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This page contains information on how to apply for any of the following Additional Ratings:

  • Aerobatic Rating
  • Sailplane Towing Rating
  • Banner Towing Rating
  • Flight Test Rating
  • Mountain Rating

Privileges 

Aerobatic Rating



An Aerobatic Rating allows you to make aerobatic flights provided that you have a current and valid UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued Pilots Licence for aeroplanes, Touring Motor Gliders (TMG) or sailplanes.

Please note that pilots are only permitted to undertake aerobatic flights if they hold an aerobatic rating on their licence.

Close Aerobatic Rating

Sailplane and Banner Towing Ratings



Provided that you have a current and valid UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued Pilots Licence for aeroplanes or Touring Motor Gliders (TMG), a Sailplane towing rating permits you to tow sailplanes and a Banner Towing rating permits you to tow banners.

For banner towing, the privileges shall be limited to the towing method used for flight instruction.

Please note that pilots are only permitted to tow sailplanes or banners if they hold the rating on their licence.

Close Sailplane and Banner Towing Ratings

Flight Test Rating



The privileges of the holder of a flight test rating are to:

(1) in the case of a category 1 flight test rating, conduct all categories of flight tests, as defined in Part-21, either as Pilot in Command (PIC) or co-pilot;

(2) in the case of a category 2 flight test rating:
(i) conduct category 1 flight tests, as defined in Part-21:
— as a co-pilot, or
— as PIC, in the case of aeroplanes referred to in (b)(2)(ii), except for those within the commuter category or having a design diving speed above 0,6 mach or a maximum ceiling above 25 000 feet;
(ii) conduct all other categories of flight tests, as defined in Part-21, either as PIC or co-pilot;

(3) conduct flights without a type or class rating as defined in Subpart H, except that the flight test rating shall not be used for commercial air transport operations.

Pilots are permitted to act as PIC in category 1 or 2 flight tests, only if they hold the rating on their licence.

Close Flight Test Rating

Mountain Rating



The privileges of the holder of a mountain rating are to conduct flights with aeroplanes or Touring Motor Gliders (TMGs) to and from surfaces which are designated to require such a rating by the appropriate authorities.

Close Mountain Rating

Validity period

An Aerobatic, Sailplane Towing, Banner Towing and Flight Test rating is non-expiring (it has lifetime validity).

A Mountain Rating has a validity period of 24 months.  

Requirements

Holders of a UK national/JAR licence who exercised the privileges of an additional rating before 08 April 2018



It is now mandatory to hold the additional rating on your licence in order to exercise the privileges of that rating.

Holders of a UK National or UK issued JAR-FCL pilot’s licence who exercised the additional rating privileges before 8 April 2018 using these licences, but do not have the rating endorsed on their licence, can apply to have the rating added to their UK licence without completing an initial training course. Conversion of these privileges usually applies at the time of licence conversion (to a UK Part-FCL licence).

There are many different conversion routes available as detailed in the UK conversion report contained in CAP804 - Flight Crew Licensing, Part 1, Section 4, Part P.

For information on Aerobatic Rating conversion routes, please refer to our Convert an aerobatic privilege webpage.

If you have a BGA Gliding Certificate with Sailplane Towing privileges, please refer to our Convert a sailplane towing rating held on a BGA gliding certificate webpage.

Close Holders of a UK national/JAR licence who exercised the privileges of an additional rating before 08 April 2018

Holders of an additional rating on a non-UK ICAO licence



In order to transfer an additional rating from an ICAO licence onto your UK licence, you must have completed discretionary training with a UK Approved Training Organisation (ATO) or Declared Training Organisation (DTO). Your training organisation will determine the level of training you need to complete.

Close Holders of an additional rating on a non-UK ICAO licence

Renewal (Mountain Rating only)



You must attend a UK Approved Training Organisation (ATO) or Declared Training Organisation (DTO), where the Head of Training will determine how much training you may require before completing the proficiency check (LPC).

When you have completed the training, you can complete the LPC with a UK approved examiner.

If your rating is at the back of your licence, the rating cannot be signed on the Certificate of Revalidation by the examiner and you will have to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Close Renewal (Mountain Rating only)

How to apply

Once you have met the requirements, you can apply for the issue of an additional rating by completing online application form SRG2157.

If you hold a UK national licence or an expired UK JAR licence, you will need to convert to a UK Part-FCL licence. You should apply for the conversion and the rating at the same time using Application for UK Part-FCL Conversion from an Existing UK Flight Crew Licence (SRG1104).

Supporting documentation

What documents to submit

When applying for the additional rating online, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

  • A copy of your UK licence including certificate of revalidation pages/logbook pages showing the rating endorsements.
  • A copy of the relevant pages from your logbook.

You will also be asked to upload supporting documentation specific to the rating you are applying for.

Initial Issue



You will need to upload the following:

Close Initial Issue

Holders of a UK national/JAR licence who exercised the privileges of an additional rating before 08 April 2018



If you are you applying for this rating on the basis of the UK conversion report contained in CAP804 - Flight Crew Licensing, Part 1, Section 4, Part P, you will need to upload evidence showing the conversion requirements have been met.

If you are applying for an aerobatic rating, please see our Convert an aerobatic privilege webpage for information on what evidence you could provide.

Close Holders of a UK national/JAR licence who exercised the privileges of an additional rating before 08 April 2018

Holders of an additional rating on a non-UK ICAO licence



You will need to upload the following:

  • A copy of your Course Completion Certificate (CAA5020 or ATO/DTO equivalent) for the discretionary training.
  • A copy of your ICAO licence, including certificate of revalidation pages/logbook pages showing the privileges you are applying for.

You will also need to submit a separate application for the Verification of Third Country ICAO Licences form (SRG2142). This allows us to verify the privileges of your ICAO licence with the issuing authority.

For more information on this process, please see the Verification of a third country ICAO licence webpage.

Close Holders of an additional rating on a non-UK ICAO licence

Renewal (Mountain Rating only)



You will need to upload the following:

Close Renewal (Mountain Rating only)

Please ensure that the supporting documents provided as part of the application follow the appropriate format.

Fee

There are fees for Private licences and fees for Professional licences.

An additional fee applies if you would like your documents returned by secure courier.

File size limit

Please note that there is currently a 50Mb size limit for files uploaded to our forms.

Guidance on documentation

All documents should be uploaded with a different filename clearly stating the content of the file attachment (for example Passport, Licence copy and so on).

Submitting documents with the same filename may result in the loss of information in the system and added delays to the application assessment.

There is further guidance on documentation available, regarding paperwork and how to obtain certified copies of documents.

Accessibility

If you require accessibility assistance with submitting your application online, please do not hesitate to contact our support team on 0330 022 1972 (Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30).

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact our licensing team:

Email fclweb@caa.co.uk (preferred)
Phone 0330 022 1972 (Mon - Fri 08:30 - 16:30)