Licensing
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Velocity Interoperability Network licenses the people and organisations engaged in civil aviation in the Velocity Interoperability Network: pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers, remote pilots and flight operations officers, and the operators and maintenance organisations that employ them. A licence records that its holder has met the standards of training, experience, examination and, where applicable, medical fitness that the Authority sets, and states the privileges the holder may exercise.
Before establishment, licences were issued by member organisations of the Network under their own arrangements. The records of 1,120 licence holders and 14 operators were transferred to the Authority during the transition period. Those licences remain valid, and their holders may convert them to Authority licences without examination, under the arrangements described below.
Applications accepted from Monday 14 September 2026
Licences, certificates and approvals. The table below sets out the nine forms of licence, certificate and approval the Authority issues, who requires each, and the conditions of validity.
| Licence or certificate | Who requires it | Minimum age | Validity and revalidation | Medical requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Pilot Licence (aeroplane or helicopter) | Pilots flying for private purposes and not for hire or reward | 17 | 5 years; class or type rating revalidated every 24 months | Medical certificate class 2 |
| Commercial Pilot Licence | Pilots flying for hire or reward, or as co-pilot in commercial air transport | 18 | 5 years; proficiency check every 12 months | Medical certificate class 1 |
| Air Transport Pilot Licence | Pilots in command of multi-crew aircraft in commercial air transport | 21 | 5 years; proficiency check every 6 months | Medical certificate class 1 |
| Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence | Engineers certifying the release of aircraft to service after maintenance | 18 | 5 years; recent experience of six months in every two years | None |
| Air Traffic Controller Licence | Controllers at Central Exchange, Westbrook and Network Approach | 21 | