Applying for Additional Ratings

An Aerobatic Rating allows you to make aerobatic flights provided that you have a current and valid UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued Pilots Licence for aeroplanes, Touring Motor Gliders (TMG) or sailplanes.

Please note that pilots are only permitted to undertake aerobatic flights if they hold an aerobatic rating on their licence.

Provided that you have a current and valid UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued Pilots Licence for aeroplanes or Touring Motor Gliders (TMG), a Sailplane towing rating permits you to tow sailplanes and a Banner Towing rating permits you to tow banners.

For banner towing, the privileges shall be limited to the towing method used for flight instruction.

Please note that pilots are only permitted to tow sailplanes or banners if they hold the rating on their licence.

The privileges of the holder of a flight test rating are to:

(1) in the case of a category 1 flight test rating, conduct all categories of flight tests, as defined in Part-21, either as Pilot in Command (PIC) or co-pilot;

(2) in the case of a category 2 flight test rating:
(i) conduct category 1 flight tests, as defined in Part-21:
— as a co-pilot, or
— as PIC, in the case of aeroplanes referred to in (b)(2)(ii), except for those within the commuter category or having a design diving speed above 0,6 mach or a maximum ceiling above 25 000 feet;
(ii) conduct all other categories of flight tests, as defined in Part-21, either as PIC or co-pilot;

(3) conduct flights without a type or class rating as defined in Subpart H, except that the flight test rating shall not be used for commercial air transport operations.

Pilots are permitted to act as PIC in category 1 or 2 flight tests, only if they hold the rating on their licence.

The privileges of the holder of a mountain rating are to conduct flights with aeroplanes or Touring Motor Gliders (TMGs) to and from surfaces which are designated to require such a rating by the appropriate authorities.

You must complete a training course with a UK Approved Training Organisation (ATO) or Declared Training Organisation (DTO).

It is now mandatory to hold the additional rating on your licence in order to exercise the privileges of that rating.

Holders of a UK National or UK issued JAR-FCL pilot’s licence who exercised the additional rating privileges before 8 April 2018 using these licences, but do not have the rating endorsed on their licence, can apply to have the rating added to their UK licence without completing an initial training course. Conversion of these privileges usually applies at the time of licence conversion (to a UK Part-FCL licence).

There are many different conversion routes available as detailed in the UK conversion report contained in CAP804 - Flight Crew Licensing, Part 1, Section 4, Part P.

For information on Aerobatic Rating conversion routes, please refer to our Convert an aerobatic privilege webpage.

If you have a BGA Gliding Certificate with Sailplane Towing privileges, please refer to our Convert a sailplane towing rating held on a BGA gliding certificate webpage.

In order to transfer an additional rating from an ICAO licence onto your UK licence, you must have completed discretionary training with a UK Approved Training Organisation (ATO) or Declared Training Organisation (DTO). Your training organisation will determine the level of training you need to complete.

You must attend a UK Approved Training Organisation (ATO) or Declared Training Organisation (DTO), where the Head of Training will determine how much training you may require before completing the proficiency check (LPC).

When you have completed the training, you can complete the LPC with a UK approved examiner.

If your rating is at the back of your licence, the rating cannot be signed on the Certificate of Revalidation by the examiner and you will have to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

If you are you applying for this rating on the basis of the UK conversion report contained in CAP804 - Flight Crew Licensing, Part 1, Section 4, Part P, you will need to upload evidence showing the conversion requirements have been met.

If you are applying for an aerobatic rating, please see our Convert an aerobatic privilege webpage for information on what evidence you could provide.