Revalidation-Renewal?

The information below is extracted from EASA part FCL. For detailed up to date information please refer to the actual EASA part FCL documentation linked below.

EASA Part FCL PDF

Revalidation or Renewal?

EASA defines “Revalidation” as the administrative action taken to extend the validity of a rating before it expires.

EASA defines “Renewal” as the process of restoring the validity of a rating, after it has expired.

Validity, Revalidation and Renewal of Ratings

EASA Part FCL outlines the general and specific requirements that need to be met to revalidate or renew specific ratings. The below Part FCL sections cover the Instrument Rating requirements as well as the Multi Engine and Single Engine Class ratings

FCL.740 Validity and renewal of class and type ratings

  • (a) Validity
    The validity period of class and type ratings shall be 1 year, except for single-pilot single-engine class ratings for which the validity period shall be 2 years, unless otherwise determined in the OSD. If pilots choose to fulfil the revalidation requirements earlier than prescribed in FCL.740.A, FCL.740.H, FCL.740.PL and FCL.740.As, the new validity period shall commence from the date of the proficiency check.
  • (b) Renewal
    For the renewal of a class or type rating the applicant shall comply with all of the following:
    • (1)  complete a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Annex;
    • (2)  prior to the proficiency check referred to in point (1), complete a refresher training at an ATO if deemed necessary by the ATO to reach the level of proficiency to safely operate the relevant class or type of aircraft, except if it holds a valid rating for the same class or type of aircraft on a pilot licence issued by a third country in accordance with Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention and if it is entitled to exercise the privileges of that rating. The applicant may take the training:
      • (i) at a DTO or at an ATO, if the expired rating concerned a non-high-performance single-engine piston class rating, a TMG class rating or a single-engine type rating for helicopters referred to in point DTO.GEN.110(a)(2)(c) of Annex VIII;
      • (ii) at a DTO, at an ATO or with an instructor, if the rating expired no more than three years before and the rating concerned a non-high-performance single-engine piston class rating or a TMG class rating.

FCL.740.A Revalidation of class and type ratings – aeroplanes

  • (a) Revalidation of multi-engine class ratings and type ratings. For revalidation of multi-engine class ratings and type ratings, the applicant shall:
    • (1)  pass a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Part in the relevant class or type of aeroplane or an FSTD representing that class or type, within the 3 months immediately preceding the expiry date of the rating; and
    • (2)  complete during the period of validity of the rating, at least:
      • (i)  10 route sectors as pilot of the relevant class or type of aeroplane; or
      • (ii)  1 route sector as pilot of the relevant class or type of aeroplane or FFS, flown with an examiner. This route sector may be flown during the proficiency check.
    • (3)  A pilot working for a commercial air transport operator approved in accordance with the applicable air operations requirements who has passed the operators proficiency check combined with the proficiency check for the revalidation of the class or type rating shall be exempted from complying with the requirement in (2).
    • (4)  The revalidation of a BIR or an IR(A), if held, may be combined with a proficiency check for the revalidation of a class or type rating.
  • (b) Revalidation of single-pilot single-engine class ratings.
    • (1)  Single-engine piston aeroplane class ratings and TMG class ratings. For the revalidation of single-pilot single- engine piston aeroplane class ratings or TMG class ratings, the applicants shall:
      • (i)  within the 3 months preceding the expiry date of the rating, pass a proficiency check in the relevant class in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Part with an examiner; or
      • (ii)  within the 12 months preceding the expiry date of the rating, complete 12 hours of flight time in the relevant class, including:
        • —  6 hours as PIC,
        • —  12 take-offs and 12 landings, and
        • —  refresher training of at least 1 hour of total flight time with a flight instructor (FI) or a class rating instructor (CRI). Applicants shall be exempted from this refresher training if they have passed a class or type rating proficiency check, skill test or assessment of competence in any other class or type of aeroplane.
    • (2)  When applicants hold both a single-engine piston aeroplane-land class rating and a TMG rating, they may complete the requirements of (1) in either class or a combination thereof, and achieve revalidation of both ratings.
    • (3)  Single-pilot single-engine turbo-prop aeroplanes. For revalidation of single-engine turbo- prop class ratings applicants shall pass a proficiency check on the relevant class in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Part with an examiner, within the 3 months preceding the expiry date of the rating.
    • (4)  When applicants hold both a single-engine piston aeroplane-land class rating and a single-engine piston aeroplane-sea class rating, they may complete the requirements of (1)(ii) in either class or a combination thereof, and achieve the fulfilment of these requirements for both ratings. At least 1 hour of required PIC time and 6 of the required 12 take-offs and landings shall be completed in each class.
    • (5)  The proficiency check for the revalidation of a single-pilot single-engine aeroplane class rating may be combined with the proficiency check for the revalidation of a BIR, in accordance with point FCL.835(g)(8).
  • (c) Applicants who fail to achieve a pass in all sections of a proficiency check before the expiry date of a class or type rating shall not exercise the privileges of that rating until a pass in the proficiency check has been achieved.

FCL.625 IR – Validity, revalidation and renewal

  • (a)  Validity
    An IR shall be valid for 1 year.
  • (b)  Revalidation
    • (1)  An IR shall be revalidated within the 3 months immediately preceding its expiry date by   complying with the revalidation criteria for the relevant aircraft category.
    • (2)  If applicants choose to fulfil the revalidation requirements earlier than prescribed in point (1), the new validity period shall commence from the date of the proficiency check.
    • (3) Applicants who fail to pass the relevant section of an IR proficiency check before the expiry date of the IR shall exercise the IR privileges only if they have passed the IR proficiency check.
  • (c) Renewal If an IR has expired, in order to renew their privileges, applicants shall comply with all of the following:
    • (1) complete a refresher training at an ATO, if deemed necessary by the ATO to reach the level of proficiency needed to pass the instrument element of the skill test in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Annex;
    • (2) pass a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Annex in the relevant aircraft category;
    • (3) hold the relevant class or type rating unless otherwise specified in this Annex.
  • (d)  If the IR has not been revalidated or renewed in the preceding 7 years, applicants for the IR shall pass again the IR theoretical knowledge examination and skill test.
  • (e)  Holders of a valid IR on a pilot licence issued by a third country in accordance with Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention shall be exempted from complying with the requirements in points (c)(1) and (d) when renewing the IR privileges contained in licences issued in accordance with this Annex.
  • (f)  The proficiency check mentioned in points (c)(2) and (e) may be combined with a proficiency check performed for the renewal of the relevant class or type rating.

FCL.625.A IR(A) – Revalidation

  • (a) Revalidation.
  • To revalidate an IR(A) , applicants shall:
    • (1)  hold the relevant class or type rating, unless the IR revalidation is combined with the renewal of the relevant class or type rating;
    • (2)  pass a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Annex if the IR revalidation is combined with the revalidation of a class or type rating;
  • (3)  if the IR revalidation is not combined with the revalidation of a class or type rating:
    • (i)  for single-pilot aeroplanes, complete section 3b and those parts of section 1 which are relevant to the intended flight of the proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Annex;
    • (ii)  for multi-engine aeroplanes, complete section 6 of the proficiency check for single- pilot aeroplanes in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Annex by sole reference to instruments.
  • (4)  An FNPT II or an FFS representing the relevant class or type of aeroplane may be used for the revalidation pursuant to point (2), provided that at least each alternate proficiency check for the revalidation of an IR(A) is performed in an aeroplane.
  • (b) Cross-credit shall be given in accordance with Appendix 8 to this Part.