UK ATPL, expired SEP; Easiest path to Microlight flying?
 

Hello,

I am importing a Lambada microlight into Ireland and am trying to ascertain the most cost-effective way of obtaining a rating/license to fly it.

I'm currently flying commercially. I hold a UK EASA ATPL. My SEP expired approximately 10 years ago.

By way of the IAA (Irish Aviation Authority's) permission holders of SEP ratings may operate 3 axis microlights without additional training.

I was hoping, however, to become current on a microlight at an Irish club as it would be much cheaper. The problem is that there is no such thing, if I understand it correctly, as a 'microlight' rating which I could attach to my EASA licence.

So am I therefore forced to become current on (the relatively expensive) SEP aircraft again or is there another way?

Regards,

UFO-Flying-Airbus ;)

Possibly hop over to the UK and get a Microlight rating put on your ATPL, which I think would be training as required and a microlight skill test, as you won’t have a current SEP for that to be differences within. But, before doing that, I would check that the IAA is good with you flying a Irish registered microlight on that combo.

G

A Part-FCL ATPL, which is what I assume you mean by a 'UK EASA ATPL', cannot include any non-EASA rating/certificate such as a Microlight Class Rating.

Simplest way is to revalidate your SEP Class Rating, then do your Microlight conversion. Bear in mind that, under current rules, Microlight flying will not maintain the validity of your SEP Class Rating, so at the very least you would need to fly a revalidation proficiency check when your SEP Class Rating nears its validity expiry.

Ok, thanks for your help, gents.

You can pay £35 to have a separate UK ATPL issued, to which national ratings can be added.

G

Morning Ufo,
I have sent you a message with details of an Irish school that operate in that category of aircraft, hopefully they will have something for you.
cheers,
Fionn

I had a similar dilemma when I got back in to GA a couple of years ago.

There were two ways around it: first was to exercise the PPL privileges of the ATPL, and complete differences training onto the microlight - downside to this was none of the hours accrued flying the microlight, counted towards the PPL hours requirement after two years.

Other option, which the LAA approved, was to do training up to and including the skills test, then they would issue me with a NPPL. I took the second option as it'd been over 10 years since I flew light aircraft, and was probably the safest option too! Looking back, I think that was probably the most prudent way to do it.