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Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No. 13 of 2009)

Regulations

Civil Aviation Regulations, 2011

Part 61 : Pilot Licensing

Subpart 1 : General

61.01.9 Crediting of flight time and theoretical knowledge

 

(1) The Director may only accept, for crediting purposes, flight time entered in a pilot logbook that has been lost or destroyed, if substantiated by means acceptable to the Director.

 

(2) A person acting as pilot of an aircraft while not complying with any requirement of this Part applicable to that person may not credit that flight time for any purpose.

 

(3) A student pilot may be credited in full with all solo and dual instruction flight time towards the total flight time requirement for the initial issue of a pilot licence.

 

(4) A student, attending the integrated course referred to in regulation 61.01.15(2), may be credited with PIC instrument time when flying under supervision, provided that the entries have been certified by the instructor in the remarks column of the pilot's logbook. Of these hours a maximum of 50 hours may be credited towards the PIC time required for the issue of a Commercial or ATPL (Aeroplane or Helicopter, as applicable).

 

(5) The holder of a valid PPL may be credited in full with all solo, dual flight instruction and PIC flight time towards the total flight time experience required for the issue of a rating or the CPL in the same aircraft category.

 

(6) The holder of a CPL may be credited with the total flight time during which he or she acted as the designated PIC towards the total PIC flight time experience required for a rating or the ATPL in the same aircraft category.

 

(7) The holder of a Private Pilot or higher Licence, with an appropriate rating, may be credited—
(a) in full with the flight time towards the total flight time required for a higher grade pilot licence when acting as co-pilot at a pilot station of an aircraft certified to be operated with a co-pilot;
(b) with not more than 50 percent of the co-pilot flight time towards the total time required for a higher grade pilot licence when acting as co-pilot at a pilot station of an aircraft certified for operation by a single pilot but required by Parts 121, 127 or 135 to be operated with a co-pilot.

 

(8) The holder of a CPL, who has completed a multi crew co-operation course (MCC), when acting as co-pilot performing under the supervision of the PIC the functions and duties of a PIC, may be credited to a maximum of 500 hours with such flight time towards the PIC flight time experience required for the ATPL in the same aircraft category, provided that the supervision is in accordance with a programme approved by the Director and such PIC time under supervision has been countersigned by the PIC.

 

(9)
(a) The holder of a national pilot licence or PPL in another category who wishes to obtain a PPL must comply with the requirements as stipulated in regulations 61.03.1(1) to (3) and technical standard 61.02.5 of Document SA-CATS 61.
(b) A holder of an aeroplane or a helicopter pilot licence, or an equivalent pilot licence in the weight-shift controlled microlight aeroplane, or gyroplane category who wishes to obtain a PPL (A) or PPL (H) may be credited with up to a maximum of 10 hours. The additional 35 hours required must be addressed in a PPL training course which includes—

[Regulation 61.01.9(9)(b) substituted by regulation 6(c) of Notice No. R. 520, GG 42632, dated 29 March 2019 (Twentieth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2019)]

(i) a minimum of 20 hours dual instruction in the aircraft category for which the licence is sought; and
(ii) a minimum of 15 hours solo flying time, which must include 5 hours cross country flying time and one triangular cross-country flight of at least 150 NM, on which at least one point must not be less than 50 NM from base, including full-stop landings at two different aerodromes away from base: Provided that at least one of the aerodromes from which the aircraft takes off for this flight shall be an aerodrome at which an air traffic services unit is in operation and for which a flight plan shall have been submitted.
(c) The holder of a national pilot licence endorsed with the conventionally controlled microlight aeroplane category who wishes to obtain a PPL (Aeroplane) may be credited with up to a maximum of 25 hours. The additional 20 hours required must be addressed in a PPL training course which includes—
(i) a minimum of 10 hours dual instruction in an aeroplane; and
(ii) a minimum of 10 hours solo flying time, which must include 5 hours cross country flying time and one triangular cross-country flight of at least 150 NM, on which at least one point must be not less than 50 NM from base, including full-stop landings at two different aerodromes away from base: Provided that at least one of the aerodromes from which the aircraft takes off for this flight shall be an aerodrome at which an air traffic services unit is in operation and for which a flight plan shall have been submitted.
(d) The holder of a national pilot licence endorsed with the light sport aeroplane category who wishes to obtain a PPL (Aeroplane) may be credited with a maximum of 30 hours. The additional 15 hours required must be addressed in a PPL training course which includes—
(i) a minimum of 10 hours dual instruction in an aeroplane; and
(ii) a minimum of 5 hours solo flying time, which must include one triangular cross country flight of at least 150 NM, on which at least one point must be not less than 50 NM from base, including full-stop landings at two different aerodromes away from base: Provided that, at least one of the aerodromes from which the aircraft takes off for this flight shall be an aerodrome at which an air traffic services unit is in operation and for which a flight plan shall have been submitted.
(e) a holder of a glider pilot licence endorsed with the glider pilot category who wishes to obtain a PPL(A) may be credited with a maximum of 20 hours. The additional 25 hours required shall be addressed in a PPL training course which shall include—
(i) a minimum of 10 hours dual instruction in an aeroplane; and
(ii) a minimum of 5 hours solo flying time, which must include one triangular cross-country flight of at least 150 NM, on which at least one point must be not less than 50 NM from base, including full-stop landings at two different aerodromes away from base: Provided that, at least one of the aerodromes from which an aircraft takes off for this flight shall be an aerodrome at which an ATSU is in operation and for which a flight pIan shall have been filed.

