as the ability to fly outwith the UK (potentially). There was previously conversion routes from the NPPL to the full PPL that would have allowed this but it seems this is no longer the case for the EASA LAPL ?

I'm sure I'm not the first to be confused by all this - but it's looking like in order to get an LAPL the only route I have really is to train in an EASA Aeroplane (like the PA28) at a different flying club with much higher costs and landing fees etc which would be disappointing, more so if I was left with a license which didn't allow me to fly the C42 that's much closer to home.

Hope someone can offer some advice.

Currently, if you have an NPPL(Microlight), you can then add the NPPL(SSEA) Class Rating.

Then you can convert the NPPL(SSEA) to a LAPL(A) - you have until Apr 2015 to do this unless you want to be restricted to non-EASA aircraft thereafter. The LAPL(A) includes privileges to fly aircraft with 4 PoB (including the pilot) and with a max take-off weight of up to 2000 kg throughout the EU.

Once you have your LAPL(A), you can convert it to a part-FCL PPL(A).

You may fly Microlight aircraft within the privileges of a LAPL(A) with SEP privileges or a PPL with SEP Class Rating - you need to complete differences training if not previously Microlight qualified.

Both Europe Air Sports and IAOPA Europe have proposed that flight time in Microlights may be used towards rating revalidation / LAPL recency. But we won't know EASA's response until the end of 2013 at the earliest....:rolleyes:

Hi Beagle,

I currently have an NPPL (SSEA) to which I hope very soon, to add an SLMG rating. I am also a glider pilot, so how do I go about converting my NPPL (SSEA) & SLMG to a LAPL(A) and will I also need a separate LAPL(S) to carry on gliding?

Thanks...

Paul.

See CAP804 Part I Section 4 Part P pp11-20.

The whole area of TMGs, SLMGs, powered sailplanes and sailplanes is a minefield of complexity and I suggest you speak to the BGA about the best way ahead for your particular circumstances.

Cheers Beagle - complex or what!!

What I'm still none the wiser is if you start with all three (NPPL(SSEA), GPL & NPPL(SLMG) - what type of LAPL you can finish with! Time to lie down in a darkened room me thinks!

Paul,

1) get the SLMG rating,
2) get an EASA medical,
3) check that your language proficiency is at least level 4 & current,
4) fill out SRG 1104, icluding both the SSEA & SLMG in section 5.

Do NOT apply for any sailplane licence directly to the CAA. You will need to take your licence rating revalidation page & your current medical, together with a photocopy of each, to a friendly RTF or ATO & get the head of training to certify that the copies are genuine before sending the copies to the CAA with SRG 1104.

You will need a separate sailplane licence to fly gliders without supervision. The recommendation is to apply through the BGA once the BGA become an ATO, (supposed to be happening this summer.) More here. You can add the TMG to both the LAPL(A) & the LAPL(S).

Thanks, I'm a BGA Rated Instructor so guess I'd better get the LAPL(S) bit sorted in time!

Cheers - most concise summary I've yet seen.

BEagle,

For the sake of Ross - and people like me who have been talking to him! - can you tell me:

What is required to convert a NPPL (SSEA) - ie light aircraft - to a LAPL?

What is required to convert a LAPL to an EASA SEP.

Thinking of training , not medicals.

Many thanks,

XA

CAP804
 

1. For NPPL(SSEA) to LAPL(A), see CAP 804 part I Section 4 Part P pp11-12.

2. For LAPL(A) to PPL(A) with SEP Class Rating, see CAP 804 Part I Section Section 4 Part C, Subpart 1 Page 2 para FCL.201.A (b).

If you haven't already downloaded a copy of CAP 804, it is available for no charge at http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP804Jan2013.pdf .

Thanks BEagle for the references:

For the benefit of Ross, and anyone else who wants to spend their hard-earned cash in the aviation industry, here are the extracts. (if I wanted to learn to fly and explore all the options, just downloading CAP 804 would put me off!

Plus I have added the NPPL Micro to NPPL SSEA.

I will try and sum it up first:

NPPL Micro:

Min hours 25 (for full licence) and 15 for restricted. But on our C42, really a light aircraft in most ways, look at more than that.

NPPL medical.

Microlight Exams.

