Polite discussion about EASA, the CAA, the ANO and the delights of aviation regulation.
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By Big Dex
#1548322
Hi all (notably Irv and Cookie...)

I have circa 600hrs in Microlights, accumulated on a lifetime UK PPL(m), but then got an NPPL(ssea) which I then converted to a LAPL(A) and have been flying my Europa happily for 3 years . I haven't flown a microlight in that time; but have done another 300hrs in my Europa. I hold a current LAPL medical.

My question; am I still able to fly a microlight (I've bought an SSDR Escapade Kid, to which I've fitted a 582 :-), and if so; which license am I flying it on? I still have my Europa, so hours counting towards my LAPL are not an issue; I do circa 100pa.

Thanks in advance!
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1548332
It sounds like you have 3 licences. Well certainly you are not using your nppl ssea, as that isn't valid on micros. You can be legal on either of your other licences so it is for you to say, as long as you have kept having 13 month stamps for the UK licence flying if that is what you do. There is a statement in the ano about flying micros on the fcl licence, I will quote it later, but you can easily comply with whatever that says.
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By Cookie
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1548360
Using your LAPL(A) and experience in SEP aeroplanes to fulfil recency requirements, you can exercise the privileges of that licence in a microlight providing you have completed differences training on microlights in accordance with ANO Article 150(6). Your SSDR is classified as a microlight, so the fact that you have an old microlight PPL will fulfil this requirement, although you might want some recent experience in microlights before launching in your SSDR.

Note that experience gained in a SSDR will not count towards the hours required for the rolling recency requirements of your LAPL(A). Should you wish to cross-credit, your best bet currently would be to add the microlight class rating to your NPPL, and cross-credit that way.

Previous post about microlight cross-crediting here:

viewtopic.php?p=1530472#p1530472

EASA have now confirmed in Opinion 05/2017 that using microlight experience towards SEP revalidation requirements in EASA licences will not be permitted - at least for the foreseeable future.

Cookie
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1548369
Thanks cookie, I didn't want to try and look up the actual ANO reference on a small phone at bedtime. Interesting/sad to hear EASA are not interested in three axis micros for their hours. Confirms certain stereotype beliefs!
Also, I emailed the CAA a while back as I couldn't find any reference to whether, ONLY when used for non EASA aircraft including microlights, the validity of a lapl could use those hours in non EASA hours including microlights, providing only non EASA aircraft were then flown if the pilot was using microlight hours for validity. I would have thought they could legally allow this for non EASA aircraft in uk airspace, in a similar manner to them allowing self declare medicals with fcl licences on non EASA aircraft only.
Sadly no reply.
By Big Dex
#1548406
Thanks guys,

I stopped getting the 13 month stamps when I stopped flying microlights; so around 3 years ago.I believed (perhaps wrongly) that I hadn't completed the hours requirement as I hadn't flown a microlight, just SEP. Either way, as long as my LAPL and old PPL(m) covers the Escapade Kid, I'm happy. The Kid hours not counting towards the LAPL doesn't matter, as I'll still be doing most of my flying in the Europa.

Thanks again