The CAA confirms that a student pilot may be permitted to operate an aircraft as the sole occupant, provided the flight is authorised and supervised by the holder of a valid Flight Instructor Certificate, within the following criteria:
- The Competent Authority and State of Licence issue will be the UK CAA.
- The Flight Instructors and training organisations authorising the solo flights must be sure that the student pilot has made application to the UK CAA for the issue of the licence.
- Such flights should be for the benefit of the student pilot, to keep their skills at an appropriate level for the safe operation of the aircraft and enforce the training they have received.
- All authorised solo flights must be conducted in accordance with relevant legislation and the Approved Training Organisation’s (ATO) approved manuals or the Registered Training Facilities (RF) - Flying Order Book.
- The student pilot can only be authorised solo in an aircraft of the same class or type that was used during the Skill Test.
- Once the student pilot is in receipt of their licence, unless the licence is a Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) or otherwise instructed by the UK CAA, they are not permitted to be authorised solo by the Flight Instructor for future flights.
All Flight Instructors are reminded that they will be authorising the solo pilot to operate flights in accordance with FCL.020 of the EASA Aircrew Regulations and if through an ATO in accordance with the ATO’s approved manuals and if through a RF in accordance with the RF’s Flying Order Book.
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