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Light Aircraft Pilot Licence for aeroplanes

Details of requirements and guidance on how to apply for a LAPL(A)

  • The minimum age to get a LAPL(A) is 17 and you will need to hold a Part MED LAPL Medical Certificate.


    The privileges of the holder of an LAPL for aeroplanes are to act as PIC on single-engine piston aeroplanes-land (SEP(land)), single-engine piston aeroplanes-sea (SEP(sea)) or TMG with a maximum certificated take-off mass of 2000 kg or less, carrying a maximum of 3 passengers, such that there are always a maximum of 4 persons on board of the aircraft. (FCL.105.A)

    Your privileges will be limited to the type and class of aircraft you take your skill test in, unless you complete additional training.

    Training

    You must complete a training course at an approved training organisation (ATO) or declared training organisation (DTO). 

    Contact a flight school near you 

  • Theoretical knowledge examinations

    As part of the application for a LAPL, you will need to take and pass exams in the following subject areas:


    Common subjects

    • Air law
    • Human performance
    • Meteorology
    • Communications
    • Navigation

    Exams specific to the aircraft category

    • Principles of flight
    • Operational procedures
    • Flight performance and planning
    • Aircraft general knowledge

    Validity of passed theoretical knowledge exams

    You will need to set up a customer portal account to access Private pilot theoretical knowledge e-exams.

    If you successfully pass the theoretical exams for the issue of a private pilot's licence, they will be valid for 24 months for you to submit an application for the LAPL issue. 

    This period is counted from the date you complete your last theoretical knowledge examination.

    Within these 24 months you must complete the flight training and pass the skill test, otherwise these exams will expire, and you will have to retake them.

    Please see FCL.025 for more information related to exam validity. 

    Theoretical knowledge crediting when applying for a LAPL in another aircraft

    If you have passed the theoretical knowledge examinations for an airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) or for a commercial pilot licence (CPL) in the same category of aircraft, you will be credited with the theoretical knowledge requirements for a light aircraft pilot licence (LAPL). More details on exams credits is in FCL.035.b.

     

     

  • Keeping your licence current, and what to do if you don’t meet the requirements

    The privileges of your licence will only remain valid if in the last 2 years you have met any of the following conditions as pilots of aeroplanes or TMGs:

    1. have completed at least 12 hours of flight time as PIC or flying dual or solo under the supervision of an instructor, including:
      12 take-offs and landings;
      refresher training of at least 1 hour of total flight time with an instructor;
    2. have passed a LAPL(A) proficiency check with an examiner. The proficiency check programme shall be based on the skill test for the LAPL(A);

    (b) If you hold both a SEP(land) and a SEP(sea) privilege, you may comply with the requirements in point (a)(1) in either class or a combination thereof which shall be valid for both privileges. For this purpose, at least 1 hour of the required flight time and 6 out of the required 12 take-offs and landings shall be completed in each class. (FCL.140.A)

    Contact a flight school near you

  • LAPL(A) crediting if you hold an SPL including privileges to fly TMGs

    If you hold a SPL issued in accordance with Annex III (Part-SFCL) to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1976, including privileges to fly TMGs you must complete the following:

     

    1.     At least 21 hours of flight time on TMGs after endorsement of the TMG privileges and, the privileges of an LAPL(A) shall be limited to the class and variant of aeroplanes or TMG in which the skill test was taken. (FCL.110.A, FCL.135.A(a))

     

    Applicants with prior experience as PIC

    Applicants with prior experience as PIC may be credited towards the flight instruction training.

     

    The amount of credit shall be decided by the ATO or the DTO where the pilot undergoes the training course, on the basis of a pre-entry flight test, but shall in any case:

     

    1.     Not exceed the total time as PIC,

     

    2.     Not exceed 50 % of the 30 hours of flight instruction

     

    3.     Not include the requirement of 6 hours of supervised solo flight time that includes the cross-country flight of at least 150 km ( 80 NM)

    Flight crediting if licence held in the same aircraft category

    Applicants for a LAPL who have held another licence in the same category of aircraft shall be fully credited towards the requirements of the LAPL in that category of aircraft. If the licence has lapsed, the applicant shall have to pass a skill test in accordance with FCL.125 for the issue of an LAPL in the appropriate aircraft category. 

