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Licence/Ratings/Medical Combos for PPLs and NPPLs 2012-2018

Last Updated: January 4th, 2017 NB: All information given here is believed to be true and current but rules and official interpretations can change at any time out without warning and may not be reflected here for a long time. Pilots must only use the information here as a starting point for their own proper enquiries with the official authorities, and keep current on rules and regulations themselves through the official channels. No liability can be accepted for mistakes or out of date information here.

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Before reading below, you need to know the answer to: "what is an EASA aircraft and what isn't?". This sounds crazy, but to know the aircraft that you are allowed to fly with which rating and what medical depends on whether the maintenance regime of the aircraft is controlled by EASA or by the UK CAA. You have come to this page to learn about medicals but the complexity of explaining the current situation means that you need to know about 'EASA Aircraft' and 'non-EASA Aircraft'first! No wonder so many UK grass-roots pilots are confused. If you definitely know whether you fly an EASA aircraft on non-EASA aircraft, you can skip further down the page beyond the explanation with the light grey background, to the answers you came here for.

"EASA AIRCRAFT" An EASA aircraft is an aircraft that EASA controls through the maintenance regime. Almost all the certified aircraft will be EASA aircraft (Cessna 150-182, PA28, Cirrus, Beagle Pup, Grumman AA5, etc.... clearly, the 'usual' aircraft you find in non-microlight, non-glider, training schools). EASA also has a 'permit to fly' process separate from the UK Permit that we have known for years. Such an EASA Permit aircraft is ALSO an EASA aircraft. So in its documents, an EASA aircraft will either have an EASA ARC (Airworthiness Review Certicate) signed every year, or an annual EASA 'Permit to Fly' issued. As long as the aircraft is UK G registered or even as long as there is an aircraft of the type you are interested in on the UK G register, you don't have to go and dig out the aircraft's paperwork, as you can check a particular G registration online with the CAA's "G-INFO". If you don't have a particular registration, you can also search by aircraft type to see all the UK registered ones. When looking on G-INFO at the record for any particular registration, if the "CofA/Permit" there mentions "EASA" then it is an EASA aircraft, and you need to read the combinations of licences, ratings and medicals for EASA Aircraft. Being an EASA aircraft also means you will need an EASA licence to fly it after April 7th 2018 as things stand now (it may change again!). An EASA licence is an EASA LAPL, an EASA PPL, an EASA CPL, an EASA ATPL, and until the final JAA 5 year licence expires in September 2017, the JAA equivalents too.

"Non-EASA AIRCRAFT" (aka 'Annex ii Aircraft") So what about 'non-EASA aircraft' and you may have heard the name 'Annex ii' (pronounced Annex Two) aircraft. Well the two terms, "non-EASA" and "Annex ii" are interchangeable, I use 'non-EASA', the rules are too complicated as they are without using terms like Annex ii.
Aircraft that are "non-EASA" include a few nationally certified aircraft, for example, the CAA nationally certified Piper PA22. All aircraft with a UK Permit to Fly (eg: RV series, Kitfox, Bulldog, etc), microlights, etc. are all non-EASA aircraft. There are a small number of permit aircraft that are on an 'EASA Permit to Fly' -see paragraphs above. If you are flying an aircraft in the UK which is registered outside the EASA states, see the entry below regarding foreign licences.

NB: From August 25th 2016 there is a new "self-declaration" medical process in the UK not requiring GP counter signature. Initial information given by the CAA was deemed too liberal by the legal department, and extra guidance was issued in October 2016. There is a tabular representation of the CAA guidance here: CAP1441. Also note that the old NPPL medical declarations signed by a GP are only valid if they are within date AND signed before 25/8/2016. Any such medicals signed by a GP from 25/8/2016 onwards are not valid, the new self declaration medical must be used instead.

To sum up the CAA's CAP1441 table, for G registered aircraft:

Flying EASA Aircraft (either EASA certified or EASA permit) with EASA Licence?
You need an EASA medical certificate at LEAST on the same level as your LAPL of PPL, or better. (e.g. LAPL licence can have LAPL medical or higher, PPL can have Class 2 or higher (but not LAPL medical). All other cases, as long as you stay in UK airspace, and take no more than 4 on board, you can use the new self-declare medical with the licence. HOWEVER, the ability to use a non-EASA UK licence or a non-EASA UK rating with an EASA aircraft expires at 23:59 on April 7th 2018. (If you have a non-G registered aircraft, check with your national registration authority if they accept this.)

