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Although there are only two categories of civil aviation (GA and commercial), there are four main levels of license available; National Private Pilot’s License (NPPL), Private Pilot’s License (PPL), Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) and Airline Transport Pilot’s License (ATPL). Each requires a given number of theoretical knowledge examinations to be passed and a minimum number of hours flying to be completed, as well as the flight test and other ratings. At PPL and CPL level, additional ratings may be added to enhance the license, including Multi-engine Piston, Night rating, Instrument Meteorological Conditions, Instrument Rating and Flying Instructor, (Table 1, p33).

In GA a pilot may hold any level of license as long as it covers the legal requirements for the aircraft being flown. The NPPL is a restricted version of the PPL introduced in the UK on 30th July 2002 (CAA, 2013) allowing those who cannot achieve the required medical conditions for issue of a PPL to gain a pilot’s license. Medical requirements are reduced to those necessary for driving a car, but the restriction prevents the pilot flying in anything other than UK airspace during the day, with good

weather and cannot add any additional ratings. The most restricted version requires that a safety pilot fly alongside the NPPL pilot at all times (CAA, 2013).

The most common license is the PPL, which can be modified to include the aforementioned ratings, allowing the PPL holder to fly in a greater variety of conditions and aircraft, to a broader range of destinations. More commonly, the license is used for pleasure flying in good weather with the use of two or four-seat single engine aircraft.

The PPL is the license most specific to GA and according to a survey by the author in 2011 (to be discussed in detail in Chapter 3.2), 72.2% of GA pilots fly with a PPL. Figures from the CAA also reveal that from 1994 to 2008, 64.8% of all pilots in the UK held a PPL (CAA 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009). As the requirements for issue of an NPPL are very similar to those of the PPL, from herein in this thesis, these licenses will be considered as the same license and referred to as (N)PPL.

The absence of commercial operations in GA does not preclude commercially qualified pilots from operating within its boundaries. Although flying is their job, many Airline Pilots also enjoy flying in their spare time and do so in GA aircraft. Some aerial operations falling under the remit of GA require that a pilot be commercially qualified. Examples include parachute dropping, glider towing, business jets, surveying and aerial photography.

The most discernible job within GA requiring a commercial license is that of an Instructor, which also necessitates gaining the appropriate rating and qualification through completion of an approved Flight Instructor course. There are different levels of Instructor, from one who can only instruct at (N)PPL level and cannot send a student solo without higher authorisation, through to those who instruct future Airline Pilots. Additionally flight Examiners also work within GA and tend to be highly qualified commercial pilots with many years of experience.

Table 1: Minimum Requirements for UK Pilot License Issue License Type Theoretical knowledge Instruction

and Examinations

Flight Training Optional

Ratings

Medical Certificate

National Private Pilot’s License

(NPPL)

Minimum age: 17

Aviation Law

Operational Procedures

Human Performance & Limitations Navigation & Radio Aids

Meteorology

Aircraft General Knowledge Principles of Flight

Flight Performance & Planning Communications

Minimum 32 hours flight time including 22 hours dual instruction and 10 hours solo flight time which must include 4 hours solo cross-country time with one flight of at least 100nm having full stop landings at two aerodromes other than the departure aerodrome.

None Medical Declaration

Private Pilot’s License (PPL)

Minimum age: 17

AS Above Minimum 45 hours flight time including 25 hours dual instruction and 10 hours solo flight time which must include 5 hours solo cross-country with one flight of at least 150nm having full stop landings at two aerodromes other than the departure aerodrome. Night MEP IMC IR CFI Class 1 or Class 2 Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) Minimum age: 18

Minimum 300 hours instruction: Air Law

Aircraft General Knowledge x 4 Flight Performance & Planning x 2 Human Performance & Limitations Meteorology

Navigation x 2

Operational Procedures Principles of Flight Communications

Minimum 150 hours including 80 hours dual instruction and 70 hours pilot-in-command (PIC) of which 20 hours must be cross- country including a flight of at least 300nm in visual flight conditions, having full stop landings at two aerodromes other than the departure aerodrome, 5 hours shall be carried out in a complex aircraft type, 5 hours shall be flown at night and 10 hours instrument flight instruction.

MEP IR CFI

Class 1

Airline Transport Pilot’s License

(ATPL)

Minimum age: 21

Minimum 750 hours instruction: Subjects as above

Minimum 1500 hours flight time including 500 hours multi- pilot operations (transport or commuter aircraft category), 500 hours as PIC under supervision, 200 hours cross-country of which at least shall be as PIC, 75 hours instrument flying, 100 hours night flying as PIC or co-pilot.

Inclusive CFI

In order to gain a license, a prospective pilot must demonstrate they can fly an aircraft unaided and alone. Much of this is done within the confines of their airfield’s circuit pattern, but flights in the surrounding area for solo navigation training and flights away to other airfields for experience are also required. As such, student pilots make up a small proportion of GA flying, specifically 5.3% according to the 2011 survey.

The nature of GA resulted in the data gathered from UK GA accidents for this thesis comprising information pertaining to many levels and mixes of license and experience, as well as many different aircraft types. GA is an industry where a less qualified pilot (a PPL with 2200 hours) may actually be more experienced than a highly qualified pilot (a newly qualified ATPL with 1650 hours). The training they will have received and the nature of their flight experiences mean they are in many ways mutually exclusive to each other, yet still have many common traits. This not only presented a challenge in the analysis of the data, but also proved to highlight how experience can be a good indicator of skill and knowledge, but should not be the only consideration when determining accident causes.