Commercial pilot license expiration

ADVANCE FLYING ACADEMY

The Commercial Pilot License (CPL) itself does not have an expiration date. However, there are several other factors, such as medical certificates, ratings, and flight currency, that must be maintained in order for a pilot to legally exercise the privileges of a CPL.

Key Elements That Affect CPL Validity:

1. Medical Certificate

A Class 1 medical certificate is required to exercise the privileges of a CPL.
The medical certificate does expire and needs to be renewed periodically.
- For pilots under 50 years of age, the medical certificate is generally valid for 12 months.
- For pilots over 50 years of age, the medical certificate is valid for 6 months.
If your medical certificate expires or is revoked, you cannot legally act as a commercial pilot until it is renewed.

2. Ratings

Your CPL ratings (such as Instrument Rating (IR), Multi-Engine Rating (ME), or Type Ratings) must also be kept current.
- For example, an Instrument Rating (IR) typically requires you to have flown at least 50 hours of instrument flight time within the past 6 months.
- Type ratings for specific aircraft may have specific recency requirements, including recurrent training or checks.

3. Flight Currency

In addition to maintaining your medical certificate and ratings, you must maintain flight currency in order to act as a pilot-in-command (PIC) for commercial operations.
- In general, to be current under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), you need to have logged at least 3 takeoffs and landings within the past 90 days.
- For Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), pilots typically need to perform an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) if they have not flown under IFR for 6 months.

4. CPL Expiration Due to Inactivity

If you do not meet the flight currency or medical certification requirements for a period of time, your ability to act as a commercial pilot can be restricted.
If a CPL holder becomes inactive and is not able to maintain the necessary medical certification or flight hours, they may need to revalidate their license through additional training or testing.

5. Revalidation and Renewal

The CPL does not "expire" outright, but it needs to be revalidated or renewed periodically. This generally involves meeting certain flight-hour requirements, passing a proficiency check, and maintaining valid medical certification.
- In most cases, a CPL can be revalidated for up to 5 years through a proficiency check (also known as a skills test).
- If the license is not revalidated or renewed within this period, you may need to undergo additional training or testing to restore the validity of your license.

Summary of Key Points:

CPL License Expiration: The CPL itself doesn't expire, but you need to maintain medical certification, ratings, and flight currency.
Medical Certificate: Requires annual (for pilots under 50) or semi-annual (for pilots over 50) renewal.
Flight Currency: You need to complete certain flying requirements (e.g., takeoffs/landings, flight hours) to maintain your ability to act as a pilot-in-command.
Revalidation: You must undergo revalidation or renewal to keep your CPL active if it has been inactive or if ratings have lapsed.

Always check with the aviation authority (e.g., EASA, FAA, or GCAA) for specific regulations and requirements based on the region where your license was issued.

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