Ultralight pilot licence renewal and ultralight flight privilege

Expired ultralight pilot licence

According to section 9.3 of the PEL M2-70 (2014) regulation, previously issued licences and any privileges recorded on them were valid until the expiry date marked on the licence. Expired licences do not grant pilots the privilege of serving as the pilot-in-command of an ultralight aeroplane under any circumstances.

Expired licences must be renewed in accordance with of the current PEL M1-4 regulation. Licences expired up to 24 months previously will be renewed upon application. To renew licences that have expired more than 24 months and up to 60 months previously, the pilot must pass a proficiency check and an oral examination on aviation regulations administered by the flight examiner in connection with the proficiency check. To renew a licence that has expired more than 60 months previously, the applicant must complete the required subject courses by passing either theoretical examinations organised by the training organisation or the flight examiner’s oral examination, in addition to the proficiency check. The price of licence renewal is subject to the Traficom decree on transport service fees.

Ultralight flight privilege

Ultralight flight privilege is acquired in accordance with section 3.2 of the OPS M1-20. Training is provided by a flying training organisation licensed to provide ultralight flight training. Records will be kept of the ultralight pilot applicant by the training organisation in accordance with the training programme.

Ultralight flight privilege may be issued to a pilot licence holder who has flown at least two training flight hours in an ultralight aeroplane in a pilot school. The Head of Training or the Chief Flying Instructor will confirm the ultralight flying privilege attained in this manner by signing the licence holder’s log book. The training must provide certificate LU3219, which is then sent to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency registry (kirjaamo@traficom.fi) as an attachment to the general aviation licence and rating application form LU3133. Any crediting of ultralight theoretical training based on the previous licence of the applicant must be justified on the certificate in accordance with TRG M1-7. The ultralight flight privilege (ULP) is free of charge.

If an ultralight flight privilege applicant has an expired UPL licence or any related ratings, training provided earlier for the licence may be credited towards the two-hour flight requirement. Any crediting must be marked in the training records and on the training certificate.

Differences between the ultralight licence and the ultralight flight privilege

Ultralight flight privilege has been constructed within the OPS M1-20 regulation to enable as smooth a transition as possible to ultralight flying. It is at the discretion of the pilot whether they want to operate ultralight aeroplanes within the privileges of the pilot licence or whether they want to acquire a specific ultralight licence. The differences between these two privileges have been reviewed in the table on the following page.