PPL Re-validation
 

hi, i'm reaching my two year mark of my first PPL (SEP-LAND)rating expiry within a month. in other words, my rating is expiring this month. last time i flew as PIC was over 3 months ago. since i'm not regular flying at this moment, i was just wondering what is the best procedure to revalidate the rating.

shall i revalidate it now before the current expiry within the 2 years period or shall i do it later in few months when i intend to do regular flying. but later would mean that my rating has expired, but i will still be under 5 year rule. any thoughts?

If you have 12 hours in the last 12 months and the right number of take offs and landings and P1 hours you just need a flight with an instructor. If not, or if you let it expire, you will need a skills test.

You don't say how much flying you have done in the last 12 motnhs, or whether you have done your hour with an instructor. Nevertheless if it was me I would leave until I was going to fly again and do an LPC.

the reason why i'm asking to leave it till later is that i do not want to go through all the hassle of joining the flying club and paying the admin/membership fees, if i'm not going to fly for atleast another few months. as i am currently not a member of any flying club and want to join only when i intend to fly regularly, but if the rule is to join the flying club just for rating revalidation, then i have to do that, don't i?

its just the expiry has come at the wrong time when i'm not flying. can you please elaborate if i let the rating expire, what will happen then, like i will be flying from april onwards, but will have the expired rating, what is the procedure then?

Check out LASORS sections F1.4, F1.5 and C5. If you let the class rating expire, it's an LST instead of an LPC but since both have to be with an examiner, the practical differences will be minor. An LST will probably be a longer flight with more exercises thrown in, plus there's supposed to be an oral exam and maybe some more paperwork. The differences are only becoming major if you reach the five-year mark.

As far as the membership fee is concerned, most clubs require this on a yearly basis. So it doesn't really matter whether you join now or in a few months time.

For me personally, I would prefer an LPC over an LST but mostly for ego reasons. I did not get the license to simply let it lapse two years later. (Of course, a revalidation by experience would be better still.)