Spain, Ultralight, PPL, and Aircraft Registration
 

I'm having some difficulties understanding legislation and options here in Spain.

My main problem is I'm a British citizen, resident in Spain. My Spanish, although improving is inadequate to fully understand the responses to some of the challenging questions I ask, so I hope there are some here who can assist me.

I have a PPL(A) that I obtained 30 years ago, though have not flown for 25 years. I do have a paramotor licence obtained in Australia with a wheelbase rating last year. My PPL was issued by the CAA, and I'm informed does not expire like current licences.

I'm now 51 and semi retired, and would like to get back to aviation. I've considered a, for pleasure only, progression to an instructor rating. Initially I believed I would have to do this as a PPL(A) pilot, but have discovered the ultralight class here in Spain (and other European countries) I would be content flying ultralights and would like to progress to instruct for pleasure.

A PPL pilot here in Spain can get an Ultralight licence by doing a minimum of 3 hours with an ultra instructor (until he is content I am safe). I do the hours, get a slip of paper, get a class 2 medical, and send the paperwork to Madrid with my licence.

My complex questions are;

1. Do I need to renew my PPL first, or can I just do the hours felt necessary by the Ultra instructor and apply given my licence is for life?

2. I wish to buy an Ultralight aircraft, and have seen several in Europe but few in Spain. Am I able to buy a foreign (but European ultralight aircraft) and use it in Spain?

3. How does someone become an ultralight instructor?

Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Many thanks

My advise is that you get in touch with [email protected] sending them an email to sort out all your doubts.

This belongs to AESA for specific questions related to all kind of licenses in Spain.

As an alternative, I would contact as well, with some flight school which could be attractive for you in Spain, who are fully updated about Spanish regulatiion based on your case.

Here, you can find some of them if can be helpful: Guía de Centros de Formación Aeronáutica en España 2013-2014 ? Airline92.com

Regards

Good morning Fizzwizz.

I had some experience with the ultralight world in Spain so I'll try to answer what i can.

1. I do believe you'll need a current PPL to do the conversion. I did it and they asked for my PPL licence in order to apply to EASA after the 3 conversion flight hours.
2. Theres a considerable used ULM market on-line. For example here: milanuncios.com/ultraligeros Bear in mind it must be a certified ULM in order to do instruction in it. If i'm not mistaken you CAN buy an ultralight somwhere else in EU, as long as the airplane is ULM certified in spain already. I do believe you'll have to talk to the official representative of the brand in Spain for that, but i may be mistaken.
3. You'll need 150 hours of TT in the kind of ULM you want to do instruction in, i think. So if you want to fly 3 axis and you have paramotor experience, won't work that way, i think.

Overall, i would recommend you to go to a ULM school nearby you to ask about the conversion and the ULM import, at least.

Regards and good luck.

Thank you for the info. I've spoken to the local CFI at the ULM club, while he is very helpful, some of the finer details are getting lost in the slow translation, and there are some points he's unsure about. They don't get many ex-pats here.

By "current PPL" I'm unsure as to what is required.

I see four possibilities.

1. My UK CAA PPL(A) as it stands now - which is a lifelong licence but I cannot fly with presently until a flight assessment/revalidation.
2. My UK CAA PPL(A) after I have had a successful assessment/further tuition (Is this revalidation?)
3. An EASA PPL(A) Using my current but 'non-valid' (if that is the correct terminology) UK PPL(A) to obtain the EASA licence,
4 An EASA PPL(A) that has been validated ready to fly in Europe

Sorry to sound confused - although I clearly am!

Flying in Spain
 

HI
I have been flying for over 4 years in Spain in my Coyote 6 ES Rotax 912 100 hp shortwing 116
One good advice
Get your license in your country or better, get a french license
Never forget : flying in Spain Andaloucia is like flying in a third world country!
Flying a ultralight is still flying a 582 or 503. Its very fun flying here as there is hardly another plane in the air.
You can fly over the beaches, shorelines at e few meters above the waterline. on my airfield there are only three other planes.
Never or never they ask for your license. Never you have to use the radio unless you are flying into restricted zones or TMA. Beware their english knowledge is very poor to none.