Section G

Pilot’s Licence (Microlight)

1. Requirements for the Issue of Licence— An applicant for a Pilot’s Licence Microlight aircraft shall satisfy the following requirements :—

(a) Age— He shall not be less than seventeen years of age on the date of application.

(b) Educational Qualification— He shall have passed Class Ten or equivalent Examination from a Recognised Board.

(c) Medical Fitness— He shall produce on a prescribed proforma a certificate of physical fitness from an approved medical practitioner after undergoing a medical examination, during which he shall have established his medical fitness on the basis of compliance with the requirements as notified by the Director-General under rule 39B.

(d) Knowledge— He shall pass a written examination in Air Regulations, Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology and Aircraft and Engines as per the syllabus prescribed by the Director-General :

Provided that an applicant in possession of a valid Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes/helicopters) or a higher category of Pilot’s Licence shall upon production of evidence in the form of a Certificate recorded by Flight Instructor/Examiner in the pilot’s Log Book to the effect that the pilot has been thoroughly familiarised with the flight controls, speed profiles, systems, engines and limitations of the Microlight aircraft be exempted :

Provided further that an applicant in possession of a valid Pilot’s Licence Gliders shall be exempted from examination in Air Regulations and Aviation Meteorology only.

(e) Security Clearance— If not already obtained, security clearance for the Pilot will be obtained from the concerned State Police authorities by the Flying Club/ Government Flying Training School before commencing flying and forwarded to the Director-General.

(f) Experience— He shall produce evidence of having satisfactorily completed not less than forty hours of flight time on microlight aircraft, which shall include —

(i) not less than fifteen hours of solo flight time of which not less than ten hours shall have been completed within a period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for the licence; and

(ii) not less than five hours of cross-country flight time as the solo occupant of microlight aircraft including a flight over a distance of not less than fifty nautical miles from the aerodrome of departure and at least one full stop landing at a suitable aerodrome or landing ground other than the aerodrome of departure;

(iii) the holder of a current Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) or a higher category of Licence (Aeroplanes) shall be exempted from the experience requirements. Such pilots shall, however, be required to carry out familiarisation flights which shall be followed by not less than three solo take-offs and landings. The familiarisation flights shall be carried out under the supervision of an approved Examiner or a Flight Instructor approved by the Director-General.

(g) Flying Training— He shall have completed the flying training in accordance with the syllabus prescribed by the Director-General.

(h) Skill— He shall have demonstrated his competency to perform the procedures and manoeuvres prescribed in the syllabus to the satisfaction of an Examiner, on the type of microlight aircraft to which the application for licence relates, within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application.

2. Validity — The licence shall be valid for a period as specified in Rule 39C.

3. Renewal— The licence may be renewed on receipt of satisfactory evidence of the applicant —

(a) having undergone a medical examination in accordance with para 1(c).

(b) having satisfactorily completed not less than five hours of flight time as Pilot-in-command of a microlight aircraft within a period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for renewal or in lieu thereof; having satisfactorily completed the flight test as laid down in para-1(h) within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application.

4. Aircraft Rating— The licence shall indicate the class and type of microlight aircraft, the holder is entitled to fly. An open rating for all types of microlight aircraft may also be granted if he has satisfactorily completed not less than one hundred hours of flight time as Pilot-in-command of an aeroplane or a microlight aircraft provided that before undertaking a solo flight on any microlight aircraft, he shall have undergone familiarisation with the flight controls, speed profiles, systems, engines and limitations of the aircraft with a qualified microlight pilot having one hundred fifty hours of Pilot-in-command experience and a certificate to that effect recorded in the pilot’s log book.

5. Privileges— Subject to the validity of aircraft ratings in the licence and compliance with the relevant provisions of the Rules 39B, 39C and 42 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the privileges of the holder of a Pilot’s Licence (Microlight) shall be to act as Pilot-in-Command of a microlight aircraft, which is entered in the Aircraft Ratings of his licence, under the Visual Flight Rules.