    Third country ICAO compliant licence holders

    There has been a change to the rules for the conversion or validation of Third Country ICAO compliant licences/certificates. 

    For conversion terms, please refer to(EU) 2020/723 of Easy Access Rules for Aircrew (Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 for further information

  • Skill Test

    At the end of your training, you will need to take a skill test with an examiner, in the relevant aircraft type, to demonstrate that you can competently carry out the procedures and manoeuvres that you have been taught, while acting as pilot in command (PIC).

    You must have had some flight instruction on the same aircraft type or class, that you will be taking your skill test in.

    You will also need to ensure that the examiner meets the requirements for test notification and designation as set out in:

    How to apply

    To apply for the issue of a LAPL please complete the Private Issue Online application form. 

    What documents to submit

    When applying for the LAPL issue online, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

    • A private issue online course completion certificate (CAA5016),
    • A Skill Test report form ( SRG2127)
    • A certified copy of your logbook pages showing your LAPL flight training experience,
    • A certified copy of either your passport (preferred) or Full UK Photographic Driving Licence,  
    • A copy of Part-ORA ATO approval certificate (only if your ATO is not approved by the UK CAA).

    Please note: we will not be able to assess your application unless the uploaded documents have been correctly certified. 

    How to get copies of your documents certified. 

    Additional documentation

    If you are applying on the basis of UK military service, a third-country ICAO licence, or a skill test conducted by a non-UK approved EASA examiner, you will be asked to upload additional documentation on your online application. 

  • Using military service as the basis of your licence application

    If you are applying for any pilot licence under the military accreditation scheme (MAS) based on your service as a pilot in the UK military, you will need to upload the following documents alongside those required for the licence application:

    • Completed form SRG 2133
    • Certified copies of the following logbook pages: 
      - the Special Qualifications page
      - the last few pages of your military flying logbook

    How to get copies of your documents certified. 

    Using third-country ICAO licence conversion as the basis of your application

    If you are applying for your licence on the basis of an ICAO-compliant licence held from a non-EASA state (a 'third-country' licence), you will need to apply for the verification of your third country ICAO licence. 

    Please follow the verification of a third country ICAO licence process and submit an online form SRG2142.

    We recommend that the Third Country Verification is obtained prior to your LAPL application as the turn-around of these applications is reliant on the response times of the NAA that has issued your ICAO licence.

    Alternatively, you can submit these applications together but that means that the LAPL application will get processed outside our agreed processing time. 

    When submitting your online LAPL application, you will be asked to upload the following documents alongside those required for the licence application:

    • Certified copies of the logbook pages to confirm the hours and experience required for the issue of LAPL. 

    Skill test check conducted by non-UK EASA approved examiner

    The skill test must be conducted by an EASA state qualified Part-FCL approved examiner.

    If the examiner for your skill test was approved by another EASA member state (not the UK), you will need  to upload the following documents alongside those required for the licence application:

    • A copy of the examiners authorisation, 
    • A copy of the examiners licence,
    • A copy of the examiners medical certificate

    (Please note: all 3 documents should be uploaded as single document that does not exceed 5mb)

  • The Fee

    Please see our Licensing fees and costs (Full details available in Scheme of Charges (Personell Licensing)). 

    An additional fee applies if you would like your documents returned by secure courier. 

    Making sure your documents are safely returned. 

    File size limit

    Please note that there is currently a 50Mb size limit for files uploaded to our forms.

    If your attachments exceed 50Mb, you should send all supporting documentation to fclweb@caa.co.uk  quoting your application number.  

  • During the current Covid-19 pandemic, we ask that all paperwork is sent to us electronically.

    Guidance on documentation

    For questions relating to paperwork, such as how to obtain certified copies of documents, please refer to guidance on documentation.

    Contact us 

    If you have any questions please contact our licensing team: 

    Email fclweb@caa.co.uk (preferred)
    Phone 0330 022 1972 (Mon - Fri 08:30 - 16:30)