ICAO regulations now require that all pilots have the English proficiency documented on their licence. If you have a UK licence, the CAA should have sent you a new one already.
If you have an American FAA licence, you need to do a bit of work but, contrary to some early advice, it looks like you can do it without going to the USA.
My thanks to Mike Cummings, CFI and Operations Manager at Freeflight for this information.
It depends on what type of licence you have.
- If you have an FAA Pilot Certificate (special airman’s certificate) issued as per FAR § 61.75 (the so called piggy back certificate), this certificate will have at the top right hand corner a black FAA logo, you can update it online from the UK via Tom Hughston’s website. (I don’t know how much, if anything, he charges for this.)
- If you have an FAA Pilot Certificate (stand alone, issued after passing written & practical test) this will have at the top right hand corner a blue FAA logo. You can request a replacement via the FAA website at a cost of $2. (This is what I did and it was painless.)
The deadline is March 5th 2009.
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I have an FAA license and just paid $2 to have it “replaced” so that the replacement one says “English Proficient” on it. I don’t think there’s a deadline to do this since the process of replacing a “lost” license will continue forever. Just thought I’d comment in case others fear about not being able to get their FAA license to state “English Proficient” AFTER March 5th 2009.