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How many pilots in the UK?

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Old 1st May 2010, 20:31
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How many pilots in the UK?

My Google-Fu is weak.

Is there some statistics about how many licensed pilots there are in the UK somewhere?
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Old 1st May 2010, 21:43
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About 20k PPLs with valid medicals, according to the CAA.
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Old 1st May 2010, 23:01
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About 20k PPLs with valid medicals, according to the CAA.
Which seems alot but works out at approximately 3.25% of the total population (National Statistics Online - Population Estimates)
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Old 1st May 2010, 23:33
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It's 0.0333% of the population, isn't it?
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Old 2nd May 2010, 07:44
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20 000 pilots divided by population of 61 400 000 muliplied by 100 = 0.033 %
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Old 2nd May 2010, 08:04
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The BGA produced some quite detailed statistics for their SERA reponse breaking it down by licence type - see Annex A, page 8.

http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/BGA...onse1-11v2.pdf

Summary, as at 1st jan 2008:
In the UK, 43 000 pilots out of a total of 62 000 are private pilots.
As well as the various PPLs and NPPLs their figute microlight, glider, hang-glider and para-glider pilots.
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Old 2nd May 2010, 09:02
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Indeed; what you cannot find out is how many pilots are actually active.

The "valid medicals" data from the CAA is the only clue, and that will be optimistic too since some of them won't be flying but keeping the medical current because nobody wants their medical to lapse.

I think 20k is about right - on top of that you have large numbers of the "parachute with a lawn mower on the back" people.
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Old 2nd May 2010, 09:14
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You also have UK CAAPPL holders now flying with SSEA/NPPL privileges only, on full licences but just using a GP medical declaration. Unless the CAA keeps records of ratings kept current, and most people think they just stuff the SRG119, (or whatever it is called) form in a drawer, then the CAA have no idea about the number of people using medical declarations instead of full medicals. There is no requirement to advise the CAA if flying on just a declaration.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 10:49
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I would hate to argue with the figures, but it's claiming that only 14 of us 17 year olds have a PPL(A). Seems a bit weird, as I know 4 in our region alone...?
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Old 3rd May 2010, 11:41
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To further complicate matters, there are many European pilots flying on a CAA/JAR license who do not reside in the UK. AFAIK applies mainly to professionals, though.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 12:24
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What would be interesting would be seeing the currency profile i.e. how many hours/year people fly, how many hours they fly before giving up, etc.

Some of this data won't exist (because the CAA doesn't keep it, e.g. IMCR renewals are just logbook entries) but the CAA is not releasing a lot of other stuff which they do have, because IMHO it would show the PPL training industry / syllabus in very bad light.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 14:30
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There is no requirement to advise the CAA if flying on just a declaration.
No there isn't but there is a requirement to send a copy to NPPL Ltd. They probably provide statistical data to the CAA.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 15:26
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Not always.

There is no requirement at present for non-NPPL holders to submit copies of their medical declarations to the CAA unless they are asked to do so, normally in support of an application for a rating or on request of an authorised officer of the CAA.

There is a requirement, however for NPPL holders to forward a copy of their renewed medical declaration to NPLG Ltd.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 15:54
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IMHO just about everybody showing as holding a JAA CPL is heading for commercial flying, and nearly all of them will be going to the airlines.

A CPL/IR is 14 exams which almost nobody will do for private flying.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 15:57
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Does ATPL include fATPL?
There is no such thing, you either hold an ATPL or a CPL and a so called fATPL is a CPL/IR!
There are about 70,000 PPL holders on record without valid medicals; When does a lifetime licence expire?
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Old 3rd May 2010, 16:20
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Cool

When does a lifetime licence expire?

Erm, at the expiration of life!

Safe flights until then, Sam.
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Old 3rd May 2010, 19:58
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Erm, at the expiration of life!
And who notifies the Authorities of this so they can be removed from the list?
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Old 3rd May 2010, 21:39
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I don't think anybody suggests that the existence of a license means anything whatever.

The # of valid medicals is the only indicator of pilot activity.

Beyond that, somebody would have to get their boots on and do some fieldwork - something which few are keen on doing, even when it comes to analysing relatively more important stuff like CAS busts.
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Old 4th May 2010, 07:19
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Cool

And who notifies the Authorities of this so they can be removed from the list?

Nobody generally. The NOK not rating it as particularly (if at all) important (if they even know about it).

This is one of the justifications for moving to a 5 year validity (the additional income just an ancillary ).

I guess at some stage they'll assume that anyone aged 100 or over is no longer using their PPL and cancel it...

Safe flights, Sam.
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Old 5th May 2010, 00:32
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Which seems alot but works out at approximately 3.25% of the total population
It's 0.0333% of the population, isn't it?
20 000 pilots divided by population of 61 400 000 muliplied by 100 = 0.033 %
Sorry folks was way off! Not sure what happened there, oh well!!
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