Irv Lee - Higherplane Aviation Training ltd
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Higherplane Aviation Training ltd
Licence/Ratings/Medical Combos for PPLs and NPPLs
1 -There is currently an issue with the 'self declare medical' (PMD) as it has been discovered that the Air Navigation Order does not have any allowance for a PMD with few disqualification conditions for aircraft up to 2000kg. The pilot organisations are trying to sort this out with the CAA, this message will be updated as they progress. Therefore any reference below to a different level of PMD for aircraft under 2000kg should be explored with the pilot organisations and the CAA. 2- The items below are being updated due to the UK leaving EASA at the end of 2020, and should be treated with caution at the moment until fully updated. |
Pre Preflight Checklist: NPPL or PPL, the pre flying tips are the same, and lots of confusions are sorted out with this personal checklist, the ideal safety addition to your flight bag. It also solves a big problem for friends/relatives who never know what to get you as a present. Get them to click on the link for details and ordering. Orders usually delivered in under 2 working days, often next day. |
Before reading below, you need to know the answer to: "what is a Part21 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 subject to 'Part 21 regulations' or not. (Part21 aircraft were called 'EASA aircraft' pre-2021. 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 'Part21 Aircraft' and 'non-Part21 Aircraft'first! No wonder so many UK grass-roots pilots are confused. If you definitely know whether you fly a Part21 aircraft on non-Part21 aircraft, you can skip further down the page beyond the explanation with the light grey background, to the answers you came here for.
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NB: References to 'PMD' below are Personal Medical Declarations, obtained by pilots through the CAA's Portal. The email acknowledgement and reply after submission should be printed and kept with the licence. There is nothing that looks like a formal certificate issued for a PMD. The CAA portal was set up before they could be used in any sense with EASA licences, so if a usage survey at the front of the process does not include the combination of your circumstances, just click on the closest, this was just originally a numbers counting question that has been overtaken by events, the declarations are only split into two MAUM categories, based on medical restrictions.
Flying G Reg Part21 (what were EASA) Aircraft
You STILL need a UK FCL licence (that is what UK EASA licences are called now), or a foreign EASA licence, or a foreign licence with an official validation, to fly Part21 certified or EASA permit aircraft. The bit of good news is that for a UK FCL licence, the ability to use a PMD (self declare medical) in any suitable G-reg aircraft in UK airspace is now permanent due to a law change on 28/1/2021, rather than ending on March 31st 2021, BU mthe bit of bad news is that due to legal complications during this change, if using a PMD, the higher MAUM limit PMD (up to 5700kg) with the longer list of medical disqualifiers must be used if it is a UK FCL licence being used in a Part 21 aircraft. It is hoped this will be rectified soon.
| Licence | Rating | Medical | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| NPPL or UK national non-FCL PPL | SSEA | New UK Self Declaration (PMD), or a LAPL or Class 2 or 1 Medical | From 8/4/2020, even in 2021 after leaving EASA, until laws are changed, an SSEA rating is not valid in UK Part21 aircraft (what were 'EASA aircraft') or EASA permit aircraft. It is valid on UK G reg aircraft NON-Part21 aircraft fitting the NPPL-SSEA definition (eg: max 2 metric tonnes, max 4 pob, VFR, UK Airspace only unless foreign authority says it is ok to visit. SSEA ratings are not valid in microlights even with differences training, a separate microlight rating would be needed. NB: Having an ICAO level medical gives no extra privileges over holding a PMD medical declaration. |
| UK CAA PPL | SEP | New UK Self Declaration (PMD) or LAPL medical | The basic rule is that from 8th April 2020, a non-FCL PPL (eg: pre JAA CAA PPL) is not valid in Part21 aircraft or EASA permit aircraft at all, whatever the medical, whatever the rating. With this level of medical it is valid in non-Part21 aircraft as if it is a UK CAA PPL (Non FCL) with SSEA rating (see above) but with the following additions: SEP Aircraft up to 5700kg allowed UNLESS the medical restricts to lower MAUM (eg: pilot has a LAPL medical). |
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UK CAA non-FCL PPL (Non EASA) |
SEP | (EASA or new CAA ICAO) Class 1 or 2 medical | ICAO compliant licence combination valid in non-EASA aircraft. (It could be that, in 2021 onwards, the non-Part21 permit aircraft is less welcome internationally depending on the country visited and the annual permit in use. Best check with the LAA for the current situation, or BMAA for microlight use.) |
| UK FCL PPL or UK LAPL | SEP | New UK Self Declaration (PMD) | For flying suitable G-reg aircraft (part 21 or not) with UK issued FCL licence but only in UK airspace (without specific permission), this became a permanent combination for part 21 aircraft on 28/1/2021 due to a law change. It was already legal in non part 21 aircraft, see Air Navigation Order Articles 162, 150 & 163. |
| JAA PPL | ANY | ANY | This cannot be valid as the expiry date of all 5 year JAA licences has now passed. However, a JAA licence can be resurrected (renewed) as a UK FCL licence. |
| UK FCL PPL | SEP | EASA or new UK version of Class 1 or 2 | The normal combination for an ICAO PPL covering EASA and UK non-Part21 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-FCL national PPL in addition to cover certain non-FCL aircraft that are type rated so could not be included in an EASA licence. ( Differences training sign off in the log book is needed for usual complexities or to use it for microlights.) |
| UK FCL PPL | SEP | LAPL Medical | This combination of UK FCL PPL, SEP rating, and EASA LAPL medical (or new CAA version) is valid in the UK. (The combination was not valid before Nov 2019 due to way FCL was written, but this has been corrected by a late 2019 change to FCL.) If using a LAPL medical with a full UK FCL PPL-SEP, the pilot is restricted to LAPL-like privileges eg: max 2 metric tonnes, max 4 pob, VFR only, no instructing, UK Only as it is a non-ICAO medical, (unless granted permission from the other State), and anything else a LAPL is restricted over, BUT, the PPL and SEP rating does not actually become a LAPL, so the normal rules for revalidating SEP ratings apply, NOT the LAPL scheme of rolling validity. To return to full FCL PPL-SEP privileges (for example, to use an IR(R) rating or to instruct) just obtain a Class 2 UK medical (or Class 1). |
| UK FCL LAPL | SEP Privileges | LAPL Medical or PMD | Restricted to LAPL privileges and because it is non-ICAO, restricted to UK airspace unless foreign authority approves. It is possible that the Channel Islands will approve if the medical is LAPL level too (or better). Restrictions include: eg: max 2 metric tonnes, max 4 pob, VFR only |
| FAA PPL | SEP | FAA Class 3 medical meeting ICAO Class 2 standards |
Only valid in suitable G registered non-Part21 aircraft in the UK without further declarations.
To fly Part21
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. NB: There is great confusion as ICAO use the term class 2 as a standard for private flying, where as the FAA traditionally call their private pilot medical the FAA Class 3. The FAA Class 3 medical is accepted and recognised as an ICAO Class 2 standard medical unless marked otherwise, for example if it marked as confined to use in the USA. A CAA form SRG2142 has also to be submitted nowadays, in order to let the UK CAA check that the licence has not been suspended or conditions attached in the home country. This adds time (and a little cost) to the validation process, so should be done as soon as possible. |
| 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-Part21 aircraft without further declarations. To fly suitable Part21 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 a Flight Examiner - see form for more details, but a conversion to an UK FCL licence must be made within a year, unless an extension granted. A CAA form SRG2142 has also to be submitted nowadays, in order to let the UK CAA check that the licence has not been suspended or conditions attached in the home country. This adds time (and a little cost) to the validation process, so should be done as soon as possible. |
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