In addition to the class and type ratings, there are other authorisations that you can acquire as a pilot. We will go into this in this article.
Additional authorisations for the licence
There are numerous additional ratings that extend the possibilities of the licences accordingly. Not every extension can be completed with every underlying pilot licence. The following table provides an overview of which additional ratings can be completed with which licences. We then provide an overview of the significance of the various ratings, the respective requirements, as well as the process and completion of the corresponding training. As always, we focus on the licences that are specifically relevant for aircraft.
| Additional authorisation | Required pilot licence |
|---|---|
| Night flight authorisation | SPL, SPL with TMG, LAPL, PPL (CPL and ATPL pilots complete a night flight rating as part of their licence training) |
| Aerobatic licence | SPL, SPL with TMG, LAPL, PPL, CPL, ATPL |
| Towing authorisation | UL (special towing authorisation for aircraft and objects with and without aerotow), SPL with TMG, LAPL, PPL, CPL, ATPL |
| Mountain flying licence | SPL with TMG, LAPL, PPL, CPL, ATPL |
| Test flight authorisation | CPL with IR, ATPL |
| Instrument rating | PPL, CPL (if the IR has not already been completed as part of the CPL training; ATPL pilots always complete an IR as part of their training) |
| Cloud flying authorisation | SPL |
| Passenger authorisation for air sports aircraft pilots | UL |
Night flight authorisation
PrerequisiteIn order to be authorised to fly at night, additional training is required. Theoretical and practical training must be completed at an authorised flight school (ATO).
ProcedureThe theoretical training deals with the special features of flying at night, such as the effects on perception and possible illusions that can occur and how to deal with them. The specific organisation and scope are determined by the flight school.
The practical training includes 5 hours of flying at night. This includes three hours with a flight instructor and one hour of cross-country flying at night (at least 50 km) to practise the appropriate navigation at night. One of the central exercises at night are take-offs and landings, which is why 5 take-offs and 5 landings must be carried out alone as part of the training as part of a solo flight, until the aircraft comes to a complete standstill (i.e. no "touch and goes").
There is a special feature for LAPL licence holders. They must complete basic instrument flight training before completing the night flight training. This is essentially about simulating a flight into the clouds and the corresponding behaviour. In contrast to PPL training, such training is not part of LAPL training and must therefore be completed first for night flying.
ConclusionThere is no separate examination. After completing the training, the night flying rating can be entered in the pilot's licence on application. It is valid for life.
Aerobatics rating (aerobatics licence)
PrerequisiteThe following requirements must be met for the aerobatic licence: At least 40 flying hours or - as the holder of a gliding licence - 120 launches as PIC after the licence has been issued.
ProcedureThe training in a flight school comprises a theoretical part and a practical part consisting of either 5 flying hours or a number of 20 flights in a certified aerobatic aircraft.
The theory lessons deal with the physiological effects that can occur during aerobatics, with technical and legal issues and with the corresponding aerobatic manoeuvres and emergency procedures. The practical training consists of flights with a flight instructor, followed by a solo flight in which appropriate aerobatic manoeuvres must be performed ("Chandelle", "Lazy Eight", "Inverted Flight" and others).
ConclusionAfter successful training, the authorisation is entered in the pilot's licence. There is no separate examination. The validity of the authorisation is not subject to any time limit.
Towing authorisation (Sailplane Towing and Banner Towing Rating)
There are different regulations for TMG, LAPL, PPL, CPL and ATPL on the one hand and for the nationally regulated microlight pilot licence on the other.
Towing authorisation for TMG, LAPL, PPL, CPL and ATPL
Towing authorisations are available for gliders as well as for banners.
PrerequisiteAs a prerequisite for the glider towing licence, at least 30 hours as PIC and 60 take-offs and landings must have been flown since the licence was issued.
ProcedureThe training at an appropriate flying school consists of a theoretical part (covering legal issues, necessary towing equipment, take-off and landing procedures, etc.) and practical exercises totalling at least 10 hours of flying in a towed glider, 5 hours of which must be with an instructor. If you do not have a gliding licence yourself, you must also complete 5 flights in a towed glider so that you know how this works from the glider pilot's point of view.
