Permission to fly in France on an NPPL(SSEA)

[Mike Mold]

Brian wrote "There is official discussion going on between LAA, CAA and DGAC at the moment............"

Although I'd been flying on my NPPL whilst my class 2 had lapsed, when it came to regaining my full class 2 I wrote to CAA Policy Dept. with whom I understood we were in discussions, asking for an update on the NPPL foreign permission issue. I was surprised to receive a reply after over a month and a couple of prompts, from the Policy Dept. saying that no such discussions were taking place (!!) but that I could go to France if I had a class 2 and a motorglider!!! The relevance and timing of the reply does nothing to improve my faith in our regulators.

[Simon Clifton]

Just to stop thread drift....

So, it seems Brian was on the right lines. The sort of permission your insurance company can't complain about when make a claim when your nose gear falls down that rabbit hole in Brittany does not really exist.

I guess it is better to know.

Simon C
~~~~~~

[Donald Walker]

The french (NPPL) is similar enough to ours for there to be no real reason not too.

I don't know about that.

The French Brevet de Base de Pilote d'Avion only allows holders to fly solo within a 30 kilometer radius of the airfield of departure, in uncontrolled airspace. Although an instructor can subsequently authorise the pilot to carry a passenger and land at a different airfield, the privileges of the BB can hardly be compared to those of our NPPL SSEA.

I can't see the DGAC making any concessions on the NPPL, for the simple reason that it would not be politically acceptable. How could they justify recognising a licence that requires lower training and medical standards than those of other EU pilot licences?

The concession on EU microlight licences was granted at the request of the FFPLUM, the French microlight federation, not foreign regulators or pilot organisations. It helped that French requirements for a microlight licence are not very different to those in other EU countries.

Donald

[Brian Hope]

Mike, the discussions are very recent, Roger told me about them last week so your communication with CAA almost certainly precedes them.

[Alan Kilbride]

Well Donald being pedantic doesn't help.
Additional ratings which can be added to the BB
Autres types d'avion Other types of aircraft
Emport de passagers (obtenu après un minimum de 20 heures de vol solo et avoir 17 ans révolus) Carriage of passengers (after a minimum of 20 hours of solo flight and have 17 years of age)
Voltige, vol de nuit Aerobatics, night flying
Accès à d'autres aérodromes Access to other airports
Remorquage planeurs Towing gliders
Largage parachutistes Dropping parachutists
Sounds a bit like the NPPL to me......except of course we cant fly at night or drop parachutists



Original French text:
Délivrance d'autorisations additionnelles :

[Donald Walker]

Alan,

I should have called on your expertise before I sat for my Brevet at Orly

In spite of the ratings you mention, in my opinion the BB is far more restrictive than our NPPL, because authorisations to land away can only be granted for aerodromes within 100km.

Donald

[Rob Swain]

I won't even bother asking about whether I can do the tests in my fancy new homebuilt SportCruiser.

I learned from scratch in my Luscombe (PFA Permit). Just check the examiner is happy for you to do the tests in the Sporty Croozer.

Admittedly I ended up with an NPPL but that was just down to bad advice on the Luscombe's lack of instruments. All I needed was an hour or so in a spam can for the instrument appreciation lesson.

[Simon Clifton]

Rob

That is very interesting - if I wanted to 'educate' my examiner, could you point out any official documentation I could use?

Thanks a lot if you can, you'll have saved me 100's of quids.

Simon C
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[nmarshal]

Is there any news on the LAA's discussions with CAA & DGAC - LAA originally promised an update 'in the New Year'?

[Ian Melville]

There was I thinking that there had been more recent news on this, only to find this thread http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co. ... php?t=1795
On which ended with a certain Nigel Marshall asking for info and not getting any

BTW did they say which new year

[Brian Hope]

Unfortunately the wheels of authority move very slowly and we are still waiting for CAA and DGAC to get enact the decisions and promises they made. As soon as we have news of progress we will you know about it. I do knoe that Roger Hopkinson does raise the matter at approriate meetings with CAA and is in contact with the French head of DGAC.
Unless Ian can do anything positive to help rather than be just be sarky, I guess we'll just have to be patient

[Ian Melville]

Was not intended to be sarky
Just humour, hence the smilies

[Cookie]

The DGAC requested a few amendments to the paperwork; I re-submitted the revised paperwork last week. This must then be formally presented by the CAA for DGAC acceptance. More news as soon as we get it.

The intent was to have everything in place for early summer. I appreciate that it seems to take a long time, but I can assure you that a significant amount of work has gone on behind the scenes.

Rob

That is very interesting - if I wanted to 'educate' my examiner, could you point out any official documentation I could use?

Thanks a lot if you can, you'll have saved me 100's of quids.

Simon C

If your examiner needs educating, let me know Simon

Cookie

[Ian Melville]

Looks like this has gone live now

We are advised that the French arête is in place providing permission for NPPL holders, who obtain a certificate of ICAO compliance, to fly to France without further formal permission

http://www.nationalprivatepilotslicence ... France.php
Big thanks to those who worked on this agreement

[Cookie]

No problem.

ICAO medicals will initially mean that you need to get a French ICAO or JAR-FCL medical. I will add a more comprehensive list when I get chance.

BRgds,

Cookie