Looks like the CAA has done its usual absolute last second act on the NPPL issue, at least until 7th June. I got this from the LAA this morning:
Dear LAA Member
CAA ANNOUNCE NEW LICENCING EXEMPTION
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is introducing an exemption to allow
UK General Aviation pilots to continue to fly ‘EASA’ light aircraft
under existing National pilot licensing and medical certificate
arrangements, during the delay to the publication of the EASA amendment to
the Aircrew Regulation which would have restricted National licence holders
to ‘Annex II’ aircraft.
EASA has advised Member States that they can issue a temporary exemption to
allow existing National pilot licence and medical arrangements to continue
after 8 April 2018, (this will not affect the conversion terms as
published in CAP804 1, Part I, Section 4, Part P). This allows pilots to
continue to fly EASA aircraft as they do now. This latest change is
expected to be included in the delayed Aircrew Regulation amendment and
details are being finalised by EASA.
As a temporary arrangement from 8 April 2018 until 7 June 2018, the CAA
will issue an exemption which will enable GA pilots holding appropriate UK
National pilot licences and medical certificates (not currently medical
declarations) to fly certain EASA GA aircraft with Light Aircraft Pilot’s
Licence (LAPL) privileges (see below) in the UK but without holding an EASA
pilot licence.
This mostly affects fixed wing pilots as an EASA helicopter type rating can
only be added to a Part-FCL pilot licence and not a UK National licence.
Pilots are reminded that the continued use of UK National pilot licences
under this new exemption is restricted to LAPL privileges only. If a pilot
wishes to fly an EASA aircraft with PPL privileges then they will need to
hold a valid Part-FCL PPL. Pilots towing or flying aerobatics within LAPL
privileges may continue to do so.
This is a temporary arrangement until 7 June 2018 and the CAA will receive
further details from EASA to see if this can be extended. The CAA will
update its website and publications once further details are available.
Astonishing but not exactly shocking… is all I can say 
Pilots are reminded that the continued use of UK National pilot licences
under this new exemption is restricted to LAPL privileges only
That’s a new way of stating the privileges
I think this local copy is the full CAA text of the above.
It is only for G-reg so the previous ability to use the NPPL with the medical declaration on an N-reg has been lost.
According to FTN (a UK training industry newsletter) there are 6000 pilots in the UK with national licenses (NPPL or the UK national PPL). That is a huge number to be grounded by this EASA measure.
A further extension until 7th April 2019 or maybe shorter local copy
I have a feeling this issue is a lot bigger than just the UK NPPL and “EASA aircraft”.
What is meant by the phrase;
” before the LAPL opt out is made available and adopted by the UK.” ?
I think it means when the new Basic Regulation finally comes in there will be the option for member states to permanently retain national licences for LAPL Level (ie sub ICAO) privileges
In EASA aircraft using a medical declaration?
Flybymike – yes I think so
I think one key change is, as noted previously, that before April 2018 the NPPL (with a Class 2, or with a medical self declaration) was good for any aircraft reg, but after April 2018 it is limited to a G-reg (regardless of whether the G-reg is certified or not).
After April 2019, or sooner if EASA bring out their intended ruling sooner, an NPPL will be good only for uncertified aircraft (“non EASA aircraft”) – this will ground a large number of pilots so I expect the UK CAA will resist it, as they obviously should.
