EASA, PPL(A) – Licence Arrives!

The pack of paperwork required to be sent off makes for quite an impressive envelope:

  • Your Log book – filled in by pen, formally signed and stamped by the aero club
  • A copy of your Skills Test results
  • A certified (by Chief Instructor), copy of your Class 2 Medical
  • A certified copy of your passport
  • 10 page Form SRG1105A, fully filled in.
License Application

Licence Application

Then it’s just a matter of waiting the 4-6 weeks required to process it all and for the CAA to take payment of £192 – note this covered courier return service & both PPL(A) & FRTOL licences.

What seemed like an eternity later, but in reality was 5 weeks:

License Arrives by FedEx

Licence Arrives by FedEx

I was at work at the time it was delivered, very hard to concentrate when a package like this shows up at home!   Yet more so because it might be a licence – but it might be they’ve just sent it all back due to some clerical error on a form, who knows…..

Needn’t have worried though, the aero club had done an amazing job of supporting me through the application process.  Checking all the forms were correctly filled in and signed etc.   The package sent back contained my new EASA PPL(A) Licence, the return of my log book and some informational bits and pieces.

License & Log book

Licence & Log book

What does all this mean?

Out of the box, an EASA PPL(A) licence with the ‘standard’ SEP (Single Engine Piston) Rating, allows you to fly a single-engine piston powered aeroplane anywhere in Europe.   It is also one of the easiest licences to have accepted/recognised for use in the United States – but that requires more paperwork.

Under EASA, aeroplanes have recently been grouped into EASA aircraft (e.g. Cessna 172) and Non-EASA aircraft (e.g. Tiger Moth).   A holder of an EASA licence can fly either category subject to the limits of the rest of their licence (i.e. Singe Engine Rating will restrict you to single engine aircraft obviously).

Having done 3 solo full stop landings in the last 3 months, this piece of paper also means I’m legal to carry non-paying (beyond a reasonable share), passengers!

One Response to EASA, PPL(A) – Licence Arrives!

  1. Ash from Oz says:

    Congratulations! I have enjoyed the blog (all of it). Thanks for taking the time to put it all together. All the best.

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