Sailplane Pilot Licence Conversion
UK regulation requires the pilot of a Part-21 sailplane (effectively all sailplanes other than certain vintage types) to hold an SPL (Sailplane Pilot Licence), unless they are flying as a student pilot. The requirement is effectively deferred until the 30th September 2025, as detailed in the Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2023. Meanwhile, BGA and national pilot certification/licensing rules continue to apply.
To ensure that all qualified BGA glider pilots will have an SPL with the correct privileges when required, the BGA has established a CAA-approved SPL conversion application and checking procedure that results in a painless application process. As at June 2024, that process has delivered over 2400 SPLs.
The minimum BGA gliding qualification for conversion to SPL is the BGA Bronze and Cross Country Endorsements. There is an exception where a pilot has qualified for Silver distance prior to the BGA Cross Country being implemented in April 1996 (see application form for details).
Please note that if you hold a LAPL(S), you don’t need to apply for an SPL because a LAPL(S) issued under previous ‘FCL’ rules is deemed to be an SPL under the current rules.
I’ve heard the SPL means complication…is that true?
No it’s not true. The requirements are very similar to those BGA has used for years.
The SPL is a lifetime licence. That means once its yours, you have the privileges for life, as long as you stay in practice. That’s it.
There’s a minimum amount of ‘staying in practice’ required known as ‘rolling recency’. That means, for example, before you fly using your SPL, in the previous two years you need to have completed 5 hours including 15 launches and two flights with an instructor. If you haven’t met the rolling recency requirements, you can either fly with an instructor or an instructor can supervise you flying solo to reach the minimum rolling recency requirement. No need to find an examiner and no need to contact the CAA. It’s not massively different from how gliding operates now, with the main difference being that it is a requirement rather than advisory.
Adding privileges to an SPL, such as aerobatics or cloud flying, gets taught and then signed in your logbook by the instructor.
When should I convert?
We recommend as soon as possible.
The conversion process includes BGA office verification and CAA processing. A bow wave of late applications is expected and is bound to extend the application turnaround time (currently around 2-3 weeks). Given the scale of the conversion task and the reasonably available resources, late applicants are unlikely to receive their SPL ready for the deadline. We strongly recommend any pilot who can convert does so as soon as possible.
What happens once I have an SPL?
Nothing happens. Once you start using the privileges of your SPL, you will need to ensure you meet the published minimum ‘recency’ requirements. And that’s essentially it. Very little changes.
If I do not meet the conversion requirement or do not apply for an SPL in time, how can I continue to fly?
Don’t worry. If you don’t have an SPL, you’re effectively a student pilot. The SFCL rules note that “a student pilot shall not fly solo unless authorised to do so and supervised by an Flight Instructor (Sailplanes)”. So your club instructors will need to continue to supervise your flying.
Please note that the current UK Part MED requirements mean that a student pilot flying solo will need a LAPL or Class 2 medical. NPPL student pilots can fly solo in microlights and aeroplanes using a PMD. UK CAA has assured the BGA that it is working to address this inconsistency ahead of 30th September 2025.
After the regulatory change in September 2025, on completion of the SPL syllabus (previous BGA training can be recognised), a student pilot can take an assessment of competence with a Flight Examiner (Sailplanes), following which an SPL can be issued.
I’ve heard glider pilot training will be complicated in the future…?
Unless your club makes it so, it really shouldn’t be complicated. The syllabus of training is essentially the same as the current BGA syllabus. The instructors will be the same people trained the same way they always have been. Solo followed by further training will result in a flying assessment and some navigation and field landing training. The form filled in to complete the training and apply for an SPL will be new – but it won’t be complicated.
Do I have to use an SPL once converted?
Not until the regulatory change in September 2025. BGA rules continue to apply to all sailplane pilots who are flying G-registered sailplanes until then.
Sailplane pilots who choose to use SPL privileges (for example to fly a TMG or self-launcher) are required to comply with the SPL medical, recency, and other relevant Sailplane Flight Crew Licensing (SFCL) requirements.
All gliding instructing at BGA clubs continues under BGA requirements until the regulatory change – therefore all gliding instructors even if they hold an FI(S) certificate must hold a valid BGA instructor rating.
