[Irv Lee]

I can guess why you are asking but (despite that) there must have been many many instances in the past few years with turn round times so high.
Ps: Do all qualified pilots look in the student forum?

[Cookie]

Ever since Pontius was training to be a pilot it's been common practice for PPL applicants to continue to fly as PIC (ie, to fly as student pilots, with no passengers) in the gap between passing the Skill Test and physically obtaining the license. Remembering that for the initial issue of a PPL the holder cannot excercise the privileges until he actually holds the bit of paper.

An applicant for a PPL Skill Test must have completed the PPL course prior to attempting the PPL Skill Test with a Flight Examiner. Having successfully passed the Skill Test, they are not a PPL holder and therefore cannot exercise the privileges of a PPL holder until the licence is issued by the authority.

In the intervening period the pilot remains a student albeit they have completed the PPL course and passed the PPL Skill Test, so any flight must be authorised and supervised by an instructor in accordance with FCL.020 and MED.A.030. There is nothing in EASA or national regulations which would prevent dual or solo training to maintain proficiency whilst awaiting issue of the licence.

Cookie

[nickwilcock]

I agree with you, Cookie!

Solo flying under supervision is necessary for a variety of reasons, not just because SSC are taking far too long to process licence applications. I consider that pilots in the 'no man's land' of such time should be permitted to fly solo under FI supervision as 'refresher flight training'. For the LAPL, a pilot out of validity is expressly permitted to regain validity by flying solo under the supervision of an FI in such a manner, so the concept is hardly alien.

Also, a youngster can pass the Skill Test before his/her 17th birthday, but cannot exercise his/her licence privileges until then - so why shouldn't he/she fly refresher solo under FI supervision whilst waiting?

I note that my logbook was signed by Pam on 19th April 1968, which was a Friday. Yet my PPL was signed off and posted out from the Board of Trade on the following Tuesday!

[flybymike]

I passed my driving test in 1967. The examiner gave me a “pink slip” which entitled me to use full driving licence privileges to cover the period until my licence arrived.
Just sayin’.

[Irv Lee]

Has it arrived yet?

[Dave W]

Thread moved from the Students' Forum in search of additional responses.

[Crash one]

I thought it was a well known fact that the full PPL privileges cannot be exercised until the licence is in your grubby hand.
"I did my GFT this morning, paperwork is in the post, can I take my mum with me this afternoon?"
"Unless your mum is an instructor, no you can't".
Though I'm not surprised that students might apply DVLA rules to the PPL.
How one could get away with it I don't know, renting the club hack surrounded by the club instructors who would be aware of your recent GFT etc?
Solo flying, under supervision, has always been possible as far as I remember.
How far that goes may be questionable.
Could such a pilot, having bought his own aircraft, fly 300 miles, stop for an overnight/fuel, fly a further 300 miles next day, stop overnight and return. Solo all the way, authorised by an instructor?
Let's not discuss the issue of finding such an instructor!!
Devils advocate?

[Dave W]

Though I'm not surprised that students might apply DVLA rules to the PPL.

Or even apply FAA rules to the CAA/EASA.

May I exercise the privileges of my pilots certificate immediately after passing my practical test or must I wait until I receive the actual pilots certificate?
You don't have to wait. The FAA inspector or FAA-designated pilot examiner will issue a temporary pilots certificate effective for a specific time period. FAA will issue your permanent pilots certificate after we have reviewed your qualifications.

[dont overfill]

I don't have my logbook with me just now but I do remember being signed off to fly several times between passing my test late September 1988 and receiving my licence late December 1988.

I believe the delay was not all the CAA's fault.

[Crash one]

Though I'm not surprised that students might apply DVLA rules to the PPL.

Or even apply FAA rules to the CAA/EASA.

May I exercise the privileges of my pilots certificate immediately after passing my practical test or must I wait until I receive the actual pilots certificate?
You don't have to wait. The FAA inspector or FAA-designated pilot examiner will issue a temporary pilots certificate effective for a specific time period. FAA will issue your permanent pilots certificate after we have reviewed your qualifications.

This may be the case in the New World. I thought we were talking UK?

Apologies, didn't read it properly.

[Dave W]

Yes. Forgot. It is impossible for pragmatic things that happen elsewhere with no apparent problems ever to apply in the UK.

[Iceman]

Yes, most certainly in July 96, I flew 8.5 hours in the 6 week period between my GFT and the licence turning up in the post. I also took the opportunity to move from a C152 to a PA28 in that time.

I had heard only yesterday that the CAA has now stated that no such non-training flights are now possible between your GFT and licence issue.

Iceman

[SteveC]

We sign out around 75% of our students for solo training/consolidation while they wait for licence issue in Spain as most of them are on a "semi integrated" path for CPL/IR and both we and they do not want them sitting around and twiddling thumbs in the sunshine while they wait for the licence to be issued.

[Crash one]

I had heard only yesterday that the CAA has now stated that no such non-training flights are now possible between your GFT and licence issue.

Iceman

If that is true then it must be one of the biggest ludicrousities of all time. I would like to know the reasoning behind it.

[riverrock]

Me too - a few flights in April 2013 (to memory).
Might be easier to ask who wasn't allowed to!