To get SSEA added to NPPL Micro: (Provided one has 32 hours flying time)

Minimum of three hours extra training (1hr instrument appreciation, 2 hrs stall/spin awareness)

One Part-FCL wrtten exam (Aircraft General)

To get LAPL from NPPL SSEA

Have some knowledge of something - don't know what it is, how to find it or how it is assessed.

Apply for licence.

For LAPL to SEP:

15 hours in aeroplanes since you got the LAPL, 10 of which must be flight training at a FTO (so some flying schools may not count if they are the old registered training facility type?) and at least 4 of the 10 hours must be solo, etc.

If you don't already have a radio licence, you must get one at this stage.

So:

"Straight" route: = minimum 45 hours and radio licence

"Convoluted" route: = NPPL (M) - NPPL (SSEA) - LAPL - SEP = minimum 25 hours, plus 3 hours, (plus 4 more if needing to "top up" to 32 hours) plus 0 hours plus 15 hours plus radio licence = 47 hours.

So just two hours more. (on rarely achieved minima)




For NPPL Micro to NPPL SSEA)

NPPL(Microlight) or UK PPL (Microlight) to NPPL (SSEA)
The holder of a valid NPPL with Microlight Class Rating or UK PPL (M) licence without restrictions
who wishes to obtain a SSEA Class Rating shall:
a. Produce the NPPL or UK PPL (M);
b. Produce logbook evidence of currency on Microlight aircraft;
c Carry out such SSEA conversion training as is judged necessary by the FI(A) or CRI(SPA)
conducting the training to achieve the required standard for the applicant to take the NPPL
NST and GST in a SSEA. This training must include:
(1) Not less than 1 hour of dual instrument appreciation;
(2) 2 hours stall awareness/spin avoidance training;
(3) Differences training for Microlight pilots whose Microlight flying has been solely on
flexwing aircraft;
(4) Not less than the 32 hours required minimum total flight time for the NPPL with SSEA
Class Rating, which may be a combination of both Microlight and SSEA flying.
d. Pass the Part-FCL PPL (A) theoretical examination in Aircraft (General) & Principles of Flight;
e. Hold a valid NPPL Medical Declaration or Part-MED LAPL, Class 1 or 2 medical certificate;
f. Pass the NPPL NST and GST in a SSEA.
For the holder of a PPL (M) with operating restrictions, the requirements shall further include:
g. The whole of the navigation training required for the NPPL with SSEA Class Rating;
h. The completion of a minimum of 10 hours total solo flying which may be a combination of
Microlight and SSEA flying. NPPL/XC/REV 10 dated 17 Sep 2012
3
An applicant who has commenced training for a NPPL with Microlight Class Rating, but who elects to
train for the NPPL with SSEA Class Rating before qualifying as a Microlight pilot may claim all those
hours of Microlight training on either control system undertaken in the previous 6 months as
allowances against training for the NPPL with SSEA Class Rating subject to the following provisos:
a. The minimum requirement of 10 hours solo must be flown in a single-engine piston aeroplane
for the grant of a NPPL with SSEA Class Rating;
b. The minimum requirement of 32 hours of flying instruction required for the NPPL may consist
of a combination of Microlight and SSEA training;
c. The whole of the navigation training required for the NPPL with SSEA Class Rating must be
completed.

For NPPL (SSEA) to LAPL:


Licence previously
issued under the ANO
Conversion to
Part-FCL Licence Requirements
NPPL(A)(SSEA) LAPL(A) with
Single Engine
Piston aeroplane
endorsement
1.
2.
3.
Hold an NPPL(A) with SSEA rating;
Hold an LAPL medical certificate (or Class 1 or
Class 2 medical certificate) issued in
accordance with Part MED (MED.A.030). Any
limitation arising from the holder’s medical
status will appear on the medical certificate;
To be issued with a UK Flight Radiotelephony
Operator’s Licence an individual must fulfil the
EASA Language Proficiency Requirements for
Flight Crew at Level 4, 5, or 6. Whilst the pilot
licence can be obtained without meeting EASA
Language Proficiency Requirements for Flight
Crew, a person without a UK Flight
Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence is not
authorised to use a radio in an aircraft. The
holder of an existing valid UK Flight
Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence will be
accepted as qualifying for a Level 4 (expiring)
language proficiency endorsement;
27 July 2012CAP 804 Part I Flight Crew Licensing: Mandatory Requirements, Policy and Guidance
Section 4 Part P Page 12
NPPL(A)(SSEA)
continued
LAPL(A) with
Single Engine
Piston aeroplane
endorsement
4.
5.
6.
Have knowledge of the sections of Part-OPS
and Part-FCL relevant to the LAPL(A) – in
accordance with A.1(b) of Annex II to the EASA
Aircrew Regulation;
If the applicant has not completed 6 hours pilot
in command of SSEAs since being granted the
NPPL(A) with SSEA rating, comply with
FCL.105.A(b) – LAPL(A) Privileges and
Conditions on issue of the Part-FCL LAPL(A) in
order to be entitled to carry passengers. i.e:
FCL.105.A LAPL(A) – Privileges and
conditions
(b) Holders of an LAPL(A) shall only carry
passengers after they have completed, after
the issuance of the licence, 10 hours of
flight time as PIC on aeroplanes or TMG.
Flight as PIC completed since the issue of the
NPPL(A) shall be credited towards fulfilling this
requirement.

