SPL Licensing (in plain English?)

The Rules

  • You will need a ‘Sailplane Pilots License’ (SPL) and appropriate medical to fly solo and unsupervised.

  • If you don’t have an SPL then:

    • You are a ‘Student Pilot’ (regardless of experience or previous BGA qualifications.)

    • You will need a ‘Training Record Folder’ (held by the club in the filing cabinet on the control bus.)

    • You may fly solo as a ‘Pilot under Supervision’ but you will need specific written permission from an instructor prior to solo flight (each day.) This will be recorded in your ‘Training Record Folder’

  • Everyone flying solo (or as pilot in command) must have a medical (this applies to juniors too.)

  • You should carry a copy of your medical and SPL with you (a photo on your phone is sufficient.)

Obtaining a medical?

There are various types of medical, but the minimum requirement for solo flight is the ‘Pilot Medical Declaration’ (PMD.) Everyone should get at least this level of medical.

PMD (pilot medical self-declaration)

The PMD requirements are similar to those you need for a driving license. You simply tick a box on a website to declare you comply (no doctors required!) The steps to obtain a PMD are as follows:

  • Create an account on the CAA website (https://portal.caa.co.uk)

  • Once on the CAA website choose ‘Your Services’ then ‘Medical certification for pilots and ATCOs’ from the ‘Apply to Use These Services’ section (this will require you to upload proof of ID and address)

Wait for email confirmation (which can take between 5 and 30 days!)

  • Log back into the CAA website (https://portal.caa.co.uk) and you’ll see the ‘Medical certification for pilots and ATCOs’ option in the ‘Your Services’ section - select it.

  • Select ‘Answer’ next to the ‘Pilot Medical Declaration’

  • Select ‘Accept’ on the ‘False Representation Statement’

  • Select ‘UK Part-SFCL SPL’ when asked for ‘Licence Type’

  • Select the ‘I confirm…’ statement on the Declaration screen.

  • Select ‘No greater than 2000kg MTOM’

  • You will then see a screen as below - choose the download option to get a PDF and send a copy to the office (indicating the date on which you applied for it.)

 
 

NB1: You can go back into the system and view your declaration:

  • Log back into the CAA website (https://portal.caa.co.uk) and choose ‘Medical certification for pilots and ATCOs’ from ‘Your Services’

  • Choose the ‘Access My Cellma Record’ option

  • Choose the ‘Applications’ option (then ‘In Progress and Completed Applications’)

  • You should see your previous PMD applications (and crucially the date on which you made the declaration.)

NB2: You should send a copy of your medical to the office (and include the date on which you applied for it.)

NB3: You will need to re-apply for a PMD after a period of time. Currently a PMD is valid until you are 70 and it must be renewed every 3 years thereafter (this may change in future.)