1970's PPL?
 

I apologise for asking what is no doubt a tired old question, but the mass of information out there has left me confused: I have a UKCAA PPL(A) issued more than 40 years ago, which carries no expiry date. The high cost of issue being justified by this being a licence for life.

If I wanted to become current in light aircraft again, would it be possible to resurrect this licence?

Have you asked the CAA ?

I was issued with mine in 1965 and it did expire, but I can't remember when.

Good god no!

Welcome back.

Look at all of the options, including just abandoning your old PPL.

The training required to get you up to standard to pass a skills test for a PPL might be more than you need, in order to get a suitable licence for the kind of flying you are most likely to do int he next ten years.

Three axis microlights, EV97 Eurostar or an LAA Permit RV7 might do it for you on either an NPPL or LAPL.

Visit your local flying schools, and ask. I had an expired 1964 PPL, and retrained as required for a lifetime PPL in 1987. I've kept current since, and now have a National PPL and an EASA PPL.
Consider an EASA LAPL or, as suggested, Microlight Licence.
PS If you can afford it, you'll only get accurate information from a lawyer specialising in EASA and UK Aviation Law.

Returning to flying is much easier than some who have posted information above might suggest.

First of all, decide what / where you wish to fly. If you're content with just VFR in UK airspace, you merely need to complete refresher flight training as necessary, then pass a Proficiency Check for a Single Engine Piston Class Rating and submit a Pilot Medical Declaration. This will give you PIC privileges on aircraft of up to 2000 kg with no more than 4 PoB. You may also fly Microlight aeroplanes using that licence, provided that you receive conversion differences training from a Microlight FI. But the format of your UK PPL is so old that it would need to be re-issued, so you'd be better off converting it to a Part-FCL LAPL at the same time - then you'd be pretty well future proof.

If you wish to extend those privileges to anywhere in an EASA Member State, as a minimum you will need a LAPL Medical Certificate and a Part-FCL LAPL. If you wish to fly something heavier than 2000 kg or with more than 4 PoB, you would need to convert your UK PPL to a Part-FCL PPL, requiring you to obtain a Class II medical certificate.

None of the above requires you to take any theoretical knowledge exams!

If you wish to fly under IFR, you will need an instrument flying qualification. This cannot be included on a LAPL, so you would need to convert your PPL to a Part-FCL PPL before adding an IR(Restricted) which is identical to the IMC rating - but is only valid in UK airspace.

Any reputable training organisation should know all this.

You've got a licence. You just need to renew your SEP, which means some training and the test. I stopped flying for over a decade and it took me three lessons.

You might find it a little more complicated if you are in Italy.......................

Think it's more a case of "on the magic roundabout" than "in Italy".....................Boing !

Ah, but have I? There's some useful advice above - thank you - but I don't think anyone has actually answered my question. I guess the CAA would charge a fee to answer my question?

Yes it's easy.

Medical

Fill in the online medical declaration on the CAA website.

Go to your local flying school for training as required followed by a test (basically a mini skills test compared to your initial PPL skills test)

As your licence is valid for life the examiner then signs a ratings page (they should have one if you don't) and you are good to go flying.

No fees or sending anything off to the CAA.

​​​​​​If you want to get a european licence at a later date you can use this licence to do so. But there are a few other hoops to jump through and money to fork out.

​​​​​​

Super, thanks.

Mickey Kayes' answer is corect for the UK but in Florence it will be a little more complicated. You will need an EASA medical certificate as a Medical Dec will not be valid in Italy. As you have a UK issued licence you will need to convert it to an EASA licence to use it in Italy, SRG 1104 is the form. Probably the simplest option is to do a SEP Proficiency Check with an Examiner authorised by the UK, could bel at an Italian Club, you will also need a SRG 1199 signed by a UK Examiner for English Language Proficiency, and a certification of all documents before sending the SRG1104 to the UK for the issue of an EASA licence.

We don't think he/she is actually in Italy Whopity, we were just trying to add a little weak humour. Of course, it is possible to bounce around Italy.

Apologies for the confusion and apologies for the weak humour. I'm in the UK, so I understand the licence is still usable, for flights within the UK, with similar privileges to the NPPL?

And I can only fly non-EASA types?

Until April 2019 I think that you can fly EASA types too.

Thanks.
Maybe it's just me getting old and hating change, but what was straightforward now seems rather complicated. Do the houses still get bigger when you push the stick forward?

Not only that, but they come towards you much faster as well!

It does, of course, rather depend on what attitude the aircraft is in when you start to push (and how much power you've got available).