101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 4 All certificates issued by the CAA, if valid immediately before exit day, would continue to be recognised as valid in the UK on and after exit day. Under the Chicago Convention, most certificates are linked to the state of registration of the aircraft, so a UK aircraft with UK-issued certificates and licences would still be recognised as valid for the operation of international air services. Certificates and other documents issued and valid prior to exit day by organisations approved in accordance with the EU requirements by EASA, or the competent authority of an EASA state, would remain valid by virtue of the Withdrawal Act. They would have been issued in accordance with the same rules as a UK certificate. We intend that these certificates issued by EASA or the competent authority of an EASA state would:  continue to be in force or effective on and after exit day for a period of up to 2 years (unless it would otherwise have expired, or there was any ongoing enforcement action)  be treated as if issued by the CAA At the end of 2 years (or sooner if the certificate expires during the intervening period) new certificates issued by the CAA under UK legislation would be required. This is necessary to ensure that the UK has a comprehensive and coherent safety oversight regime in line with its obligations under the Chicago Convention. EU-registered aircraft The EU has indicated that it would take a different approach to the UK. The information notices issued by the European Commission say that certificates previously issued by the CAA before exit day would no longer be automatically accepted in the EASA system after 29 March 2019. Those certificates would have been issued in accordance with EU rules, and UK aviation will remain as safe the day after exit as it was the day before exit, so the UK encourages the EU to take reciprocal action in recognising UK-issued certificates. Nonetheless, individuals and businesses exercising the privileges of UK-issued certificates for aircraft registered in the EU should consult th e European Commission’s notice to stakeholders and check with the relevant EU authorities. Personnel licences Personnel working in the aviation industry are required to hold appropriate certificates to ensure the operational safety of commercial aircraft. This includes pilots and cabin crew, aircraft maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers. Information on the validity of those licences is set out below. Pilots All pilots of UK registered aircraft would need to hold an appropriate licence issued or validated by the CAA. All pilot licences issued by the CAA prior to exit day, will continue to remain valid after 29 March 2019 for the operation of UK registered aircraft. A pilot licence (known as a Part-FCL licence) issued by an EASA competent authority in accordance with the EU requirements remains valid by virtue of the Withdrawal Act and will have been issued in accordance with the same rules as the UK licences. However, the CAA must validate such a licence for it to be used in the international operation of a UK registered aircraft. The CAA would validate Part-FCL licences that were issued and valid immediately before exit day, as long as the pilot holds adequate proficiency of the English language. Licences and validations would be valid for up to 2 years after exit day (unless it would otherwise have expired or there was any ongoing enforcement action). Further details on the procedure for validation of EU-issued Part-FCL licences will be published by the CAA shortly. Pilots wishing to operate an aircraft registered in the EASA system must hold an appropriate licence issued, or validated, in an EASA state. Before exit day, holders of UK- issued Part-FCL licences are able to transfer it to another EASA state if they wish to operate aircraft registered in the EASA system. Pilots should check with their employer if this is likely to be necessary, an d guidance on transferring licences is available from the CAA . Engineers Licensed engineers maintaining UK registered aircraft would need to hold an appropriate licence issued by the CAA. All maintenance engineer licences issued by the CAA prior to exit day would remain valid for work on UK registered aircraft. Valid aircraft maintenance engineer licences (Part-66 licences) issued by an EASA competent authority other than the CAA prior to exit day would remain valid for maintenance on UK registered aircraft by virtue of the Withdrawal Act. Such validity is limited to up to 2 years after exit day, after which licences issued by the CAA would be required. The EU has indicated that it would take a different approach to the UK on the recognition of engineer licences. Engineers with licences issued by the CAA should be aware that the European Commission has stated that those licences would no longer be valid in the EASA system after exit day. This means that UK-issued Part-66 licences would no longer be valid for the performance of maintenance on aircraft registered in an EASA Member State. Maintenance engineers who would likely be required to maintain such aircraft should check with their employer to ensure that they would continue to hold the relevant licences.