Pilot Revalidation, Recency, Language, Medical
Keep your EASA Part-FCL licence usable: rating revalidation and renewal, recency, language proficiency, and the Part-MED medical certificate.
Dionysis Kefalas9 min readFor Air Ops and training organisation staff
Part 5 of 5 in EASA Flight Crew Licensing Show parts
- 1The Path to an EASA Flight Crew Licence
- 2EASA Pilot Licences: LAPL, PPL, CPL, MPL, ATPL
- 3EASA Pilot Exams: Theory and the Skill Test
- 4Pilot Ratings: Class, Type and Instrument
- 5Pilot Revalidation, Recency, Language, Medical
Quotes checked on against EASA Easy Access Rules for Aircrew (Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011) — 25 Nov 2025 revision.
On this page
A licence you have to keep alive
Earning the licence is the milestone the earlier guides in this series led up to. After issue, the dates that matter are the ones in the points below. FCL.010 defines renewal and revalidation. FCL.740 sets how long a class or type rating stays valid, and what happens if the revalidation is done early. FCL.060 is recent experience for commercial air transport and for carrying passengers. FCL.055 is the language endorsement. FCL.040 ties exercise of the privileges to the ratings and to the medical certificate. MED.A.030 says which medical certificate that is.
Miss the point that the flight needs, and the licence can still be the pilot's. The privilege that point covers is what is not available.
Revalidation and renewal of ratings
Renewal is listed first in the definitions.
"Renewal" (of, e.g. a rating or certificate) means the administrative action taken after a rating or certificate has lapsed for the purpose of renewing the privileges of the rating or certificate for a further specified period consequent upon the fulfilment of specified requirements.
"Revalidation" (of, e.g. a rating or certificate) means the administrative action taken within the period of validity of a rating or certificate which allows the holder to continue to exercise the privileges of a rating or certificate for a further specified period consequent upon the fulfilment of specified requirements.
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
The early case is not in these definitions. It is the last sentence of FCL.740(a)(1).
(a)Validity
(1)The validity period of class and type ratings shall be 1 year, except for single-pilot single-engine class ratings for which the validity period shall be 2 years, unless otherwise determined in the OSD. If pilots choose to fulfil the revalidation requirements earlier than prescribed in points FCL.740.A, FCL.740.H, FCL.740.PL and FCL.740.As, the new validity period shall commence from the date of the proficiency check.
(2)Applicants for the revalidation of a class or type rating shall receive full credits for the proficiency check as required in this Subpart when they complete EBT practical assessment in accordance with Appendix 10 at an operator that has implemented EBT for the relevant class or type rating.
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
Starting the new period on the date of the proficiency check is how the days left until the old expiry are given up. Those days are not kept.
Point (a)(2) is not a free choice of EBT. Read the operator condition in that point before treating an EBT practical assessment as the proficiency check.
Renewal, the action after the rating has lapsed, is point (b).
(b)Renewal
For the renewal of a class or type rating, applicants shall comply with all of the following:
(1)in order to determine whether refresher training is necessary for the applicant to reach the level of proficiency to safely operate the aircraft, they shall undergo an assessment at one of the following:
(i)at an ATO;
(ii)at a DTO or at an ATO, if the expired rating concerned a non-high-performance SEP aeroplane class rating, a TMG class rating or a single-engine type rating for helicopters referred to in point DTO.GEN.110(a)(2)(c) of Annex VIII;
(iii)at a DTO, at an ATO or with an instructor, if the rating expired no more than 3 years ago and the rating concerned a non-high-performance SEP aeroplane class rating or a TMG class rating;
(iv)at an EBT operator that is specifically approved for such refresher training;
(2)if deemed necessary by the organisation or the instructor providing the assessment as per point (1), they shall complete refresher training at that organisation or with that instructor;
(3)after complying with point (1) and, as applicable, point (2), they shall pass a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 or complete EBT practical assessment in accordance with Appendix 10. That EBT practical assessment may be combined with the refresher training specified in point (2).
[…]
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
Do not read points (i) to (iv) as one place that fits every rating. The 3 years, and an assessment with an instructor, are only point (iii).
Where the privileges of a class or type rating are set out is covered in Ratings on Your Licence: Class, Type and Instrument Ratings.
Recent experience
A valid rating is not the same clock as recent experience. The FCL.060 sentence quoted here includes gyroplanes, and it says for carrying passengers.
(b)Aeroplanes, helicopters, powered-lift aircraft, airships, VTOL-capable aircraft (VCA) and gyroplanes. A pilot shall not operate an aircraft in commercial air transport or for carrying passengers:
[…]
(1)as PIC or co-pilot unless he or she has carried out, in the preceding 90 days, at least 3 takeoffs, approaches and landings as a pilot flying in an aircraft of the same type or class or an FFS representing that type or class. The 3 take-offs and landings shall be performed in either multi-pilot or single-pilot operations, depending on the privileges held by the pilot; and
(2)as PIC at night unless he/she:
(i)has carried out in the preceding 90 days at least 1 take-off, approach and landing at night as a pilot flying in an aircraft of the same type or class or an FFS representing that type or class; or
(ii)holds an IR;
[…]
(c)Specific requirements for commercial air transport:
(1)In the case of commercial air transport, the 90-day period prescribed in subparagraphs (b)(1) and (2) above may be extended up to a maximum of 120 days, as long as the pilot undertakes line flying under the supervision of a type rating instructor or examiner.
