Description

Licensing of flight crew has been in existence almost since the beginning of aviation. The first pilot licences were issued in 1909 with the first international licensing standards following in 1919. Flight Crew Licencing (FCL) is usually the function of a State National Aviation Authority (NAA), although the JAA-FCL system in Europe broke new ground by introducing an agreed internationl flight crew licensing system which could be implemented by partcipating NAAs.

Flight Crew Licenses

The ICAO licensing system detailed in Chapter 2 of Annex 1 covers the qualification for and issue of licences and ratings for pilots of aeroplanes and helicopters, giders, and free balloons. It also has provision in Chapter 3 for licences for flight engineers and flight navigators.

Regulatory activities which are a direct consequence of FCL include:

• Approval of flight crew training provision
• Approval of flight simulators and other synthetic training devices
• Approval of arrangements for the certification of the medical fitness for flight crew

The particular case of medical fitness leads to the privileges of any flight crew licence being conditional upon the inclusion within it of evidence of valid certification of medical fitness.

FCL in Europe

Having inherited an established a European FCL system from the former JAA which was implemented by each participating National Aviation Authority (NAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was given, under the EASA Basic Regulation (initially Regulation 216/2008 later repealed by Regulation 2018/1139) full legal responsibility for flight crew licensing in European Union States. EASA is able to rely upon the support of the NAAs in Member States acting as Qualified Entities to implement FCL. Initially, the JAA-FCL system was continued almost entirely as inherited whilst EASA consulted through the Notice of Proposed Action/Amendment (NPA) system on change proposals prior to introducing Implementng Rules. That consultation is now complete and is helping to provide the basis for the new Rules for FCL in Europe. The requirements will be formulated so as to ensure compliance with Annex V of Regulation 2018/1139 taking due account of ICAO SARPs and in particular those set out in Annex 1.

The EASA 'Basic Regulation'

Article 20 of Regulation 2018/1193 (the EASA Basic Regulation) states that:

"...Pilots ... involved in the operation of aircraft referred to in point (b) of Article 2(1), other than unmanned aircraft, as well as flight simulation training devices, persons and organisations involved in the training, testing, checking or medical assessment of those pilots ..., shall comply with the essential requirements set out in Annex IV [of this Regulation]..."

Article 23 the same Regulation introduces the concept of implementing acts regarding pilot certification states that:

"1. In order to ensure the uniform implementation of, and compliance with, the essential requirements referred to in Article 20 in respect of pilots who are involved in the operation of aircraft ..., other than unmanned aircraft, the Commission shall... adopt implementing acts laying down detailed provisions concerning: 
(a)  the different categories of pilot licences and pilot medical certificates ..., as well as the different ratings for such pilot licences adequate for the different types of activities performed; 
(b)  the privileges and responsibilities of the holders of pilot licences, ratings and pilot medical certificates; 
(c)  the rules and procedures for issuing, maintaining, amending, limiting, suspending or revoking pilot licences, ratings and pilot medical certificates..."

Article 27 the same Regulation introduces the concept of implementing acts regarding pilot training, testing, checking and medical assessment states that:

"1. In order to ensure the uniform application of and compliance with the essential requirements ... for flight simulation training devices, and for persons and organisations involved in the training, testing, checking or medical assessment of pilots ... the Commission shall ... adopt implementing acts laying down detailed provisions concerning: 
(a)  the rules and procedures for issuing, maintaining, amending, limiting, suspending or revoking approvals and certificates ... 
(b)  the rules and procedures for the declarations by pilot training organisations ... and by operators of flight simulation training devices ... 
(c)  the privileges and responsibilities of the holders of approvals and certificates ... and of the organisations making declarations ... 
2. When adopting those implementing acts, the Commission shall ensure compliance with the essential requirements ... and shall take due account of the international standards and recommended practices, in particular those set out in Annexes 1 and 6 to the Chicago Convention."