For LAPL to SEP

(b)Specific requirements for applicants holding an LAPL(A). Applicants for a PPL (A)
holding an LAPL(A) shall have completed at least 15 hours of flight time on
aeroplanes after the issue of the LAPL (A), of which at least 10 shall be flight
instruction completed in a training course at an ATO. This training course shall
include at least 4 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 2 hours
of solo cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross-country flight of at least
270 km (150 NM), during which full stop landings at 2 aerodromes different from
the aerodrome of departure shall be made.

The "straight route" is:

(a) Applicants for a PPL(A) shall have completed at least 45 hours of flight
instruction in aeroplanes, 5 of which may have been completed in an FSTD,
including at least:
(1) 25 hours of dual flight instruction; and
(2) 10 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 5 hours of solo
cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross-country flight of at least
270 km (150 NM), during which full stop landings at 2 aerodromes different
from the aerodrome of departure shall be made

*********

Am I correct in all this?

Bumped:

To ask if anyone disagrees?

I found this post last night.
Over the last few months I've totalled up 11 hours on flex-wing, but a bit tired of being constantly blown around and waiting for the right weather conditions so today I'm switching to fixed wing (A).

Wasn't sure whether to go down the NPPL(A), LAPL or JAA route.
But it seems that I can count my microlight hours by sticking to the NPPL route.
(I know it's not a race, and any flying experience is never wasted but psychologically it doesn't feel like I've wasted money)

Anyway I have a lesson booked for 1330 in a Grob G115 so will ask the CFI to clarify this, and report back.

xrayalpha,

That's a thorough explanation of the relevant rules. Your preamble at the top missed out that you need an EASA medical to get an LAPL from an NPPL(SSEA) & an EASA Class 1 or 2 medical to get a PPL(A) from an LAPL(A).
Part-FCL is in CAP 804, Part-OPS is here, in particular the AMC to Annex VII.


DarrenM488,

The main thing to remember is that the door to convert an NPPL(SSEA) into an EASA LAPL(A) closes on 8th April 2015.

I printed off the thread and showed the CFI today, he said all appears correct but he will research himself and let me know next Friday.

I'm hoping/aiming to complete the NPPL before the end of 2014 so should be comfortably within the timeframe.

You can convert directly from NPPL SLMG to Full ICAO EASA PPL TMG only.

If you have an NPPL with other ratings, such as SLMG and SSEA, then surely you can still take advantage of this direct conversion route that exists for NPPL SLMG to EASA PPL TMG only, but have the TMG only element removed?

Seems logical...

Can anyone tell me if the information about upgrading an NPPL(m) to LAPL(a) is still valid? If not, does anyone know what it is?

This is from the NPPL(M) website, I think it has all the info for the SEP rating add on.

http://www.nationalprivatepilotslice...20REV%2011.pdf

Then its a paper excersize to convert to LAPL(A).

Anyone know how long this conversion process to LAPL is allowed?

Has all this been put back until 2018 ? IE. if I was wanting to convert my SSEA licence to a LAPL I have no need to do it before April 2014 now.

Yes, that's correct.


MJ:ok:

You have to hold a NPPL with SSEA rating before 08th April 2018 in order to take advantage of the conversion agreement for NPPL to LAPL(A). To clarify, you can apply after that date, but must hold the licence before that date.

ifitaint...