FLYER Forums

Hi all,

I am totally new to all this, this is my first post after months of stalking/googling/not really understanding. So hi, all.

I decided to (hopefully) get a my license. I umm'd and ahh'd and thought the best route for me (cost, time, needs) would be the NPPL(m), there is a great airfield 10 mins away and I currently have 1.5 hours logged. Go me.

My big concern is this whole April 8th deadline, which I was aware of before deciding on NPPL(m). I went in with the "it's cool, I am happy with 3 axis fixed wings so April 8th? Whatever" attitude.

The thing is, the more I look, the more I like the idea of Cat A aircraft. I then did some reading saw about adding the SSEA to my NPPL(m) but am unsure of how this fits in with EASA LAPL, post April 8th thing? Am I making any sense? Thought not. Let me sum it up.

If I spend a bunch of time and money on NPPL(m) now, is there anyway I can get to fly Cat A planes relatively cheaply in the future using those hours at all? Is it advised to just go LAPL now? Does anybody know? I know I certainly don't!

To anybody still reading, thanks - I look forward to any responses.

It has been suggested that I suffer from the Stockholm syndrome, so bear that in mind when you read that I believe this will allow the present arrangements for progress from NPPL(A)M to NPPL(A)SSEA to LAPL to continue indefinitely. The only difference will be the need to pass a skills test as required in Article 1 e (iii) here.

The problem is that it's open to interpretation and we've never been good at that in the UK.

The key section is the second link

demonstrating to the competent authority that the flight training received fully covers the flight training required in Subpart B of Annex I to this Regulation for the relevant aircraft category;

If your training records and experience can be mapped onto the LAPL requirements, the CAA and your training organisation should be able to issue a LAPL on the basis of recency and another skill test. The bold bit highlights where hours will count and it ought to be possible to count three axis time for the basic principles of flight and control of an aeroplane as those aspects are no different to CAT(A).

That is my interpretation others may have a different view.

Edited to add:

I don't suffer from Stockholm Syndrome I hate the gold plating barstewards at the Belgrano and everywhere else in UK bureaucracy

Ah thanks to you both - some good news then. Maybe...!

Flying slug
I am in a similar boat.
Just finishing nppl m, after horrendous weather stops from Oct to Apr.

I understood it that I had missed out on the conversion ssea to lapl due to the 8th April deadline. And if I wished to get lapl I would have to do all written exams, minimum qualifying hours in a cat A aircraft and then skills test.

I stand to be corrected!

B1

B1engineer wrote:Flying slug
I am in a similar boat.
Just finishing nppl m, after horrendous weather stops from Oct to Apr.

I understood it that I had missed out on the conversion ssea to lapl due to the 8th April deadline. And if I wished to get lapl I would have to do all written exams, minimum qualifying hours in a cat A aircraft and then skills test.

I stand to be corrected!

B1

Right? I thought the same. I mean, someone must know for sure, it just seems like such a grey area for something which, in my admittedly ill-informed mind is pretty black and white.

Good luck with finishing your license!

Even Irv Lee couldn't find a route (see previous threads on the forum), although he was still digesting the regs post April 8th.

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