Article 21 the same Regulation otlines the procedures for pilot certification stating that:

"1. Pilots shall be required to hold a pilot licence and a pilot medical certificate appropriate to the operation to be performed... except for situations in which ... such licences or medical certificates are not required.
2. The pilot licence ... shall be issued upon application, when the applicant has demonstrated that he or she complies with the implementing acts ... adopted to ensure compliance with the essential requirements ... 
3. The pilot medical certificate ... shall be issued upon application, when the applicant has demonstrated that he or she complies with the implementing acts ... adopted to ensure compliance with the essential requirements ... 
4. The pilot licence and the pilot medical certificate ... shall specify the privileges granted to the pilot. The pilot licence and pilot medical certificate may be amended to add or remove privileges, in accordance with the implementing acts ... 
5. The pilot licence or the pilot medical certificate ... may be limited, suspended or revoked when the holder no longer complies with the rules and procedures for issuing and maintaining a licence or a medical certificate in accordance with the implementing acts ... 
6. Training and experience on aircraft not subject to this Regulation may be recognised for the purpose of obtaining the pilot licence ..., in accordance with the implementing acts..."

Article 24 the same Regulation otlines the procedures for training organisations and aero-medical centres approval stating that:

"1. An approval shall be required in respect of aero-medical centres. 
2. An approval shall be required in respect of pilot training organisations ..., except for situations in which ... such approvals are not required. 
3. The approvals ... shall be issued upon application, when the applicant has demonstrated that it complies with the implementing acts ... adopted to ensure compliance with the essential requirements ... 
4. The approvals ... shall specify the privileges granted to the organisation. Those approvals may be amended to add or remove privileges, in accordance with the implementing acts .... 
5. The approvals ... may be limited, suspended or revoked when the holder no longer complies with the rules and procedures for issuing and maintaining such approval... 
6. When as a result of the adoption of the implementing acts ... an approval ... is not required in respect of a pilot training organisation ..., implementing acts ... may still require the organisation concerned to declare its capability, and the availability to it of the means, to discharge its responsibilities associated with the activities that it performs in compliance with those implementing acts."

Article 25 the same Regulation otlines the procedures for flight simulation training devices certification stating that:

"1. A certificate shall be required in respect of each flight simulation training device used for the training of pilots, except for situations in which ... such certificates are not required. 
2. The certificate ... shall be issued upon application, when the applicant has demonstrated that the applicant and the device comply with the implementing acts ... 
3. The certificate ... shall specify the functionalities of the device. The certificate may be amended to reflect changes to those functionalities, in accordance with the implementing acts ... 
4. The certificate ... may be limited, suspended or revoked when the holder or the device no longer complies with the rules and procedures for issuing and maintaining such certificate ...
5. Where the implementing acts ... so provide, the organisation responsible for the operation of the flight simulation training device shall be required to declare the compliance of the device with the essential requirements ... and with the detailed specifications established in accordance with the implementing acts ..."

Article 26 the same Regulation otlines the procedures for certification of instructors and examiners stating that:

"1. Persons responsible for providing flight training, flight simulation training, or for assessing pilots' skills, as well as aero-medical examiners, shall be required to hold a certificate, except for situations in which ... such certificates are not required... 
3. The certificates ... shall be issued upon application, when the applicant has demonstrated that he or she complies with the implementing acts ... adopted to ensure compliance with the essential requirements ... 
4. Those certificates may be amended to add or remove privileges, in accordance with the implementing acts ... 
5. The certificates ... may be limited, suspended or revoked when the holder no longer complies with the rules and procedures for issuing and maintaining such certificates, in accordance with the implementing acts ..."

Further Reading

ICAO

• ICAO Annex 1 - Personnel licensing
• ICAO Doc 9379 - Manual of Procedures for Establishment and Management of a State's Personnel Licensing System
• ICAO Doc 9841 - Manual on the Approval of Flight Crew Training Organizations
• ICAO Doc 8984 Manual of Civil Aviation Medicine - Third Edition, 2012

EASA

• EASA website