Visitors to the Republic of Ireland flying on the UK NPPL(M) licences are required by the IAA to "validate" the licence. You are required to have a JAR class 2 medical, a Radio telegraphy licence 50 hours as pilot in command plus you need to send copies of your licence/logbooks/medical/RT licence and maybe more paperwork on the request of the IAA, plus a fee of €80-00 and receive a validation on your licence that lasts for a period of 1 year... You are also required to receive "permission" from the IAA to operate your UK registered permit to fly aircraft by sending copies of your permit to fly/insurance/validations and maybe more. You are not guaranteed even with this that you will receive a "validation" on your licence, as far as we can ascertain, every case is done on an individual basis and there is no check list available from the IAA on the procedure to perform validations. There is documented cases where UK NPPL(M) licence holders have applied for validations and it has not been forthcoming from the IAA. So if you intend visiting from the UK or Northern Ireland or indeed Europe you will need to apply months in advance, even if you only intend to fly across the FIR into Irish airspace. Holders of the UK NPPL(A) licence CANNOT validate your licence, period.
While I welcome everyone to visit my airfield I feel it is my duty to inform you of the legalities of flying here, I am sorry that this is the case and it now has effectively made Southern Ireland a "no fly zone" for anyone holding the UK NPPL licence except for the very few that have the validations. This case on licensing has been actively discussed and pursued by the National Microlight Association of Ireland for years with the IAA but to date (Feb 2010) no changes are forthcoming.
NPPL Licences & Visiting Southern Ireland
Moderators: John Dean, Moderator
Hi Welshman, I have an LAA inspector who permits my plane.
I live right on the FIR boundary and fly on the UK NPPL(M) therefore I need a UK regd plane to fly in Northern Ireland/Scotland/UK e.t.c to adhere to the stipulations of the NPPL.
Believe me, this country needs every penny it can get, We're the next Iceland !, I have been in business for 20 years, it's the worst its ever been.
The issue of costs getting the validation isn't really the issue, its getting the damn thing. The amount of paperwork, e-mails, phone-calls and being ignored is horrendous.
The IAA wont validate the UK NPPL(A) because there is an ICAO equivalent, however there isn't for a microlights.
I'm off to do a JAR compliant UK licence and re-categorise my plane as a VLA !, now that will sort it.
I have a lot of visitors from the UK and other places in here, I now must inform them of the situation as the IAA have stated that they are going to prosecute anyone they can who doesn't adhere to the stipulations.... suppose if they cant get some "tourist" money from pilots they could try and fine them in the courts for flying here !
None of this makes sense, if it did then this wouldn't be Ireland !... no wonder there is so many "Paddy" jokes when you have this sort of carry on within a Government body.
By the way, I have my validations, different for me, I live here. It's just the fact that visitors on NPPL licences are effectively prevented from coming here.
Sad case of affairs.
Jon
I live right on the FIR boundary and fly on the UK NPPL(M) therefore I need a UK regd plane to fly in Northern Ireland/Scotland/UK e.t.c to adhere to the stipulations of the NPPL.
Believe me, this country needs every penny it can get, We're the next Iceland !, I have been in business for 20 years, it's the worst its ever been.
The issue of costs getting the validation isn't really the issue, its getting the damn thing. The amount of paperwork, e-mails, phone-calls and being ignored is horrendous.
The IAA wont validate the UK NPPL(A) because there is an ICAO equivalent, however there isn't for a microlights.
I'm off to do a JAR compliant UK licence and re-categorise my plane as a VLA !, now that will sort it.
I have a lot of visitors from the UK and other places in here, I now must inform them of the situation as the IAA have stated that they are going to prosecute anyone they can who doesn't adhere to the stipulations.... suppose if they cant get some "tourist" money from pilots they could try and fine them in the courts for flying here !
None of this makes sense, if it did then this wouldn't be Ireland !... no wonder there is so many "Paddy" jokes when you have this sort of carry on within a Government body.
By the way, I have my validations, different for me, I live here. It's just the fact that visitors on NPPL licences are effectively prevented from coming here.
Sad case of affairs.
Jon
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No problem at all with special branch or customs. The Irish customs have visited me at my airfield. I file a GAR and FP when crossing the FIR, it isn't really a problem, both are on the PC in the clubhouse and all I do is click them and off they go, likewise, the Republic of Ireland GAR form I have set up the same.welshman wrote:Jonkil,
Just out of curiosity how do you manage with the British Special Branch, Customs etc. or is the fact that you are living in Ireland (Eire)that you do not have these restrictions to trouble you?
Suppose it could be fun running the border considering the line it takes N/S, E/W
The main reason why I have a UK registered plane is because it is easier for me to fly in Northern Ireland and the UK mainland in such an aircraft, this I do a lot, and my NPPL states that it is valid on a UK registered aircraft.
The Irish system is ludicrousness, Training microlights in a licenced field, mandatory RT, mandatory Medical and a 45 hour syllabus for microlights.... why would we train out of 1000m of Tarmac only to be let loose to fly into 200m or sometimes less Grass airstrips all over the island.
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