Uk ppl

[DarkSarcasm]

Does anyone know anything about UK PPLs? I had a look at the UK Civil Aviation Authority website but couldn't find anything about training/licencing at all (the website is absolutely atricious)

 

Basically, I'm curious to find out, if you hold an Australian PPL, what the requirements are to also hold a UK PPL and whether you can hold both simultaneously. I'm guessing that you can but I just wanted to find out for sure.

 

Does anyone know or know the right website to point me in the right direction?

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

There are various sorts of UK PPL

 

The closest equivalent to the Aussi PPL is the JAA PPL which is internationally recognised and used in most European countries. It is issued by each countries equivalent to CASA including the UK CAA. They can also be obtained at various JAA approved schools in the USA, South Africa & elsewhere.

 

The Uk also has a national PPL (NPPL). This comes in several flavours -

 

NPPL-SSEA (simple single engine aircraft) is a GA-lite licence for up to 4 seats and 2000kg MTOW

 

NPPL-SLMG for self launch motor gliders

 

NPPL-microlight is the closest equivalent to the RAAus PC but only allows up to 450kg MTOW 'cus thats part of the UK definition of what we call an ultralight.

 

As they are UK only, there is no automatic right to fly overseas with any of these licences but most Euro countries will allow the holder to fly British registered aircraft in their airspace (they may require prior approval though).

 

There is no restriction on having overseas licences but meeting the requirements to keep them current might be tricky.

 

If you aren't sufficiently confused yet heres more info NPPL Home Page

 

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/Section%20C%20-%20PRIVATE%20PILOT%20LICENCE.pdf

 

Hope that helps

 

John

 

 

[djpacro]

Exercising the privileges of a JAA Licence or an ICAO licence in UK Registered Aircraft

 

FAQ Answer | Personnel Licensing | Safety Regulation

 

 

[David F]

Just be advised Darky that Pommies love rules and regulations and that there is allways someone with a peaked hat whose job it is to say No (unless you are related to the royal family)

 

Dave

 

 

[turboplanner]

Darky, if no one votes for you, you don't really have to go that far.

 

This might not be the reason you asked the question, but because of the different regulations/radio procedures/languages etc, I've always just rocked up and gone with a local instructor - real eye openers they are

 

 

[DarkSarcasm]

Darky, if no one votes for you, you don't really have to go that far.

ahahaha, no it's not because of that

 

I was just curious because it's likely I'll be going to the UK once a year or so, so I was just curious about how difficult it would be to hold a PPL over there...figured it might make it a bit easier to fly over there. And it sounds like it's fine to fly on an Australian PPL over there so I won't need to worry anyway. However this is all just vague planning, I don't even have an Australian PPL yet

 

 

[Guest eland2705]

Darky, You'd need an IFR rating over there. The weather is so cr@p, you'd be in 8 oct cloud 10' off the ground and never see it again until you land.

 

Mate of mine was flying military on a NATO exercise, said the only way to find Mud Island (UK) was to fly into the biggest, dirtiest cloud you could find, make your let down, and there it was!

 

(TIC - of course)

 

Regards

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Darky, You'd need an IFR rating over there. The weather is so cr@p, you'd be in 8 oct cloud 10' off the ground and never see it again until you land.Mate of mine was flying military on a NATO exercise, said the only way to find Mud Island (UK) was to fly into the biggest, dirtiest cloud you could find, make your let down, and there it was!

 

(TIC - of course)

 

Regards

TIC aside, go now, they're enjoying an 'Indian Summer'. very hot and dry, not a cloud in sight. Oh, and yes, they're whingeing, well at least, my kids are. (left them there when I emigrated, best move ever )

 

 

[djpacro]

Just be advised Darky that Pommies love rules and regulations .....

Agreed. I lived there for a while ages ago back when we had the Department instead of CASA. Their CAA was much more onerous than our Department in many ways but also a lot of friendly processes in the UK. Since then they've had JAA and EASA making things more difficult for GA - fortunately, as Crezzi noted, there's the NPPL etc.

 

They are less bureacratic in not requiring an aerobatic endorsement but it will come with the new EASA rules. Guess what their mininum altitude for aerobatics is (difficult to get a lot of height even in an English summer)?

 

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Darky,

 

Just go for the UK NPPL --- that will get you around most places in Europe you will probably want to go to.

 

As for the JAA PPL, forget it, even the initial and ongoing medicals are frighteningly expensive, and beware the ratbag new colour vision standards --- which looks like becoming an annual requirement.

 

If you want the JAA PPL, and only have an AU PPL, you will be just about starting again, so examine carefully all the alternatives, including short term validation of your AU PPL. I don't know how that goes any longer, but worth a look.

 

Don't obsess about the weather, the locals don't, there are plenty of opportunities for VFR --- as in right on the minima --- it really sharpens up your contact navigation skills.

 

I did my original PPL in UK, only when I got home did I realise that, in some places like AU, you were expected to be able to see the runway from downwind in the circuit.

 

Tootle pip!!!