Microlight Training

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A National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL) Microlight licence is required to fly microlights and can be gained by training with a qualified flying instructor in accordance with a CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) syllabus of training.

The Microlight Class Rating can be issued with either of two options, With Operational Limitations or Without Operational Limitations.
The minimum flight training required for the grant of an NPPL for both options are detailed below:

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NPPL With Operational Limitations:

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Minimum total flight time under instruction 15 hours
Minimum flight time solo 7 hours

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The Operational Limitations at initial issue are:

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• The licence is valid for flight in the UK only

• The pilot may not carry any passenger

• The pilot may not fly with a cloud base less than 1000 feet above ground level or with less than 10 kilometres’ visibility

• The pilot may not fly further than 8 nautical miles from take-off.

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NPPL Without Operational Limitations:

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• Minimum total flight time under instruction 25 hours

• Minimum flight time solo 10 hours

• Minimum total navigation flight time 5 hours

• Minimum solo navigation flight time 3 hours

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As part of your flight training, you must take and pass a test with an authorised flight examiner to demonstrate your ability to fly a microlight through all the manoeuvres that you will have learned during training. The test is called a General Skills Test (GST). The flight time of the GST can count towards the minimum total flight time required to obtain the NPPL but not towards the solo minimum time.

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Ground Training Requirements

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The Microlight syllabus lists the subject matter that an applicant for a Microlight Class Rating must understand. There is no minimum requirement for training by an instructor to achieve this knowledge but the applicant must have demonstrated a knowledge of the subject matter by passing examinations.
There are written examinations in five subjects:

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• Meteorology

• Navigation

• Aviation Law

• Human Performance and Limitation

• Aircraft Technical subjects

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The examinations must have been passed within the twenty-four months immediately prior to applying for your licence.

There is one further examination to complete your demonstration of knowledge of the aircraft type that you have used to complete your GFT. This examination is an oral examination and must be conducted by a flight examiner entitled to examine in microlight aircraft. It is usual, but not required, that the examination is conducted at the same time as the GST by the same examiner. The ground oral examination must have been passed within the nine months immediately prior to applying for your licence.

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