The advent of JAR didn't make things easy to understand for the average PPL holder. There is an awful lot of confusion over how to revalidate your licence. For example the issue of a flight test with an examiner or an hour with an instructor. Some seem to think that no instructional hour is required at all!
Hopefully the following will set things straight.
On a JAR PPL, most will hold a SEP (land) rating (single engine piston for land) which allows you to fly anything with one piston engine. The SEP rating is valid for 2 years.
Within the two year time span, there are two methods to revalidation your SEP rating.
In the final 3 months of the 24 month period, take a SEP test ("proficiency check") with an Examiner.
This will extend the date on your licence ("Certificate fo Experience" or CofE) by another 24 months (not another 24 months from the date of your test). "Test" is like the average club checkout, i.e. the usual; approaches, PFLs, EFATO, stalls etc. Nothing too difficult and it's not a GFT.
Before taking the test, it would be a good proactive idea (or "behove you"!) to undertake around 2 hours of flight instruction in order to brush up your skills should you have to go down this route. The examiner won't sign you off should you out of practice that you are unsafe. Flight safety is key here.
The examiner signature gives instant revalidation for a pass - no lead time with the CAA. This is the cheapest and easiest method to understand but doesn't encourage currency.
The second method is for those who fly more. At any time during the final 12 months or second year, you must have flown at least 12 hours; six of whIch must have been logged at P1
The 12 hours includes IN ANY ORDER
The "one hour with an instructor" is not a flight test. This can be any form of training. Take the opportunity to do something you haven't tried before. I know people who use this hour to try out tailwheel flying, or go off and experience grass runways for the first time. Use the hour to expand your horizons a bit.
BUT the hour with an instructor has to be done in one flight. Cumulative time with an instructor does not count.
Proof of a successful flight test e.g. IMC with a JAA examiner does count though.
After obtaining a minimum of 12 hours including one hour's instruction, you need a revalidation signature done by an examiner. All flight examiners can do this, but there are also people around known as 'R' or 'GR' Examiners who are approved to sign the C of E but are not Examiners for flight tests. The signature will extend the date on your CofE by another 24 months (not another 24 months from the date of your test).
Getting the signature is part of the process and must be done within the final 3-month period before your
SEP rating/CofE expires. It cannot be back dated if you miss the date! If you
fail to get the signature regardless of meeting flight time requirements, you
will then have to take a flight test with an examiner and the 12 hours flying
time is disregarded.
If you have failed to achieve revalidation as described above, all is not lost providing you are within the 5 year rule. The is no specified method for re-training. You only need to undertake a proficiency check with an examiner, which is a test like a club checkout with the usual stalls, steep turns, EFATOs, PFLs etc. It is not a full GFT but there is a pass or fail mark given. Of course you might like to undergo some retraining with an instructor before taking the test.
All clear? :-)
Neil Gascoigne 30/03/04
with thanks to Irv Lee and John Eburne