AAIB report into Squirrel crash (Colin Mcrae)

[Chris Trott]

Rich,

In the US, all licenses are permenant (no expiration) except for the Instructor ratings which require recertification, however, there are ways to do it without expensive checkrides with an FAA Designated Examiner.

The difference we have is currency. All licenses are valid forever, but you cannot exercise the privileges unless you are current and have a valid biennial review for the type(s) of licenses you hold. What being "current" is varies depending on the license as does the steps needed to "become current" if your currency lapses. As I don't have my ATP or Commercial (yet), I'm not fully versed in the currency requirements for them (I'm not sure there is actually any additional currency requirements, but I'm sure Leif knows), but for your Private Pilot & Instrument (no night endorsement/rating in the US, it's part of everyone's training) I do. For Private Pilot (which is all you need to fly a Squirrel here - Private - Helicopter), you only need one hour of flight and 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to a full stop within the last 90 days to be "current" and able to carry passengers (not for hire) with you. To regain currency, the same applies - 1 hour and 3 takeoffs and 3 landings. For Instrument, you must have intercepted a course with your nav instruments, flown a hold, and at least 6 approaches in the past 6 months and recorded them (and the name of the safety pilot if you used one) in your logbook. If your currency lapses, you must hire a flight instructor to proctor an instrument proficiency check which is basically a mini-Instrument Rating checkride. They will then endorse your logbook and you will be "current" again.

[Prop Jockey]

Thanks Chris - yes there are some currency requirements here too (passengers, currency to shoot an instrument approach in real IMC etc). Unfortunately we don't answer to a single avaition authority these days, we have European 'harmonisation'.

Cheers

Rich