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Covers common requirements and privileges, minimum age, licence and rating validity, medical requirements, flight training, theoretical knowledge, skill tests, and licence application and privileges. Includes training and experience pathways, credits from other licences, additional ratings, maintenance of privileges, instructor and examiner roles, and detailed syllabus content for theoretical knowledge and skills tests, plus revision history and effective pages.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-national-private-pilots-licence-and-instrument-meteorological-conditions-rating-requirements-and-guidance-cap-3181/388920/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-national-private-pilots-licence-and-instrument-meteorological-conditions-rating-requirements-and-guidance-cap-3181/388920.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Maya Linwood","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-06","2026-09-25",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",13,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What topics are covered under Chapter 1 of CAP 3181?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"Chapter 1 covers common requirements and privileges, including minimum age, licence and rating validity, medical requirements, flight training and experience, theoretical knowledge, skill tests and proficiency checks, FRTOL, and licence application and privileges.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"How does CAP 3181 address credits from other licences?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"Chapter 3 provides credits from other licences, including credits related to the flight radio telephony operator’s licence, aeroplane licences, rotorcraft licences, sailplane pilot licence, RAF qualified gliding instructor, foreign pilot licences, previous flight training, theoretical knowledge from balloons and airships, and crediting of military experience.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"Which additional ratings are included and how are they taught?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"CAP 3181 includes additional ratings such as class ratings and aerobatic, IMC, and night ratings. 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This information has been cleared for unrestricted distribution.  \nPublished by the Civil Aviation Authority 2026  \nCivil Aviation Authority Aviation House Beehive Ring Road Crawley  \nWest Sussex RH6 0YR  \nFirst published October 2025 Version 2 published August 2026  \nYou can copy and use this text but ensure you always use the most up to date version, credit the CAA and use it in context so as not to be misleading.  \nThe latest version of this document is available in [electronic format at:](electronic format at: www.caa.co.uk/CAP3181)[ ](electronic format at: www.caa.co.uk/CAP3181)[www.caa.co.uk/CAP3181](electronic format at: www.caa.co.uk/CAP3181)  \nEnquiries regarding the content should be addressed to: [ga@caa.co.uk](ga@caa.co.uk)  \nOFFICIAL-Public  \nContents  \nContents 3  \nRevision history 6  \nList of effective pages 7  \nIntroduction 10  \nSupplementary amendments 11  \nEnquiries 11  \nEditorial definitions 12  \nRegulatory definitions 12  \nRegulatory references 14  \nAbbreviations 15  \nChapter 1 20  \nCommon requirements and privileges 20  \nMinimum age 20  \nLicence and rating validity 20  \nMedical requirements 20  \nFlight training and experience 21  \nTheoretical knowledge 21  \nSkill test and proficiency checks 22  \nFlight radio telephony operator’s licence (FRTOL) 23  \nLicence application 23  \nLicence privileges 24  \nChapter 2 26  \nFlight training and experience 26  \nSingle Engine Piston (SEP) and Touring Motor Glider (TMG) 26  \nMicrolight aeroplane 27  \nChapter 3 30  \nCredits from other licences 30  \nIntroduction 30  \nFlight radio telephony operator’s licence 30  \nAeroplane licences 30  \nRotorcraft licences 31  \nSailplane Pilot Licence (SPL) 34  \nRAF Qualified Gliding Instructor 40  \nForeign pilot licences 44  \nPrevious flight training 46  \nTheoretical knowledge from balloons and airships 47  \nCrediting of