Can we fly without our physical licence in our bag?
 

Hi Everyone,

I have nearly completed my change of state of licence (SOLI) from UK CAA to the IAA to keep my EASA ATPL. Ive just been told by the IAA that my ATPL is ready for collection.

They have instructed me to send my UK licence and Medical to Dublin and they will courier my new licence to me.

My question is: Can I still fly using photocopies of my current licence and med in the meantime while i wait a possible 10-14 days for it to be delivered to me? Im sure that in the past this was not possible but cannot find any reference to it and neither the UK CAA or IAA are answering my emails.

The easy way may be to `pax` to Dublin,do a swap and pax home...a ramp check could be embarassing,....

Great Idea, Although I don’t think they are even open to the public....Might be a bit of a non starter!

Says it all really.

That depends on how you define a valid licence. If the IAA say a copy is ok, then you're good to go. Give them a ring.

I would be careful with that, especially if you happen to get into a ramp check which then could lead to criminal charges.

Years ago, just after Spain became a Democracy, I was hauled into the Jerez Civil/ Military Airport Commander’s office to prove how me (a 21 year old) could fly a Piper Apache legally down the Airways from Lisbon (a refuelling stop) into his Airport. On presentation of my shiny new CPL/IR, he shut up and confiscated my 200 Rothmans on the premise that Crew weren’t allowed Duty Free. Moral of the story, always carry your actual licence with you.

I would say not. Outside of checks I’ve never been asked for my licence but Sod’s Law applies. My experience of licence changeover with IAA has been very good. Although the licence generation process was painfully slow, once I could send mine in the turnaround was very quick. Suggest don’t use Post Office - too slow. I don’t know how your roster looks but maybe choose the longest gap and hope it gets back in time. Recommend a proper courier with guaranteed delivery time (the yellow and red machine should do an overnight service).

If the licence doesn’t get back before your next duty you should probably ring in and explain that you don’t have current licence or if you feel you have reasonable managers have the discussion in advance and agree on a strategy.

Good luck

Not a lawyer, but consider the following:

UK license remains valid, until exchanged. I believe that you can fly with a copy under certain circumstances.

The postal exchange is a COVID relief measure, so whether the ‘exchange’ occurs at the time of your submission, their receipt or their posting, is very much open to interpretation.

As long as you hold some evidence, this should be supported by a company statement or written in your Ops manual. Facsimiles, telexes and other approvals have always been accepted in the past, for ‘exceptional’ circumstances.

The very best fix, if possible, is to have your company on your side and prepared to lose you for a very short time - and it should be a very short time. With couriers both ways my exchange was about 5 days total. I take awair’s points on board.

Speak to them, they will issue an approval to use a copy of the licence. Happened before when a passenger stole my bag from the overhead on a paxing sector. Annoying but no issues