Lapsed PPL!
 

OK Chaps, simple question, but i guess the answer isn't! 800hr lapsed PPL, last flight P1 7 years ago. What would i need to do to get a microlight rating if i bought my own plane? I still have one of the old CAA licenses and have the impression this EASA malarky has made things a whole lot worse, would that be the case, or simply impress an instructor enough to sign me off? I have friends who are commercial who can hire for the big trips, so i just want to be able to bimble along in a totally VFR microlight, probably Fixed wing? All info gratefully received. Thanks.
PS I am based Near Eastbourne.

The simple cop-out, but still correct answer is to phone the BMAA. Join of-course, but also ask them the question on the phone as they'll have somebody in the office absolutely up to date with the latest regulation changes.

British Microlight Aircraft Association,Home

G

All you need to do is training as required to pass the SEP proficiency check - you will then have a UK national licence valid on EASA SEP aeroplanes as an LAPL until April 2015 and on non-EASA SEP aircraft as long as the rating is valid.

Requirements for the holder of a UK issued licence including SEP to obtain an NPPL (M) are in para. 4.1.1 of this document

Billie Bob beat me to it. My PPL had lapsed nearly 10 years ( like yours a former lifetime CAA PPL) and what I had to do were sufficient hours to convince our local CFI I was competent in general handling, navigation, radio and emergencies (plus some questions) and then a normal SEP proficiency check.

You say you would like to fly microlights.

Your old licence included - even though you may not have known it! - "Microlight privileges included in such licences".

NPPL cross-credit rules - from NPPL web site - are:

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4.2 Pilots with expired licences or ratings

Credit shall be given for holders of expired CAA-issued JAR-FCL Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes) and UK PPL(A) licences or ratings as follows:

a. Where a Microlight class rating or Microlight privileges included in such licences has expired by not more than 5 years, the licence holder shall hold a valid NPPL medical declaration or JAA Class 1 or 2 medical certificate and pass the NPPL GST in a Microlight.

b. Where a Microlight class rating or Microlight privileges included in such licences has expired by more than 5 years, the licence holder shall undergo a course of training in a microlight aircraft as specified by a Microlight FI, hold a valid NPPL Medical Declaration or JAA Class 1 or 2 medical certificate and pass the NPPL GST in a Microlight. The licence holder shall also pass an oral theoretical knowledge examination conducted by the authorised examiner as part of the GST.

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So, in summary, GST if less than 5 years expired; whatever training is required to get to test standard, GST and ground oral if more than five years.

So no written exams, no cross-country nav test and no supervised solo.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the replies chaps. Ok next problem! Went to Damyns Hall on a recommendation and the guy there said i was too heavy! Two 85kg pilots and that's it? I am 110kg and trying to lose a few!! Any suggestions?(Apart from the obvious!)

Deepak at Damyns Hall teaches on a CT - it's a bit marginal on weight, as is often the case with the highest performance microlights.

You'll be fine on many flexwing microlights (which I promise are every bit as much fun as 3-axis, I promise), or some of the lower performance 3-axis microlights.

If you're set on 3-axis, look for schools teaching on the Ikarus C42, which probably has the best payload of the UK microlight 3-axis training fleet. 120kg limit per seat, and after your 110kg, there should be around 100kg left for instructor and fuel - which is tight, but do-able.

Flexwing, look for schools with a Blade, Quantum or GT450 - all have enough payload for you.

G