Licence	Rating	Medical	Validity
NPPL	SSEA	New UK Self Declaration, Old NPPL GP Declaration (signed before 25/8/2016), or EASA LAPL Medical, or EASA/JAA Class 1 or 2 Medical	Valid as an NPPL (with NPPL restrictions such as 'pob', maum, VFR, etc) to April 7th 2018 in UK registered aircraft in the UK, then continues to be valid as an NPPL on non-EASA aircraft only. NB: Whilst using any medical, this licence/rating can fly suitable EASA aircraft until April 7th 2018 in the UK, but having an EASA medical gives no extra EASA privileges over holding a medical declaration - for example, having an EASA LAPL medical does not change the restriction of remaining in UK airspace without permission from the other state. To fly EASA certified or EASA permit aircraft from April 8th 2018, you must apply for and hold a proper EASA licence, such as the LAPL.
Pre-JAA UK PPL	SSEA	New UK Self Declaration, Old NPPL GP Declaration (signed before 25/8/2016) or EASA medical	Valid in exactly the same way as the NPPL-SSEA combination above. All the validities and restrictions in the NPPL-SSEA combination above apply.
Pre-JAA UK PPL	SEP	New UK Self Declaration, Old NPPL GP Declaration (signed before 25/8/2016) or LAPL Medical	Valid with as if it is a UK pre-JAA PPL with SSEA rating (see above) but with the following additions: SEP Aircraft up to 5700kg allowed UNLESS the pilot has a new UK Self Declaration and is restricted by the list of medical conditions to only fly up to 2000kg. Holders of Night qualifications/ratings can use them in all relevant aircraft until 7th April 2018, then after than can use them in suitable non-EASA aircraft. Holders of UK IMC ratings can use them in non-EASA aircraft. The main thing to remember is that after April 7th 2018, an old PPL (ie: pre JAA) is not valid in EASA aircraft at all, whatever the medical, whatever the rating.
Pre-JAA UK PPL	SEP	JAA/EASA Class 1 or 2	ICAO compliant licence combination valid in non-EASA aircraft. However, on EASA aircraft, it is only valid until April 7th 2018 (was 2015!), and is now subject to reduced privileges which make it the same as the LAPL (single engine, max 4 on board, NO IMC, maum 2 metric tonnes, etc). Note, this means that as the LAPL cannot contain an instructor rating of any sort, nor an instrument qualification, you cannot use an instructor certificate/rating or an IMC rating inside a pre-JAR PPL in an EASA aircraft. The main thing to remember is that after April 7th 2018, an old PPL (ie: pre JAA) is not valid in EASA aircraft at all, whatever the medical, whatever the rating. For example, a CRI/FI with only a UK pre-jaa PPL can no longer do any training with you in an EASA aircraft, (not even the two yearly training flight), but can do so in a non-EASA aircraft.
JAA or EASA PPL	SEP (SEP or SSEA if you have a soon-to-expire JAA PPL)	New UK Self Declaration, Old NPPL GP Declaration (signed before 25/8/2016) or LAPL Medical	Not valid in EASA aircraft due to the medical. An EASA licence used in an EASA aircraft must have an EASA medical (and an EASA PPL cannot even use an EASA LAPL medical). The combination is however valid in G registered non-EASA aircraft in UK airspace. There are limitations, though, treat the same as the UK pre-JAA PPL conditions above) and certainly stay in UK airspace unless special permission sought.
JAA PPL	SEP	JAA/EASA Class 1 or 2	This is a fairly normal situation, only listed here to point out that the combination is treated the same as if it is an EASA PPL except that the JAA PPL has an expiry date and the licence STILL expires on that date (ie: the licence does not become lifetime in its own right). At the licence expiry date, what would have been a PPL renewal becomes an EASA PPL issue, which can also be triggered by any change to the JAA licence itself (eg: a new rating).
EASA PPL	SEP	JAA/EASA Class 1 or 2	The normal combination for an ICAO PPL covering EASA and UK non-EASA aircraft in the 'SEP' class, with no expiry date on the licence itself, only on the ratings within. On issue, it is possible to request a non-EASA national PPL in addition to cover certain non-EASA aircraft that are type rated so could not be included in an EASA licence. (Differences training sign off needed for usual complexities.)
EASA PPL	SEP	LAPL Medical	This combination is actually covered above, but is brought out separately to highlight a confusion amongs UK pilots. The combination of EASA PPL, SEP rating, and EASA LAPL medical is valid in G registered non-EASA aircraft in UK airspace. However, it is not valid in EASA aircraft. An EASA PPL needs a class Two or One EASA medical to be used in EASA aircraft. The idea that a LAPL medical can be used with an EASA PPL in EASA aircraft comes about as an EASA Class Two medical steps down to being a LAPL medical when the Class Two expires. UK pilots are assuming that this means they can use it with an EASA PPL for LAPL privileges. This is NOT true in EASA aircraft.
FAA PPL	SEP	FAA ICAO Class 1 or Class 2 Medical	Only valid in suitable G registered non-EASA aircraft in the UK without further declarations. To fly EASA aircraft after April 8th 2017, a CAA form SRG2140 must be submitted after suitable endorsement by a UK Flight Examiner to say Air Law and ATC procedures are understood by the pilot.
Non-FAA Foreign Non-EASA ICAO PPL (e.g. S.A., NZ, Oz, etc)	SEP	Suitable Foreign Medical	Only valid in suitable G registered non-EASA aircraft in the UK without further declarations. To fly suitable EASA aircraft after April 8th 2017, it depends whether the licence is to be used fewer than 28 days per year or not. For fewer than 28 days, use CAA form SRG2141 which must be submitted after a suitable acclimatisation flight with a UK Flight Instructor, - see form for more details. For 28 flying days or more, use CAA form SRG2139 which must be submitted after a suitable rating flight check (test) with an EASA Flight Examiner - see form for more details, but a conversion to an EASA licence must be made within a year, unless an extension granted.

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Higherplane Aviation Training ltdLicence/Ratings/Medical Combos for PPLs and NPPLs 2012-2018

To sum up the CAA's CAP1441 table, for G registered aircraft:

Higherplane Aviation Training ltd
Licence/Ratings/Medical Combos for PPLs and NPPLs 2012-2018