Licensing of Flight Crew: PPL Privileges, Ratings, Medical and Recency
What a PPL(A) allows
You may act as PIC of aeroplanes in non-commercial operations, carry passengers, and fly VFR in VMC. You may not operate for hire or reward, may not fly IFR in IMC without an instrument rating, and may not fly at night without the night rating. A private pilot may share direct costs with passengers only on the conditions in the licensing regulation - charging charter rates is a commercial operation and illegal.
Three separate clocks
The exam tests whether you can keep the licence, the rating and recency apart.
- Licence: PPL privileges depend on a current medical and language proficiency endorsement.
- Class rating: the SEP(land) rating is normally revalidated on a 24-month cycle, requiring flight time in the last 12 months of validity (commonly 12 hours, 6 as PIC), 12 take-offs and landings, and at least one hour of training flight with an instructor. Let it lapse and you need refresher training or a proficiency check, not simple revalidation.
- Recency (90-day rule): you may not carry passengers unless you made at least three take-offs and three landings in the same class or type in the preceding 90 days. Three night landings are needed for night passenger carriage.
Medical
PPL privileges need a valid Class 2 medical; Class 1 is for CPL/ATPL and commercial operations. Validity shortens with age (roughly 24 months for younger holders, 12 months from age 40, shorter again later - verify the current table before relying on a date). English proficiency to ICAO Level 4 is an endorsement with its own expiry.
Worked example
You complete three day landings on 10 April. On 8 July you want to take two friends flying: 10 April to 8 July is 89 days (20 days of April, 31 May, 30 June, 8 July), so the landings still count. On 10 July, 91 days have passed and you may not carry passengers. A solo flight on 10 July is still legal - the 90-day rule protects passenger carriage, not your own flying.
Traps that cost marks
- Assuming the medical date and the rating date are the same; they are independent.
- Using the 90-day rule to justify a night passenger flight without three night landings.
- Believing simulator time alone restores recency or revalidates the SEP rating.
- Thinking a lapsed rating needs only a signature rather than refresher training or a check.