General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review Phase 2: Aeroplanes

We ran a consultation, CAP2974A, from 13 March to 22 May 2024 asking the UK General Aviation (GA) community for their views on our proposed strategic direction for pilot licensing and training simplification – Aeroplanes.

The consultation covered the following themes:

• Revising the PPL(A) qualifying experience in line with ICAO Annex 1
• Feedback on the future class rating system
• Options for the future sub-ICAO aeroplane licence
• Review of class rating revalidation requirements
• Theoretical knowledge changes
• Other subjects including the Instrument Rating, sailplane and aerobatic ratings, and the use of non-Part 21 aircraft.

We received 640 responses to this consultation. Most respondents answered all survey questions and a number of those also left detailed comments. There were a small number of respondents that did not answer a large proportion of the questions.

• The PPL(A) qualifying experience: We received strong support for the proposed changes, including making the PPL qualifying experience more flexible and allowing credit from flight time previously gained on microlights.
• Class rating system: Most respondents were in favour of examining this area further.
• Sub-ICAO aeroplane licence: Most favoured adopting a single sub-ICAO licence for the UK.
• Class rating revalidation: Most favoured retaining a flight experience element for the revalidation of the SEP, TMG and microlight class ratings, and alignment of the requirements across all three ratings.
• Theoretical knowledge: We received feedback on the number of PPL exams, and support for our changes to exam pass validity periods.
• Other subjects: We received support for all our proposals.

• We will be proceeding with the next phase of this project to develop and move forward with the proposed changes.
• We will now begin work on drafting the necessary documents, required by the Department for Transport (DfT), to implement changes to the UK Aircrew Regulation and the Air Navigation Order.
• We are working towards a legislative slot in Spring 2025.
• We will also liaise with internal colleagues to ensure that our systems, internal instructions documents and all staff are ready for the implementation of these changes.
• Due to the volume of work and resource constraints in the legislative programme, some areas of policy will not be progressed until 2025, with legislation likely in 2026. These include changes relating to:
  • Theoretical knowledge;
  • Class rating system;
  • Instrument rating and IMC rating.
• We have published our consultation response document, setting out these findings in more detail: CAP 3032A

In some areas, we need to develop appropriate Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC), Guidance Material (GM) and other CAA publications (CAPs) to support the planned changes to regulation. These will be consulted on, where necessary, in late 2024 or early 2025.