The Air Navigation (Amendment) Order 2025

Amendment of Schedule 8 (flight crew of aircraft—licences, ratings, qualifications and maintenance of licence privileges)

16.—(1) Schedule 8 is amended as follows.

(2) In Part 1 (flight crew licences)—

(a) in Chapter 2, Section 3, in the entry for “Private Pilot’s Licence (Balloons and Airships)”—

(i) in paragraph (1), for sub-paragraphs (b) to (d) substitute—

“(b) to fly as pilot in command of such a balloon or airship at night if the licence includes a night rating (balloons and airships).”;

(ii) for paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2) The holder of a Private Pilot’s Licence (Balloons and Airships) may not fly a balloon or airship mentioned in paragraph (1)(a)—

(a) for the purpose of public transport or commercial operation;

(b) for remuneration or other valuable consideration;

(c) in a hot-air balloon with an envelope capacity of more than 3,400 m³ (120,069 ft³); or

(d) other than as authorised by paragraph (1),

unless authorised to do so by the CAA.”;

(b) in Chapter 3—

(i) in the entry for “National Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes)”, for paragraphs (1) and (2) substitute—

“(1) The holder of a National Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) is entitled—

(a) in accordance with the remainder of this paragraph, to fly for the purposes of non-commercial operations as pilot in command of any aeroplane for which a class rating is included in the licence provided that the total number of persons carried (including the pilot) does not exceed four, and the maximum certified take-off mass of the aeroplane does not exceed 2,000 kg;

(b) with the permission of the competent authority for the airspace in which the aircraft is being flown, to fly such an aeroplane outside the United Kingdom;

(c) to fly such a microlight aeroplane or TMG for the purpose of commercial operation—

(i) which consists of instruction or flying examinations, provided that—

(aa) in the case of instruction, the licence includes an appropriate instructor certificate; and

(bb) in the case of flying examinations, the holder is authorised to conduct such examinations by the CAA; or

(ii) where the excepted flights condition is met;

(d) otherwise than as provided by sub-paragraph (c), to fly such an aeroplane for the purpose of commercial operation where the excepted flights condition is met;

(e) to fly as pilot in command when carrying passengers if—

(i) the recent experience condition is met; or

(ii) the recent experience exception is met;

(f) to fly as pilot in command of any such aeroplane at night where the licence includes a night rating (aeroplanes);

(g) to fly as pilot in command of any such aeroplane under Instrument Flight Rules where the licence includes an instrument meteorological conditions rating; and

(h) to receive remuneration or other valuable consideration for services as a pilot on a flight if the remuneration condition is met.

(2) The holder of a National Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) may not fly—

(a) for the purpose of public transport or commercial operation (other than commercial operation permitted by sub-paragraphs (1)(c) or (1)(d));

(b) for remuneration or other valuable consideration (other than remuneration or other valuable consideration permitted by sub-paragraph (1)(h)); or

(c) other than as authorised by paragraph (1),

unless authorised to do so by the CAA.”;

(ii) in the entry for “National Private Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters)”—

(aa) for “National Private” wherever it appears, including the heading, substitute “Light Aircraft”;

(bb) in paragraph (1)(a), after “class” insert “or type”;

(cc) after paragraph (2) insert—

“(3) A National Private Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters) granted before 1st October 2025 is deemed to be a Light Aircraft Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters).”.

(3) In Part 2 (ratings, certificates and qualifications)—

(a) in Chapter 1—

(i) at the end of Section 1, insert—

“Single Engine (Gyroplanes)

A Single Engine (Gyroplanes) rating entitles the holder to fly as pilot in command of the type of gyroplane for which the holder passed the licence skill test for the rating, except where the holder has—

(a) completed the applicable differences training with a Flight Instructor (Gyroplanes), as specified in CAA Standards Document 44 Revision 6, dated October 2025; and

(b) entered the details of the training in sub-paragraph (a) in the holder’s personal flying logbook.”;

(ii) in Section 2, omit the entry, including the heading, for “Instrument meteorological conditions rating (aeroplanes)”;

(iii) in Section 3—

(aa) in the entry for “Flight instructor certificate (helicopter)”, in the entry for “Restrictions – restricted privileges”, in sub-paragraph (1)(a)(i), for “National Private Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters)” substitute “Light Aircraft Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters)”; and

(bb) in the entry for “Flight instructor certificate (restricted) (gyroplanes)”, for sub-paragraph (a) substitute—

“(a) such instruction must only be given under the supervision of a person who—

(i) is present—

(aa) during the take-off and landing at the aerodrome at which instruction is to begin and end;

(bb) in flight within the circuit pattern of the same aerodrome; or

(cc) in flight within the local flying area specified by the flight training organisation; and

(ii) is the holder of a flight instructor certificate (gyroplanes) entitled to instruct on an aircraft of the same type or class as the aircraft on which the instruction is being given;”;

(b) in Chapter 2—

(i) after the entry for “Night rating (aeroplanes)”, insert—

“Instrument meteorological conditions rating (aeroplanes)

An instrument meteorological conditions rating (aeroplanes) entitles the holder of the licence to act as pilot in command or co-pilot of an aeroplane flying under the Instrument Flight Rules except—

(a) in Class A airspace; or

(b) when the aeroplane is taking off or landing at any place where the flight visibility below cloud is less than 1,500 metres.

