LAPL to PPL

Posted on October 5, 2025 by - General, Official documents, Regulation

Stop Press: effective  1 October 2025, the UK CAA has changed the crediting rules for holders of NPPL(A), NPPL(M) and LAPL(A) licences who wish to ‘upgrade’ to a PPL.  This blog has been updated with the latest rules.

After Brexit, a UK issued LAPL was no longer recognized outside the UK, even though it was identical to the EASA LAPL.  (There are some exceptions – e.g.  for some specific conditions such as an LAA permit aircraft + LAPL in France). It is unlikely that UK-EASA mutual recognition of so-called sub-ICAO qualifications will happen any time soon, if ever.

Some LAPL holders wanting to fly in EU airspace are asking….can I “upgrade” to a PPL?

The answer is yes, and it’s not that difficult. According to the new rules:

  • there is no mandated training (it was 4 hours, now it’s as required)
  • LAPL PiC hours all count towards the PPL requirement of 10 hrs solo
  • if a LAPL holder has done the qualifying cross country flight (150 nm, 2 intermediate landings) as part of their flying, that counts for the QXC requirement.

Candidates would still need to

  • make an assessment flight at an ATO or DTO
  • do any required training at an ATO / DTO
  • hold a class 2 medical (though that can be replaced by a PMD once the PPL has been achieved)
  • pass the PPL skills test
  • pass the FRTOL practical test if a FRTOL is not already held

What does this mean in practice?

  • check you’ve got a flight which counts as the ‘qualifying cross country’, i.e. 150 nm, 2 intermediate landings, all on one day as PiC (with some proof – e.g. SkyDemon logs or landing fee receipts)
  • read CAA Standards Document 19 which describes the PPL test
  • practice flying to a high standard (see the tolerances in Standards Document 19) – altitude +/- 150 ft or better, heading +/- 10 degrees – the 2 common failings
  • practice steep turns etc, possibly PFL’s and stalls if you feel comfortable doing that solo, or with a safety pilot
  • practice intercepting and tracking a VOR radial. If you’ve no nav radio, you can simulate this using SkyDemon to intercept and track a chosen magenta line using the SkyDemon HSI
  • if necessary, brush up your practical knowledge of air law, met, flight panning (take off perf, M&B), aircraft knowledge ready for the oral part of the skills test

Most of that can be done without paying an instructor!

The training could all be done in a day or two for a competent pilot

  • expect a 1-1.5 hours assessment flight to see which aspects of the pilot’s skills need work, i.e. to define ‘the course’
  • a few hours of ground school to revise key techniques
  • a few hours flying to teach / practice all the skill test manoeuvres and navigation techniques, and un-pick any bad habits
  • a mock skills test (2 hrs)

FAQ’s

Can I hire a freelance instructor to do the training at my home base?

Only if he or she is a DTO, or if his / her ATO approves using an alternative location.

I’ve logged plenty of long cross-countries – will that count as the QXC?

Yes – if it was more than 150 nm with 2 intermediate landings, as PiC throughout, all in one day – with some proof

I’ve done plenty of solo circuits – do they count?

Yes– all solo flying counts

Can I train and test in my own aircraft?

In principle yes. An ATO will want to see the aircraft documents and verify that the aircraft is safe and suitable for the training. They may record it as a temporary addition to their fleet. They may be reluctant if their instructors are not familiar with the aircraft type, or if the instructor seat has limited controls or instruments.

I don’t have a Nav radio. Can I still do the test in my own aircraft?

Maybe. There are several options here:

  • In your own aircraft, demonstrate the radio nav work with a handheld nav radio
  • If the ATO agrees, substitute VOR work with intercepting and tracking a GPS track (magenta line) using the SkyDemon HSI
  • Take a split test. Fly the general handling and circuit work in your own aircraft, and use a suitably equipped (ATO) aircraft for the navigation test
  • Do the entire test in an ATO aircraft.

Can’t I just do the radio nav part of the test in an ATO aircraft, to save cost?

No – the only way in which a test can be split is ALL the general handling circuits and emergencies + ALL the navigation work.

Still interested?

Then talk to your local ATO, DTO or instructor!

Source:

The Consolidated Regulation, Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) No. 1178/2011. The way this regulatory stuff works is a cascade. Everything numbered FCL.2xx refers to PPL