PrerequisiteAs a prerequisite for the towing authorisation of banners, at least 100 flying hours as PIC and 200 take-offs and landings must have been flown since the licence was issued.
ProcedureThe training consists of a theoretical part (equipment, safety procedures, take-offs and landings with a banner, etc.) and a practical part of 10 hours flying with a banner in tow, 5 hours of which are with an instructor.
ConclusionOnce training has been completed, the authorisation is entered in the pilot's licence. The authorisation is not subject to a time limit, but is permanently valid. However, the following applies: at least 5 towing flights must have been carried out in the last 24 months. If this is not the case, the "missing" flights must first be flown again under the guidance of a flight instructor before the pilot is allowed to exercise the corresponding towing authorisation again.
Towing authorisation for UL
PrerequisiteIn order to tow other aircraft or other objects (e.g. banners) "without aerotow" (in aerotow, the object is picked up from the air by a flying aircraft using a hook) as an UL pilot, a towing authorisation is required. To obtain this authorisation, the following conditions must be met:
- After acquiring the UL licence, 30 hours of flight experience as PIC must be available, of which at least 5 hours must be on the type for which the towing authorisation is to be acquired.
The following requirements must be met in order to pick up and tow other objects such as banners specifically "in a catch tow"
- After obtaining the UL licence, 90 hours of flight experience as PIC must be available, of which at least 5 hours must be on the type for which the towing authorisation is to be acquired.
Procedure:
The actual training for the towing authorisation for aircraft and objects without aerotow has the following scope:
- There must be 5 training flights with a flight instructor in which aircraft or other objects are towed within 6 months before applying for the towing authorisation.
- If you want to tow specific aircraft (and not "other objects"), you must also carry out five towing starts in the towed aircraft of the type to be towed, unless the applicant holds the corresponding licence themselves
The following applies to the training for towing objects in an aerotow:
- Five flights with a flight instructor who has the appropriate authorisation, during which the sling is to be taken up without a towed object
- Five flights with a flight instructor during which the towed object must be towed. The flights must have been acquired within 6 months prior to applying for the towing licence.
ConclusionThere is no separate examination in each case. After completing the training, the towing authorisation is entered in the licence, stating the type of take-off and the type of towed object. In order to be able to exercise the towing authorisation permanently, the pilot must carry out at least ten towing flights of the type entered within the last 24 months. Otherwise, a new training course must be completed.
Mountain Rating
With a mountain flying licence, pilots are authorised to carry out flights in areas for which the respective state requires such a special mountain flying licence. These can be, for example, certain mountain airfields or glacier areas. The authorisation is carried out either on aircraft with wheels (in order to land in corresponding areas where there is no snow and can therefore be landed with wheels) or on aircraft with skis (the latter allows take-off and landing in snow).
PrerequisiteThere are no special requirements here, except of course the necessary licence.
ProcedureThe training, which consists of theory and practice, must be completed within a period of 24 months. The theory deals with things such as equipment, take-off techniques, legal regulations, special features of the weather in the mountains, navigation and more. In the practical training, these things are practised while flying in the mountains.
ConclusionAfter training, a test must be successfully completed with an appropriate examiner. The test consists of an oral theory test, in which mountain flying skills are tested, and a practical test, which includes 6 landings on 2 different surfaces that require a mountain flying licence.
The mountain flying licence is always valid for 24 months. It is automatically extended if at least 6 mountain landings have been made in the last 2 years. If this is not the case, the authorisation must be renewed by means of a test flight with an examiner as described above.
Test flight authorisation (Flight Test Rating)
A test flight authorisation makes it possible to work as a test pilot or co-pilot for testing new aircraft types, for example. There are many details regarding the associated rights and aircraft types. Only an initial overview is given here. An important distinction in training is the categorisation into "Category 1" and "Category 2" for test flights. Category 1 are initial flights with a new aircraft. Category 2 concerns test flights with aircraft that have been significantly modified.
