1 October 2020
The CAA has issued this comprehensive update on licensing and medical exemptions made earlier this year because of the impact of Covid-19 restrictions:
The CAA recognises the significant and sudden impact that Covid-19 has had on the UK General Aviation (GA) sector during 2020. To support the sector through this most challenging period, the CAA has provided a suite of temporary alleviation exemptions to provide maximum flexibility, whilst maintaining safety assurance to support organisations, operators, pilots and students.
Some of the CAA’s current licensing exemptions for Aircraft Maintenance, Air Traffic, Flight Crew licence holders and Cabin Crew are due to expire on 22 November 2020 with Medical Certificate exemptions continuing until 31 December 2020.
We recognise that Covid-19 remains a significant challenge for the foreseeable future and we remain committed to continuing to provide as much support as possible to GA. For procedural, legal and safety reasons, we are not able to provide exemptions in perpetuity and the GA sector needs to prepare for an ending of certain exemptions soon as part of the return to a more normal operational and licensing framework.
GA organisations, operators, pilots and students are encouraged to review their own circumstances now in order to decide how they can best prepare themselves for the ending of exemptions which have extended the validity of some pilot licences (which would otherwise have expired) to 22 November 2020 and some medical certificates (which would otherwise have expired) to 31 December 2020.
Noting the unpredictability of the British weather, particularly in the winter, and the potential for future COVID-19 measures to unexpectedly curtail planned flying, pilots whose ratings may lapse soon or over the winter months are advised to take early action to revalidate their ratings if they have the opportunity to do so.
The exemptions ending are:
ORS4 No.1373: Temporary certificate extended to be valid for 6 months for licences/ratings/certificates. Pilots can exercise the privileges without holding the licence/rating up until the expiry of the temporary certificate. Exemption ends 22 November 2020.
ORS4 No.1408: Extension of Validity Periods for Medical Certificates of Aircrew, Cabin Crew and Air Traffic Controllers. Medical certificates can be extended until 22 November or 31 December 2020. Please refer to the terms of the exemption for more details.
ORS4 No.1409: Validity and other Time Periods for Licences, Ratings, Privileges, Endorsements and Certificates of Balloon and Sailplane Pilots, Instructors and Examiners due to expire before 31 October 2020, extended until 22 November 2020
ORS4 No.1410 : Validity Periods for UK EASA Licences, Ratings and Certificates of Aircrew, Instructors, Examiners, Aircraft Maintenance Licence Holders and Air Traffic Controllers due to expire before 31 October 2020, extended to 22 November 2020.
ORS4 No.1412: Extension to privileges of any UK EASA licence, rating, certificate or endorsement due to expire before 31 October 2020, extended until 22 November 2020 (when Conducting Flying Operations other than within an Organisation holding a National Air Operator’s Certificate, Police Air Operator’s Certificate or required to comply with Part-ORO).
ORS4 No.1413: Extension of Validity Periods for Medical Certificates of Pilots Holding a United Kingdom Licence. Medical certificates can be extended until 22 November or 31 December 2020. Please refer to the terms of the exemption for more details.
ORS4 No.1414: Validity Periods for National Licences, Ratings and Certificates of Flight Crew due to expire before 31 October 2020., extended until 22 November 2020
ORS4 No.1415: Validity and Other Time Periods for UK National Licences, Ratings, Privileges, Endorsements and Certificates of Balloon Pilots, Instructors and Examiners due to expire before 31 October 2020, extended until 22 November 2020.
ORS4 No.1425: Theoretical Knowledge exams started by 19 March 2020 are to be completed by 18 November 2020 instead of the normal 18 months validity period, if the 18-month period expires before 18 November 2020, when counting towards an EASA pilot licence issue.
To help the GA sector transition safely and smoothly, we remind you that the following GA related exemptions will remain in place to provide further support into 2021.
ORS4 No.1386: The 6 month validity rule for Skill Tests and Assessments Of Competence is extended until 1 December 2020 for pilots applying for a UK issued EASA licence/rating/certificate.
ORS4 No. 1416: Flexibility of revalidation by experience for Part-FCL pilot licence holders with SEP and TMG class ratings until 30 April 2021.
ORS4 No. 1418: Flexibility of revalidation by experience for UK national pilot licence holders with SEP, TMG, SSEA, SLMG and Microlight class rating(s) until 30 April 2021.
Further CAA Covid-19 guidance for recreational and commercial aviation is available here.
ORS4 No.1421: Medical declaration use with a Part-FCL pilot licence until 31 March 2021.