Is there a minimum age to hold an SPL?
Yes. Applicants for an SPL must be at least 16 years old. An SPL holder under the age of 18 can carry a passenger (providing they meet all other requirements)
An SPL holder cannot exercise instructor privileges until reaching the age of 18.
Do I need a CAA medical certificate to convert to an SPL?
For conversion from a BGA gliding certificate to an SPL, one of the following is required;
CAA Pilot Medical Declaration, or
LAPL medical certificate, or
Class 2 medical certificate
More detail about medicals including the CAA Pilot Medical Declaration is available here.
Applying to convert to a Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL) – step by step
- Consider whether you need to obtain a medical certificate, or qualify further under the BGA system before converting.
- Decide what additional qualifications you are going to apply for. The application form guidance is very helpful.
- Print, read, and complete the application form and guidance available at this link.
- Check that your application is complete, including certified and clearly readable copies of documents where required.
- Send your complete application including including certified and clearly readable copies of documents where required by post BGA, 8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1RJ, or email lizzie@gliding.co.uk
Applying for an FRTOL at the same time as applying to convert to an SPL
How to convert to an SPL is described above. Some applicants may wish to apply for FRTOL privileges at the same time as applying for an SPL. The CAA process is somewhat complex. So the BGA has developed and verified guidance to assist applicants which is detailed in one of the two pdf documents available at ‘Applying for your FRTOL at the same time as your SPL’. The other of the two pdf documents at that link is a ‘placeholder’, which is referred to in the detailed guidance.
For anyone who having read the guidance needs to complete a CAA Form 5003, the form is available here.
How can I add a privilege after the licence has been issued?
During the conversion period only ie prior to the regulatory change, it should be possible to add some privileges by qualifying under BGA/national requirements or SFCL requirements and then adding the privilege to your SPL. The step by step process is;
- Consider which Part-SFCL privileges you believe you want to add.
- Refer to the SPL conversion guidance and ensure that you meet the requirements.
- Complete this ‘adding a privilege’ application form.
- Check that your application is complete, including certified or original and clearly readable copies of documents where required
- Send your application to; BGA 8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1RJ
- CAA should replace your existing licence with an SFCL SPL.
Are there any additional requirements if I want to train for an SPL additional privilege?
If training for an SPL additional privilege, eg TMG, the training needs to take place under the DTO rules. That includes the need for the DTO declaration to list the specific course of training, eg in this example, the SPL TMG extension course.
If training under BGA rules for a BGA privilege to be used to add an SPL additional privilege, there are no additional requirements.
If I have a LAPL(S), do I need to exchange it for an SPL?
No. A Part-FCL LAPL(S) and a Part-FCL SPL are both automatically deemed to be an SFCL SPL. When the CAA reissues a licence for administrative reasons or upon application by licence holders, the CAA will replace Part-FCL sailplane licence for an SFCL SPL.
Once I have an SPL, how do I manage recency requirements?
The SPL is a lifetime licence. The privileges of an SPL including instructing can be exercised as long as the recency requirements have been met. Rolling recency guidance including for FI(S) holders is available here.
What impact will the CAA’s pilot licensing simplification project have on the SPL conversion?
No impact. The CAA’s licensing simplification project aims to introduce several minor changes to SFCL that have been proposed by the UK sailplane community. This will have no impact on the requirement to hold an SPL as detailed above.
Can I use Air Cadet experience to qualify towards an SPL privilege?
Unfortunately not. The principle means for crediting military flight experience towards civilian qualifications is the Military Accreditation Scheme (MAS). This is a jointly administered document between the 22 Group RAF and the CAA. The scheme does not currently include any credits for Air Cadet qualifications and experience toward civilian equivalents.
More Information
Clearly the first port of call for any licence conversion queries is the information published on this website. Where that doesn’t provide the answer, the BGA office staff are always happy to help.
The BGA office deals with sailplane pilot licence conversion applications as soon as they arrive. The entire process from receipt of application to CAA issue and delivery can take anything from three weeks for a straightforward application, to somewhat longer where the applicant is an examiner, in which case it gets a bit complicated at the CAA end.