PrerequisiteIn order to obtain a test flight rating, the pilot must hold a commercial pilot licence (CPL - Commercial Pilot Licence or ATPL) and an instrument rating (IR) for the corresponding aircraft category (helicopter or aircraft). They must also have at least 1000 hours of flight experience in the relevant category, including at least 400 hours as PIC
ProcedureTraining at an authorised ATO consists of theory and practice and is "competence-based". This means that the content and duration of the training should be adapted according to the pilot's previous knowledge. The courses are different for helicopters and aeroplanes and are adapted to the above-mentioned categories 1 and 2, whereby category 1 includes the requirements for category 2 test flights. However, this does not apply the other way round, so that a test pilot with a Category 2 authorisation must undergo additional training in order to "upgrade" to Category 1.
Category 1 training consists of 350 hours of theory courses and 100 hours of practical flight training, of which 15 hours are solo. At least 10 different aircraft types are trained and you practise how flight test reports should look and how to write them yourself.
Category 2 training consists of 150 hours of theory courses and 50 hours of practical flight training, with at least 8 solo flights. Training is provided on at least 7 different aircraft types and flight test reports are prepared.
ConclusionThe training is concluded with successfully completed exercises and a flight test report to be developed.
This can only serve as an initial overview. There are many more details. These should be discussed with the relevant flight school. However, there are very few flying schools in Europe that offer a flight test rating.
Instrument rating (instrument rating)
The instrument rating is a very interesting opportunity for private pilots to expand their flying knowledge and open up new horizons. An instrument rating allows you to fly without an external view, purely by instruments. Provided the aircraft is equipped accordingly, it is possible to fly through clouds and follow the same procedures as the large airliners.
There are different types of instrument rating, such as classic IR, competency-based IR and basic IR.
The topic is very extensive, which is why we are dedicating a separate article to the rating instrument.
Cloud flying authorisation (Sailplane Cloud Flying Rating)
This authorisation is only valid for gliders and allows flying in clouds without outward visibility.
PrerequisiteIn order to obtain a cloud flying rating, the pilot must have at least 30 hours as PIC in a glider after obtaining the licence.
ProcedureThe training is carried out in an ATO and consists of theoretical knowledge transfer and a practical part. This consists of at least 2 hours flying time with an instructor in clouds, without outward visibility, purely by instruments.
ConclusionA test flight must be successfully completed with an authorised examiner. Before the actual test flight, a theoretical knowledge test is carried out by the examiner.
The rating is always valid for 24 months. It is automatically extended if at least 1 flying lesson in the clouds has been completed within the last 24 months. If this is not the case, either a new test flight with an examiner must take place or, alternatively, the one flying lesson in the clouds with a flight instructor must be made up for. For holders of an instrument rating, this requirement is generally considered to be fulfilled.
Passenger authorisation for air sports aircraft pilots
This authorisation is only relevant for microlight pilots. It is required in order to be authorised to carry passengers.
PrerequisiteThere are no special requirements apart from the UL licence.
Procedure: To obtain the rating, the following flights must be completed:
- After obtaining the UL licence, five cross-country flights must be carried out with a flight instructor, at least two of which must be cross-country flights with a stopover over a total distance of at least 200 kilometres
Conclusion: Following the training, a dedicated practical examination must be passed. If successful, the passenger rating for the type of aircraft on which the applicant has been trained will be entered on the pilot's licence.
If you wish to acquire the passenger rating for aerodynamically controlled UL aircraft and hold an SPL, LAPL (A), PPL (A) or one of the commercial pilot licences, the UL passenger rating is automatically deemed to have been granted.
However, pilots are only allowed to carry passengers if they have carried out at least three take-offs and landings with an aircraft of the same type within the last 90 days.
Summary
Obtaining your first pilot's licence is just the beginning of your flying career. After a first licence, the flying horizon can be expanded in three areas.
Firstly, additional pilot licences can be acquired, such as a commercial pilot licence (CPL). Secondly, in addition to the licence itself, a class or type rating is always required in order to be allowed to fly a certain type of aircraft. In addition, there are other authorisations, such as night flying or instrument rating, which grant the pilot specific rights.
In this article, we have provided an overview of the additional ratings and extensions, the respective requirements, how the training takes place and how to obtain and successfully retain the corresponding rating.
Source references:
EASA FCL