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Ultralight in Portugal, and how to get the UL license in English

Peter wrote:

A reasonable level of local language is mandatory

I get that. My wife speaks French and I think I can get by with the translator on my phone once on the ground for fuel or questions. I am not saying tomorrow I am flying to all the little non-controlled French airports but will do my best to learn to speak enough to get by.

172driver wrote:

you might be surprised by the level of English speakers in Portugal

True, almost everyone here speaks English and French.

Portugal

@Wingover I’ll check it out with one of the instructors at the weekend. I saw some of the example questions (QCMs) on the club computer and realised I had forgotten most on there as they were all signals like the dumbbells and the tower lights “don’t land for the moment etc”. I haven’t come across these in real life in over 20 years and had forgotten which meant “gliding in progress” and which " use only taxiways and runways" 🙂

France

@gallois I spoke with the school in France just now. It’s 60 questions…I have no chance :-( I might go for the LAPL since it’s in English here.

Portugal

You don’t necessarily need the ULM theory if you have any of the following:-

Sont titulaires par équivalence du certificat d’aptitude théorique commun de pilote d’ULM les candidats
satisfaisant à l’une des conditions suivantes :
« 1. Etre titulaire d’une licence valide de pilote d’avion ou d’hélicoptère délivrée conformément aux dispositions
de l’annexe I, partie FCL, du règlement (UE) no 1178/2011 de la Commission du 3 novembre 2011 déterminant
les exigences techniques et les procédures administratives applicables au personnel navigant de l’aviation civile conformément au règlement (CE) no 216/2008 du Parlement européen et du Conseil, ou d’un certificat d’aptitude
de moins de 24 mois à l’examen théorique en vue de la délivrance de l’une de ces licences ;
« 2. Etre titulaire d’une licence valide de pilote d’avion ou d’hélicoptère, délivrée par un Etat partie à l’accord
sur l’Espace économique européen, par la Suisse ou par le Royaume-Uni, conformément aux normes de la
convention relative à l’aviation civile internationale du 7 décembre 1944 susvisée. »

Are holders by equivalence of the common theoretical aptitude certificate of ULM pilot the candidates
satisfying one of the following conditions:
“1. Hold a valid airplane or helicopter pilot license issued in accordance with the provisions
of Annex I, Part FCL, to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 of 3 November 2011 determining
technical requirements and administrative procedures applicable to civil aviation aircrew in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council, or a certificate of proficiency
less than 24 months in the theoretical exam for the issue of one of these licenses;
“2. Hold a valid airplane or helicopter pilot license issued by a State party to the agreement
in the European Economic Area, by Switzerland or by the United Kingdom, in accordance with the standards of the
Convention on International Civil Aviation of December 7, 1944 referred to above. »

I think this means if you have none of the above you could do the LAPL theory, either in France or Portugal, in English and then still do the ULM practical.
However there is a downside to doing it in France and that is that part of the practical is the radiotelephony licence which is part of the practical and means using the radio in French.
I hope this makes sense.

France

@gallois Thanks for the good info. I actually heard back from one of the ultralight clubs in France who said the same thing. I wonder if I did the radio licence while doing the LAPL in English that problem will be solved?

Portugal

@Wingover I don’t think it would, but I may be wrong.
Art. 7. – Aptitude à la radiotéléphonie en langue française. – Pour obtenir l’aptitude à la radiotéléphonie
en langue française, le candidat doit satisfaire à un contrôle portant sur le programme correspondant, défini à
l’annexe III du présent arrêté, auprès d’un instructeur de pilote d’ULM. Ce contrôle comporte une phase pratique
en vol.
« Le candidat assure les communications radiotéléphoniques sur tout ou partie du vol. »

Aptitude for radiotelephony in French. – To obtain aptitude for radiotelephony
in French, the candidate must pass a test relating to the corresponding program, defined in
Annex III of this decree, with a microlight pilot instructor. This control includes a practical phase
in flight.

“The candidate provides radiotelephone communications on all or part of the flight. »

But on the positive side you will get a stamp in your licence saying Apte pour radiotelephonie en langue francais. Which means you are qualified to use all the fr. only airfields if anyone should ask..And during the practical you will probably be learning the French phrases by rote, so not difficult.
Have a look at all the airfields all over France that you can visit by ULM, over 1000.
You can also fly thr ULM in Spain but you will need a class2 medical. Or at least that’s what my chum was told by AENA when he asked about a permit.
I’m afraid I don’t know about Portugal, I don’t know anyone who has flown their ULM there recently.
Italy weren’t at all bothered about permits either.

France

Wingover wrote:

I am looking at a Pipistrel Virus or Flight Design.

Personally speaking, I’d go for an LSA version of those aircraft rather than a UL – with an LSA, at least you have no restrictions on altitude in Spain, can fly into France, etc at will (flight plan submitted, of course). With an Ultralight aircraft, don’t forget that if you have a 600kg MTOW UL, then you need permission to fly in France because France limits their ULs to 525Kg. If you fly there with a 600kg UL and are ramp checked and found not to have permission, you’re in the merde….

With regards ULM licence, if you already have your PPL(A) / LAPL, in Germany all you do is go for a flight with an UL instructor and get signed off, you then receive your SPL licence.

EDL*, Germany

That’s not strictly correct. In a ULM you don’t need permission to fly into France. All you need is a flight plan. Yes if you are flying a 600kg ULM you need to have an LAPL or PPL to fly in France because of the 500kg limit here.
However I was under the impression that Wingover’s goal was to get flying as quickly as possible, as easily as possible and he already has an FAA licence.

France

gallois wrote:

That’s not strictly correct. In a ULM you don’t need permission to fly into France. All you need is a flight plan. Yes if you are flying a 600kg ULM you need to have an LAPL or PPL to fly in France because of the 500kg limit here.
However I was under the impression that Wingover’s goal was to get flying as quickly as possible, as easily as possible and he already has an FAA licence.

Sorry to contradict you but this states that, with an Ultralight machine which does NOT comply with the french rules – ie 600Kg MTOW – you do need permission. Having an LAPL or PPL is largely irrelevant because, for example, I couldn’t legally fly an Ultralight in Germany on my PPL(A) – I would need the SPL, even if it’s just a formality to get it. The fact is that the aircraft does not comply with French rules hence needs permission to fly there. The only place where having a PPL(A) in an Ultralight used to bring you benefits was in (eg) Switzerland, where, if you had a PPL(A), you weren’t excluded from using controlled airspace. However since last year, that’s changed and anybody flying an Ultralight wanting to fly there, needs to get permission.

Because the restrictions are getting more and more onerous, my recommendation to @Wingover is to look for an LSA version of those aircraft. I’ve seen LSA versions of the Flight Design & Pipistrel up for sale, with one of those he also wouldn’t need to worry about altitude limitations in (e.g.) Spain where ULs have to remain within 1000 Ft AGL max.

MLA_flying_in_Europe_1_1_2022 local copy

Last Edited by Steve6443 at 27 Mar 18:55
EDL*, Germany

This was touched on here.

It is apparently why there was a resistance to the 600kg MTOW. It would create a climate with a lot more internal travel restrictions than before.

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Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
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