EASA has recently
published information via an Acceptable Means of Compliance that affects Recency and Revalidation Requirements for private pilots
flying Annex I (see end for definition) (non-EASA) aircraft.
Please
note this information only applies where the UK CAA is the issuing Competent
Authority for the license holder.
Light Aircraft Pilot
Licence (LAPL) and Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL)
For
these licences to be current you must fly a certain amount of hours in the
preceding 24 months. This flight experience can be made up of flight time as Pilot
in Command (PIC), dual or supervised solo.
The
guidance from EASA means that you can now include flight time in non-EASA
aircraft (apart from weightshift microlights); flight experience is now
considered to be part of the definition of hourly requirements.
If the
hours are supervised by a flight instructor (either dual or solo) then the
aircraft must be subject to an authorisation by the ATO or DTO (ORA.ATO.135 or
DTO.GEN.240).
Single Engine Piston (SEP) and Touring
Motor Glider (TMG)
For pilots
with these ratings to revalidate by experience, you must fly a certain amount
of hours in the 12 months before the rating expires. This can be made up of
flight time as pilot in command or dual. There is a minimum number of take offs
and landing that must be as pilot in command.
The
guidance from EASA means that you can now include flight time in non-EASA
aircraft (apart from weightshift microlights); flight experience is now
considered to be part of the definition of hourly requirements.
There
is also a requirement for a refresher training flight with an instructor and this cannot be conducted in a microlight aircraft of
any configuration. In addition, the aircraft used must be subject to an
authorisation by the ATO or DTO (ORA.ATO.135 or DTO.GEN.240).
Pilots
can use hours flown from 18 March 2020 towards meeting the recency
or revalidation requirements. The use of this Acceptable Means of Compliance is
not compulsory, as this is one of a number of means to comply with the
regulation, so licence holders do not have to use non-EASA aircraft if they do
not want to.
The
hours flown in non-EASA aircraft cannot be used to obtain a Part-FCL licence, rating,
or certificate or towards meeting their prerequisites.
All of
these requirements only apply to non-EASA Sailplanes, Single-Engine Piston
(SEP) Aeroplanes and Touring Motorgliders (TMGs).
Annex
I (non-EASA aircraft 1) is defined in the Basic Regulation (Regulation (EU)
2018/1139) as;
1(a) Historical aircraft,
1(b) Research, experimental and or
scientific aircraft,
1(c) Homebuilt aircraft,
1(d) Former military aircraft,
1(e) Microlight aircraft (as defined)
Acceptable Means of
Compliance (AMC)
AMC: This is an
Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) AMC1 to FCL.140.A, FCL.140.S and
FCL.740.A(b)(1)(ii) Recency and Revalidation Requirements
Annex 1 aircraft is an
aircraft not issued with a Certificate of Airworthiness in accordance with Part
21 and the appropriate Certification Specifications, but hold a Certificate of
Airworthiness or Permit to Fly in accordance with the current revision of the
Air Navigation Order.