Aerobatic rating (aeroplanes)

An aerobatic rating (aeroplanes) entitles the holder of the licence to act as pilot in command of an aeroplane whilst conducting aerobatic manoeuvres.”;

(ii) for the entry for “SSEA class rating”, including the heading, substitute—

“Single Engine Piston (SEP) class rating

(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) to (6), a Single Engine Piston (SEP) class rating entitles the holder to act as pilot in command of any single engine piston aeroplane.

(2) A single engine piston rating shall be issued as being valid for either—

(a) aeroplanes designed to operate from land; or

(b) aeroplanes designed to operate from water.

(3) Where the rating is included in an NPPL(A), the maximum take-off mass of the aircraft must not exceed 2,000 kilograms.

(4) The SEP rating includes the microlight class rating but before exercising privileges as pilot in command of a microlight aeroplane, the holder of an SEP rating must—

(a) receive appropriate differences training in microlight aeroplanes; and

(b) comply with the differences training requirements specified for the holder of a microlight aeroplane class rating as appropriate to the aircraft flown.

(5) Where the rating is endorsed “single seat only” in the current certificate of revalidation, the holder is only entitled to act as pilot in command of a single seat aeroplane.

(6) Before exercising the privileges of the SEP rating, the holder must complete appropriate differences training where—

(a) the aeroplane is fitted with—

(i) a tricycle undercarriage;

(ii) a tailwheel;

(iii) a supercharger or turbo-charger;

(iv) a variable pitch propeller;

(v) retractable landing gear;

(vi) a cabin pressurisation system; or

(b) in respect of an NPPL(A) licence endorsed with an SEP rating, the aeroplane has a maximum continuous cruising speed in excess of 140 knots indicated airspeed.

(7) The differences training mentioned in paragraphs (4) and (6) must be given by a flight instructor entitled to instruct on the aeroplane used for the training, recorded in the licence holder’s personal flying logbook and endorsed and signed by the instructor conducting the training.

(8) An aircraft rating endorsed on a licence as ‘SSEA’ prior to 1st October 2025 is deemed to be an SEP rating except that the SEP rating is deemed limited to aeroplanes designed to operate from land unless the holder—

(a) had, prior to 1st October 2025, completed appropriate differences training relating to take off and landing on water; and

(b) has passed the Private or Professional Seamanship examination.”;

(iii) in the entry for “SLMG class rating”, including the heading—

(aa) in each place it occurs, including in the heading, for “SLMG” substitute “TMG”;

(bb) after paragraph (2), insert—

“(3) An aircraft rating endorsed on a licence as “SLMG” prior to 1st October 2025 is deemed to be a TMG class rating.”;

(iv) for the entry for “Flight instructor’s certificate (SLMG)”, including the heading, substitute—

“Flight instructor’s certificate (TMG)

(1) A flight instructor’s certificate (TMG) entitles the holder of the licence to give instruction in flying TMGs.

(2) A flight instructor’s certificate endorsed on a licence as “FI (SLMG)” prior to 1st October 2025 is deemed to be a flight instructor’s certificate (TMG).”;

(c) in Chapter 3, for both instances where it occurs, including in the heading of the chapter, for “National Private Pilot’s” substitute “Light Aircraft Pilot’s”.

(4) In Part 3 (maintenance of licence privileges)—

(a) in Chapter 1, in paragraph 1(3), omit Table 4;

(b) in Chapter 2—

(i) in paragraph 4(1)—

(aa) for “a SSEA class rating” substitute “an SEP class rating”;

(bb) for “SLMG class rating” substitute “TMG class rating”;

(cc) in Table A, paragraph 2(b), for “Table B” substitute “paragraph (2)”;

(dd) omit Table B;

(ii) for paragraph 4(2) substitute—

“(2) The experience requirements for the issue of a certificate of revalidation for a class rating in accordance with paragraph 2(b) of Table A are that the holder has, as a pilot in aeroplanes for which there is a class rating included in the licence and within the period of validity of the current certificate of revalidation for the rating—

(a) flown at least 12 hours which includes at least 6 hours as pilot in command;

(b) completed at least 12 take-offs and at least 12 landings;

(c) flown at least six hours in the 12 months preceding the expiry date of the rating;

(d) undertaken at least one hour of flying training in an aeroplane with an instructor entitled to give instructions on aeroplanes of that class.

(2A) Where all the experience requirements of paragraph (2) are met except those in paragraph (2)(d), a certificate of revalidation may be issued but must be endorsed ‘single seat only’.”;

(iii) omit paragraph 6.