Italian NPPL

[P5151]

Hi,

I am struggling to find an answer, do any of the the licence Guru's know whether an Italian NPPLA
is valid in the UK.

I am also trying to find out whether such a licence can be converted to a LAPL or EASA PPLA , I guess it can in Italy but suspect probably not in the UK.

The reason for the question is that someone is interested in joining my RV4 group who holds such a licence. He is a member if he Italian Glider Aerobatic team and when he has flown with me displays good handling skills as would be expected from an aerobatic pilot. We appear though to have hit a stumbling block with the licences he holds.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Brian Hope]

An interesting quandary Steve. My guess is that an Italian NPPL will not be valid in the UK, like our NPPL it is a National, not an International licence i.e. it is not ICAO compliant. I would have thought some kind of allowance would be available for conversion to a UK National or EASA licence though. Jon Cooke of the Pilot Coaching Scheme might be able to help; his details are on the website under Pilot Coaching.
Best rgds, Brian

[P5151]

Hi Brian

I have researched it and although my Italian friend thinks he will get an EASA PPL I very much doubt it. In fact I doubt they will convert just to a UK NPPL but will wait and see.

Regards
Steve

[Nick Allen]

I looked into a parallel situation for an Italian friend who moved here and had an Italian microlight licence, and wanted to fly here (and ultimately fly non-microlights). The solution seemed to be to go via a LAPL issued in Italy -- the LAPL had only just come out when we looked into this, and the Italians didn't seem fully up to speed on it. (There seems a distinct lack of willingness for countries to recognise other countries' national licences -- but I guess this is a problem that the LAPL was to some extent set up to fix.)

Good luck...

Nick

[Ian Hoolahan]

Have you tried a letter to the CAA, state what he has including flying hours and ask what he needs to do to convert?

[P5151]

Ian

Thanks for the suggestion but when I have tried to communicate with the CAA in the past calls and emails went unanswered, have absolutely no faith in them.

I have suggested to my friend that he follows the advice above and tries to convert to an Italian LAPL.

[Ian Hoolahan]

Ian

Thanks for the suggestion but when I have tried to communicate with the CAA in the past calls and emails went unanswered, have absolutely no faith in them.

I have found they do normally respond to a letter, maybe because it physically sits on someones desk, still not lightening fast though!

[tnowak]

Regarding contacting the CAA I would recommend a phone call to get a named individual and then a letter to that person/department.
When I moved house a few years ago I sent off the required forms to get my licence updated. It was nearly three months before I heard back from them and only after I had phoned the licencing section to see where my application was.
Tony Nowak

[P5151]

Again. Thanks for the suggestions. I have left this with my Italian friend to sort Out. I can see no reason he would get an upgraded licence from either Italy or the Uk bused on just an NPPL.

As I have said i wasted my tIme over a 9 month period with the CAA, wrote letters, emails called a named individual on a licensing issue, I won't do it again.