# Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/395 of 13 March 2018 laying down detailed rules for the operation of balloons as well as for the flight crew licensing for balloons pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Division: BFCL.160 BPL – Recency requirements

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

(a)A BPL holder must only exercise the privileges of that licence where the holder has completed in a single balloon class:
(1)either:
(i)within the last 13 months before the planned flight, at least 5 flights, each of not less than 5 minutes in duration, as PIC or flying dual or solo under the supervision of an FI(B); and
(ii)within the last 48 months before the planned flight, at least one training flight with an FI(B); or
(2)within the last 24 months before the planned flight, a proficiency check in accordance with point (c) (3).
(b)In addition to the requirements in point (a), a pilot who is qualified to fly more than one class of balloon may exercise pilot privileges in respect of the additional balloon class where the pilot has met the relevant criteria, as follows:
(1)with the exception of the mixed balloon class, within the last 24 months the pilot has completed at least three flights or three hours of flight time, as PIC or flying dual or solo under the supervision of an FI(B), on the additional balloon class;
(2)where the additional balloon class is the mixed balloon class:
(i)the pilot is in compliance with point (a) or (b)(1) with respect to the hot-air balloon class; and
(ii)within the last 5 years has completed a course of theoretical knowledge training for the mixed balloon class.
(c)A BPL holder who does not comply with the requirements in paragraph (a)(1) and, if applicable, (b), before resuming the exercise of licence holder privileges, must:
(1)if not in compliance with the flights described in point (a)(1)(i) or (b), conduct the remainder of the required flights or flight time as applicable under the supervision of an FI(B); or
(2)if not complying with point (a)(1)(ii), conduct a training flight with an FI(B);
(3)if not complying with any of the activities described in point (a)(1), pass a proficiency check with an FE(B) in a balloon that represents the relevant class.
(d)After complying with paragraph (a), (b) or (c), as applicable, a BPL holder with privileges to fly hot-air balloons must exercise privileges only on hot-air balloons that represent:
(i)the same group of hot-air balloons in which the training flight as specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) or the proficiency check as specified in paragraph (c) (3), as applicable, have been completed, or a group with a smaller envelope size; or
(ii)group A of hot-air balloons in cases where a pilot, in accordance with paragraph (b), has completed the training flight as specified in paragraph (a)(2) in a balloon class other than hot-air balloons.
(e)The completion of the dual flights, the flights under supervision and the training flight as specified in points (a)(1), (b), (c)(1) and (c)(2), as well as the proficiency check as specified in point (c)(3), must be entered in the logbook of the pilot and signed by, in the case of points (a)(1), (b), (c)(1) and (c)(2), the responsible FI(B) and, in the case of point (c)(3), the responsible FE(B).
(f)A BPL holder, that holds also the privileges for commercial non-passenger operations as specified in point BFCL.215 of Subpart ADD of this Annex, shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of:
(1)point (a) and, if applicable, (b), where the holder has completed a skill test in accordance with point BFCL.215(b)(4) in the relevant balloon class within the last 24 months; or
(2)point (a)(1)(ii), where the holder has completed one of the two training flights with an FI(B) as specified in point BFCL.215(ba) in the relevant balloon class within the last 24 months.
In the case of the hot-air balloon class, limitations specified in paragraph (d), concerning the privileges to operate different classes of balloons, shall apply, depending on the balloon class used for complying with paragraphs (f)(1) or (f)(2).
(g)A BPL holder, who also holds the privileges for commercial passenger operations as specified in point BFCL.220 of Subpart ADD of this Annex, is deemed to comply with the requirements of:
(1)point (a) and, if applicable, (b) where the holder has completed a proficiency check in accordance with point BFCL.220(d)(3)(i) or (ii) in the relevant balloon class or classes within the last 24 months; or
(2)point (a)(1)(ii), where the holder has completed the supervised flight as specified in point BFCL.220(d)(2)(ii) in the relevant balloon class within the last 24 months.
In the case of the hot-air balloon class, limitations specified in point (d), concerning the privileges to operate different classes of balloons, apply, depending on the balloon class used for complying with points (f)(1) or (f)(2).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2018/395/annex/III/division/subpart+bpl/division/9 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2018-395/annex-III/division-subpart+bpl/division-9
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.