military experience 47  \nChapter 4 48  \nAdditional ratings 48  \nClass ratings 48  \nAerobatic rating 53  \nIMC rating 54  \nNight rating 57  \nChapter 5 58  \nMaintenance of privileges 58  \nRecent experience 58  \nClass ratings 59  \nAdditional ratings 60  \nChapter 6 62  \nCredits towards additional ratings 62  \nAerobatic rating 62  \nIMC rating 62  \nNight rating 64  \nChapter 7 65  \nInstructors 65  \nFlight Instructor (Microlight) 65  \nFI(M) revalidation and renewal 68  \nAdditional qualifications for FI(M) 69  \nChapter 8 70  \nExaminers 70  \nFlight Examiner (Microlight) 70  \nFlight Instructor Examiner (Microlight) 71  \nChapter 9 73  \nTheoretical knowledge 73  \nIntroduction 73  \nPPL(A) theoretical knowledge syllabus 73  \nNPPL(A) theoretical knowledge syllabus 73  \nChapter 10 91  \nNPPL(A) skill test 91  \nIntroduction 91  \nSkill test for NPPL(A) on SEP or TMG 91  \nSkill test for NPPL(A) on microlight aeroplanes 96  \nChapter 11 99  \nFlight training syllabus 99  \nSEP and TMG syllabus 99  \nMicrolight aeroplane syllabus 121  \nChapter 12 124  \nSyllabus for additional ratings 124  \nAerobatic rating 124  \nIMC rating 126  \nInstructing for the IMC Rating 130  \nNight rating 133  \nRevision history  \n\n| Amendment | Date | Revision history |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Original | Oct 2025 | New CAP |\n| Version 2 | August 2026 | New version.\u003Cbr>Reorganised chapters to simplify the structure of the CAP.\u003Cbr>Changes to NPPL(A) requirements to correct errors in original version and align with updated syllabi.\u003Cbr>Chapters 5 to 12 contain new content. |\n\nList of effective pages  \n\n| Chapter | Page | Date | Chapter | Page | Date |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Title page |  | August 2026 | Chapter 2 | 28 | August 2026 |\n| Publication date |  | August 2026 | Chapter 2 | 29 | August 2026 |\n| Contents | 3 | August 2026 | Chapter 3 | 30 | August 2026 |\n| Contents | 4 | August 2026 | Chapter 3 | 31 | August 2026 |\n| Contents | 5 | August 2026 | Chapter 3 | 32 | August 2026 |\n| Revision history | 6 | August 2026 | Chap","cbCaimJQQZWNEZND","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimJQQZWNEZND","pdf",1572154,134,"English","# Contents\n## Revision history\n## List of effective pages\n## Introduction\n## Supplementary amendments\n## Enquiries\n## Editorial definitions\n## Regulatory definitions\n## Regulatory references\n## Abbreviations\n## Chapter 1 Common requirements and privileges\n## Chapter 2 Flight training and experience\n## Chapter 3 Credits from other licences\n## Chapter 4 Additional ratings\n## Chapter 5 Maintenance of privileges\n## Chapter 6 Credits towards additional ratings\n## Chapter 7 Instructors\n## Chapter 8 Examiners\n## Chapter 9 Theoretical knowledge\n## Chapter 10 NPPL(A) skill test\n## Chapter 11 Flight training syllabus\n## Chapter 12 Syllabus for additional ratings","[{\"question\":\"What topics are covered under Chapter 1 of CAP 3181?\",\"answer\":\"Chapter 1 covers common requirements and privileges, including minimum age, licence and rating validity, medical requirements, flight training and experience, theoretical knowledge, skill tests and proficiency checks, FRTOL, and licence application and privileges.\"},{\"question\":\"How does CAP 3181 address credits from other licences?\",\"answer\":\"Chapter 3 provides credits from other licences, including credits related to the flight radio telephony operator’s licence, aeroplane licences, rotorcraft licences, sailplane pilot licence, RAF qualified gliding instructor, foreign pilot licences, previous flight training, theoretical knowledge from balloons and airships, and crediting of military experience.\"},{\"question\":\"Which additional ratings are included and how are they taught?\",\"answer\":\"CAP 3181 includes additional ratings such as class ratings and aerobatic, IMC, and night ratings. It outlines maintenance of privileges for these ratings and provides syllabi for additional ratings, including instructing for the IMC rating.\"}]","The National Private Pilot’s Licence and Instrument Meteorological Conditions Rating Requirements and guidance - CAP 3181 | PDF",1790311822,338]