[Regulation 61.01.9(9)(e) inserted by  regulation 6(d) of Notice No. R. 520, GG 42632, dated 29 March 2019 (Twentieth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2019)]

(f) A holder of a national pilot licence endorsed with a touring motor glider pilot category who wishes to obtain a PPL(A) may be credited with a maximum of 30 hours. The additional 15 hours required must be addressed in a PPL training course which includes—
(i) a minimum of 10 hours dual instruction in an aeroplane; and
(ii) a minimum of 5 hours solo flying time, which must include one triangular cross-country flight of at least 150 NM, on which at least one point must be not less than 50 NM from base, including full-stop landings at two different aerodromes away from base: Provided that, at least one of the aerodromes from which an aircraft takes off for this flight shall be an aerodrome at which an ATSU is in operation and for which a flight pIan shall have been filed.

[Regulation 61.01.9(9)(f) inserted by  regulation 6(d) of Notice No. R. 520, GG 42632, dated 29 March 2019 (Twentieth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2019)]

 

(10) An applicant for the issue or revalidation of a CPL (Aeroplane) or ATPL (Aeroplane) or flight instructor rating must have acquired the appropriate flight time required by these Regulations in aeroplanes, except when he or she is the holder of a valid helicopter pilot licence, where, in any such case, he or she must have acquired fifty percent of the required flight time in aeroplanes and the remaining fifty percent may have been acquired in helicopters in the ratio of 2 helicopter hours equals 1 aeroplane hour.

 

(11) An applicant for the issue or revalidation of a CPL (Helicopter) or an ATPL (Helicopter) or flight instructor rating must have acquired the appropriate flight time required by these Regulations on helicopters, except when he or she is the holder of a valid aeroplane pilot licence where, in any such case, he or she must have acquired fifty percent of the required flight time in helicopters and the remaining fifty percent may have been acquired in aeroplanes in the ratio of 2 aeroplane hours equals 1 helicopter hour.

 

(12) A pilot manipulating the flight controls of an aircraft under actual or simulated instrument flight conditions solely by reference to instruments and without external reference points may be credited with the instrument flight time thus acquired toward the total instrument flight time experience required for a higher grade pilot licence, an instrument rating and for keeping an instrument rating current.

 

(13) Dual instruction time must be counted in full towards the total flight time experience required for a higher-grade pilot licence.

 

(14) Time acquired as a pilot on a FSTD approved for the purpose, while under the supervision of an appropriately qualified instructor, may be credited towards—
(a) required flight time experience for the issue of a pilot licence or rating, but only to the extent specified in each case in these Regulations;
(b) the instrument flight time experience required in terms of this Part and of Parts 91, 121, 127 or 135 for keeping the instrument rating current; and
(c) the revalidation of the instrument rating.

 

(15) A pilot-in command, when supervising a pilot manipulating the flight controls of an aircraft under actual (but not simulated) instrument flight conditions, may be credited with the instrument flight time thus acquired towards the total instrument flight experience required as recent experience to maintain the currency of his or her instrument rating.

 

(16) A flight examiner may be credited towards the experience requirements for a rating or higher pilot licence with all flight time accrued while carrying out skill testing or proficiency checking and logged in terms of regulation 61.01.08 as—
(a) PIC time by an examiner who holds the appropriate valid class rating and, where applicable, type rating for the particular aircraft (whether the examiner was the designated PIC or not);
(b) flight instructor time, in the capacity of flight examiner, by an examiner who holds the appropriate valid flight instructor rating; or
(c) instrument flight time for the time the flight was conducted under IMC, by an examiner who holds a valid instrument rating.

