Personnel Licensing
The licensing system
ICAO Annex 1 sets minimum standards for flight crew, ATC and maintenance licences. A licence is issued by a State and is valid only if the holder meets medical, experience and skill requirements. Know the categories: PPL, CPL, ATPL, and the ratings (type, instrument, instructor). The ATPL requires the highest experience and permits command of multi-crew commercial aircraft; the CPL permits command of single-pilot commercial operations; the PPL is non-commercial (with limited cost-sharing exceptions).
Medical and validity
Class 1 medical for CPL/ATPL, Class 2 for PPL. Medical validity periods depend on age and class. Ratings have their own validity and renewal/revalidation rules. Competency checks and proficiency checks are distinct.
Traps
- Confusing privileges with requirements: a licence does not automatically allow all operations; ratings and type endorsements matter.
- Medical class mismatches (Class 2 does not support commercial operations).
- Validity periods: age-dependent medical validity is a common trap.
- Assuming a foreign licence is automatically valid - it requires validation or conversion by the State.
Worked example
A pilot holds a CPL with a multi-engine piston rating but no instrument rating. Asked whether they may fly passengers in IMC on a commercial flight, the answer is no: the licence alone does not grant instrument privileges; the instrument rating is required. Rule of thumb: licence = level; rating = specific privilege.
Study tip
For every licence question, ask: which State issued it, does the holder meet the medical, and does a valid rating cover the operation?