PPL(A) Renewal after nearly 10 years.???
 

A little help from someone who can understand CAP 804 or whatever it is they're using these days please.

I hold a brown licence and on the front of it states:- United Kingdom, Civil Aviation Authority, A full member of the Joint Aviation Authorities, Private Pilots Licence (Aeroplanes)

I have an SEP (land) rating and the last time I flew fixed wing was 8/5/06 and my revalidation certificate was valid until 06/09/2007.

Now, I need to renew it, and convert it to EASA. Can anyone tell me if this is easily done or will I have to start from scratch again? I presently hold a current ATPL(H) ME, IR and class 1 medical. :confused::confused::confused:

I have written to the CAA but havent had a response as yet.

Cheers

Whereabouts in the UK are you?

Pass a proficiency check for the SEP and apply for the EASA licence using SRG1104. You will need a RF or ATO to sign a Course Completion Certificate to say you are ready for the test.
They no longer provide this sort of service, its up to the Industry to do that! Just go to your local Flying School and they will do the rest.

Whopity, thank you for your response. Unfortunately my local flying schools (x2) both advised getting clarification from CAA. Very frustrating and feel i'm chasing my tail.
along with srg1104 do I need to enclose another form for the licence renewal?
MrAverage, i'm in Lincs.

Ok. I'm probably too far away to help as I'm at Elstree. Whopity, as usual, has it spot on. However, have you actually spoken to an Examiner? They should all know how straightforward the process is.

P.S. There is no need for any clarification.........

Whopity has it, the CAA have delegated all of this to ATOs now.

The idea is that they assess your training needs, come up with a course to suit them, and then you pass a proficiency check.

So if you're Mr Sunday Flyer, only ever flew 20 hours post PPL and haven't flown for 10 years, the school say you'll need to do 15 hours or whatever they deem necessary to get up to speed. Once complete they give you a certificate which you give to an examiner who tests you.

If you're a current ATPL(H), they'll probably just get you to do a few hours and if all is well put you forwards for the check.

This is how it all works in theory. In reality, ATOs often aren't organised enough to sort it out, and probably don't come up with a proper training plan, so you just do the usual few hours of repetitive stalls, a brief bit of Nav but never enough, a few circuits, and send you off for an examiner to sort out. All good fun!

Helimutt,

Recently I've done exactly what you're trying to do. I had the same request from the ATO to gain clarification from the CAA wrt training required. Thankfully the CAA couldn't have been more helpful - confirming (as already stated here) that it was training as required in order to pass the proficiency check. A couple of flights later and the EASA PPL was fresh off the press.

Hope you enjoy the return to fixed wing as much as I did!

thank you all for the replies, hoping to visit my local flying school and see if I can get that ppl(a) back up to date. :)

cheers
:ok:

As above posters have said.
There used to be some good guidance, and of course you could even phone the CAA FCL Dept. The truth is that your Examiner will let you know what they expect, ie that you can pass the test!

In my case (dating back just 3 years) I had 7 years self imposed non-flying.
When I needed to get back in the saddle, as they say, I had a sweaty hour upper air work, a very sweaty hour in the circuit, and then the instructor said I was ready.
The Instructor and Examiner had to be different people.
Clearly I'd not forgotten how to drive an aeroplane, but as we all know, it's all about the other stuff that non-flyers don't appreciate. Polish and practice. Even just practising running through the mnemonics for pre-flight, airfield approach, and forced landing are simple things that can make life easier when under stress. Radio calls I find are the first thing to go rusty.

Much of this stuff can be practised on your daily drive to work as you bosh down the M25 or wherever. Your mind is busy with the drive, give it an extra task.