 

(17) The provisions of subregulation (16) apply only when the flight examiner was occupying a pilot seat.

 

(18) For the purposes of calculating flight and duty times, as regulated by Parts 91, 121, 127 and 135 of these Regulations, any flight time accrued as flight examiner is deemed to be 'other flying', whether the examiner occupied a prescribed pilot seat or not.

 

(19) A flight instructor may be credited with all instruction time acquired when giving flight instruction for the initial issue or revalidation of any licence or rating or when conducting differences or familiarisation training.

 

(20) Instruction time acquired in line flying under supervision may only be recognised and logged as such if the Part 121, Part 127 or Part 135 operator has an approved scheme for line flying under supervision. A flight instructor may be credited with not more than three hours instruction time per sector so acquired towards a higher-grade flight instructor rating except in the cases of a flight exceeding 9 hours, whereby a maximum of one third of that flight time shall be recognised.

 

(21) A flight instructor may be credited with—
(a) 25% of the instruction time acquired as a FSTD instructor towards the revalidation of a flight instructor rating and towards a higher grade instructor rating. Instruction time so credited may not exceed 1 00 hours in the case of an upgrade to Grade II flight instructor, or 500 hours in the case of an upgrade to a Grade I flight instructor.
(b) 100% of the instruction time acquired in an approved simulator that is a full size replica of a specific type or make, model and series of aeroplane or helicopter flight deck and provided that the instructor is rated on the simulated aircraft type. Instruction time so credited may not exceed 100 hours in the case of an upgrade to Grade II flight instructor, or 1 000 hours in the case of an upgrade to a Grade I flight instructor.

 

(22) The holder of a FSTD authorisation, issued in terms of this Part, may be credited for all the instruction time given on an approved flight simulation-training device towards the maintenance of competency prescribed for such authorisation.

 

(23) A South African Air Force pilot may be accredited for theoretical knowledge requirements and for flight time for a civilian pilot licence or rating issued in terms of Part 61 under the following circumstances:
(a) such accreditation shall be done in accordance with relevant requirements prescribed in Document SA-CATS 61;
(b) an applicable licence requested shall be endorsed with classes and types of aircraft entered in the South African Air Force logbook and applicable night rating;
(c) for instrument rating to be endorsed on a licence, upon providing proof that he or she has successfully concluded an instrument skills test within the last 90 days under the South African Air Force and complies with the relevant skills test as prescribed in document SA-CATS 61; AND
(d) for issuing of PPL, CPL, ATPL and instrument rating, he or she shall complete relevant skills test with a DFE designated by the Director.

[Regulation 61.01.9(23) substituted by  regulation 6(e) of Notice No. R. 520, GG 42632, dated 29 March 2019 (Twentieth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2019)]

 

(24) In the case of foreign military-trained pilots who can produce certified proof of flying hours logged, such flying time shall be credited in full towards the issue of a South African civilian pilot licence and ratings.

 

(25) The holder of an instrument rating on aeroplanes is exempted from the theoretical knowledge training and examination requirements for an instrument rating on helicopters, and vice versa.

 

(26) A student pilot having undergone all or part of the integrated course, referred to in regulation 61.01.15, who passed the theoretical knowledge examination for the CPL, shall be deemed to have passed the theoretical knowledge examinations prescribed for the issue of the PPL and a Part 96 authorisation issued in terms of Part 62 in the same category.

 

(27) A student pilot having undergone all or part of the integrated course, referred to in regulation 61.01.16, who passed the theoretical knowledge examination for the ATPL, shall be deemed to have passed the theoretical knowledge examinations prescribed for the issue of the PPL and CPL, and for a Part 96 authorisation issued in terms of Part 62, in the same category.

 

(28)
(a) A commercial pilot, whilst acting as in-flight relief pilot (third pilot) and occupying a seat on the flight deck of an aircraft with a MCM of 116 600 kg or more and who is the holder of the appropriate type rating for that aircraft, may utilise 50 percent of the recorded flight time by day or night towards the total time for the requirement of 1500 hours for the issue of an ATPL.
(b) A maximum of 500 hours including a maximum of 40 hours by night may be credited towards the 1500 hours for the issue of an ATPL.
(c) The flight time referred to in this regulation may be entered in the co-pilot column of the logbook provided the words "Third Pilot" shall be entered in the "Remarks" column of the pilot's logbook.