AMC1 UAS.SPEC.050(1)(d)(i), (ii) and (iii) Responsibilities of the UAS Operator

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 16

REMOTE PILOT COMPETENCE- CURRENCY

The UAS Operator should identify the appropriate amount of recent flying experience in order to be considered ‘current’.

Currency requirements should include:

- Regular practise of manoeuvres relevant to the scope of the OA.

- Regular practise of abnormal conditions and in-flight failures, such as:

o the ability to identify a deteriorating situation and react accordingly;

o taking manual control after a failure of any automated system;

o practice flight in ‘manual’ modes;

o identification of the potential for GNSS and compass loss or degradation.

As a minimum, RPs are expected to have logged at least 2 hours of total flight time in the last 3 calendar months on the type of UA applicable to the OA. For VLOS operations, this should be ‘live’ flight time, and not carried out on a simulator.

For new and novel types of UA, which are being test flown by a RP, currency must be demonstrated using a similar aircraft type. It is expected that this will be detailed within the specific flight test plan, and  set out within the OM.

The UAS Operator, however, will need to identify the suitable level of currency for their operation, which is likely to be greater than the 2 hour minimum described above, for more complex operations.

RPs are expected to maintain a log book of flying activity, which may be used to demonstrate currency. This should contain:

- Date

- Aircraft type

- Aircraft identification (registration, if applicable, or serial number)

- Take off and landing location

- Duration (including whether in daylight, or at night)

- Remote pilot name

- Description of the flight/remarks

This should be stored electronically, in order that it can be easily submitted to the CAA for oversight purposes.

This is separate to the UA technical logbook requirement set out in AMC1 UAS.SPEC.050(1)(g) Responsibilities of the UAS Operator.