Air licensing crisis looms between UK and EU

When the UK left the European Union (EU) in 2020, the process included separating its aviation regulatory functions from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and re-establishing the US Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The Kingdom as an independent regulatory organization.

Since then, UK licensed pilots and engineers, Stop grading on aircraft registered in the European Union as of January 1, 2021.

With this, airlines such as Wizz Air, EasyJet and Ryanair have split their fleets between the UK and the EU under local registries, into Maintain flexibility and retain rights of way.

Despite this, EASA’s operating and maintenance licenses and certificates, which were valid at the end of 2020, remained recognized by the Civil Aviation Authority, but only had one. It is valid for two years, so as of January 1, 2023 it will not be valid.

As a result, license recognition will expire not only for EASA-accredited pilots, instructors and examiners on UK-registered aircraft, but also Engineers, maintenance companies and continuing airworthiness organizations.

Licenses issued by the UK during their term of membership in EASA UK licenses remain and will remain in effect after the discontinuation date, but EASA licenses issued by other EU countries will not be accepted, and an EASA license will no longer be accepted to work, operate and train in the UK.

The CAA has already started a simplified application process for EASA-licensed employees to obtain a UK license and allow those with UK licenses to retake it. However, this measure will not be extended when the deadline expires and the Civil Aviation Authority has indicated that EU-licensed pilots will have to go through the full conversion process, including tests to qualify in the UK.

Barry Mooney, CAA’s director of aviation operations, said there was a “massive wave” of applicants seeking to secure ongoing license approvals in the last two to three months of 2020, as pilots realized the UK was pulling out of EASA.

near 8 thousand members Of the staff moved out of the UK system when EASA membership expires, Mooney expressed concern that a similar situation could develop this year as the recognition window begins to close.

For its part, the Civil Aviation Authority said it will try to process all applications submitted before the end of this year, but it does not guarantee that late applications, after 1 September, will lead to the UK license issued on 1 January 2023.

Among the complications of dealing with the flow of applications for a license from the UK is the need for the Civil Aviation Authority to verify the information contained in EASA licenses, issued by the relevant national authority, which leads to uncertainty in timing, especially if the relevant authority does not have the resources enough.

“One key area is to ensure that single pilot license holders who have left the UK system, prior to leaving the EU, realize that getting their UK license back after the end of this year will be more complex.” The Civil Aviation Authority indicated.

We have been communicating with the pilots so that they are aware of this. We have also introduced a staged payment option to make it easier to apply. The decision to re-license the UK is a personal choice for each pilot, so it is impossible to say how many people will apply.

Although the CAA did not release the latest figures, during a briefing in May it said it had released up to 200,000 licenses, With a thousand more in the pipeline, mostly for professional pilots.

The Civil Aviation Authority noted that the UK license is a “tradable” product and stressed that pilots holding EASA licenses may also hold a UK licence.