(2)If the pilot does not comply with the requirement in point (1), he or she shall complete a training flight with an instructor qualified in accordance with Subpart J to instruct for that aircraft type. The training flight shall be performed in the aircraft or an FFS of the aircraft type to be used, and shall include at least the requirements described in points (b)(1) and (2) before he or she can exercise his/her privileges.
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
Point (b)(2) is not one of the 3 takeoffs in point (b)(1). Preceding 90 days means the 90 days before the flight. The 120 days are only point (c)(1), and only on the conditions written in (c)(1) and (c)(2).
Language proficiency
If the pilot is required to use the radio telephone, point (a) is the endorsement. The quote uses the wording of paragraph (a) that includes gyroplane pilots.
(a)General. Aeroplane, helicopter, powered-lift aircraft, airship and gyroplane pilots required to use the radio telephone shall not exercise the privileges of their licences and ratings unless they have a language proficiency endorsement on their licence in either in English or the language used for radio communications involved in the flight. The endorsement shall indicate the language, the proficiency level and the validity date, and it shall be obtained in accordance with a procedure established by a competent authority. The minimum acceptable proficiency level is the operational level (Level 4) in accordance with Appendix 2 to this Annex.
[…]
(c)Except for pilots who have demonstrated language proficiency at an expert level (level 6) in accordance with Appendix 2 to this Annex, the language proficiency endorsement shall be re-evaluated every:
(1)4 years, if the level demonstrated is operational level (level 4); or
(2)6 years, if the level demonstrated is extended level (level 5).
(d)Specific requirements for holders of an instrument rating (IR). By way of derogation from the paragraphs above, holders of an IR shall have demonstrated the ability to use the English language at the appropriate proficiency level as defined in Appendix 2 to this Annex.
[…]
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
Point (d) is a derogation from the paragraphs above, not a second endorsement added beside them.
The medical certificate
FCL.040 does not state a period in months.
The exercise of the privileges granted by a licence shall be dependent upon the validity of the ratings contained therein, if applicable, and of the medical certificate as appropriate to the privileges exercised.
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
Which certificate goes with which licence is MED.A.030(c). An earlier wording of paragraph (c)(2) is also printed in the consolidation. The quote uses the later wording, which names the PPL or the GPL.
(c)When exercising the privileges of a:
(1)light aircraft pilot licence (LAPL), a balloon pilot licence (BPL) issued in accordance with Annex III (Part-BFCL) to Commission Regulation (EU 2018/395, or a sailplane pilot licence (SPL) issued in accordance with Annex III (Part-SFCL) to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1976, the pilot shall hold at least a valid LAPL medical certificate;
[…]
(2)private pilot licence (PPL) or gyroplane pilot licence (GPL), the pilot shall hold at least a valid class 2 medical certificate;
[…]
(5)a commercial pilot licence (CPL), a multi-crew pilot licence (MPL) or an airline transport pilot licence (ATPL), the pilot shall hold a valid class 1 medical certificate.
[…]
Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew, 25 Nov 2025 revision.
Those sentences do not state how many months the certificate is valid. This page does not either.
Staying current in practice
Picture an ExampleAir first officer on a single type. The dates in the quotes above do not stand in for each other. If she chooses to revalidate earlier than FCL.740.A, FCL.740.H, FCL.740.PL and FCL.740.As prescribe, the new period starts on the date of the proficiency check, and the days left until the old expiry are given up.
Avioverse's certifications tracker holds rating revalidation dates, the recency window, the language re-evaluation date and the medical expiry in one place, fires renewal reminders before each falls due, and keeps a per-renewal snapshot so the record shows when each was current.
The series, end to end
That closes the flight-crew-licence series. The flagship, How to Get an EASA Pilot Licence: The Complete Path, is the map of the shared steps. EASA Pilot Licences Explained: LAPL, PPL, CPL, MPL and ATPL quotes what each privilege sentence allows. Theoretical Knowledge and the Skill Test: Passing the EASA Pilot Exams quotes the examination and the skill test. Ratings on Your Licence: Class, Type and Instrument Ratings quotes the class, type and instrument ratings whose validity this guide follows after issue.
Educational content, not regulatory compliance advice. Verify against the current regulation text before relying on it.
In this series
Related
Written by Dionysis Kefalas. Retired Hellenic Air Force Captain and founder of Avioverse. About the author
Metis opens with Avioverse in October 2026 · request early access.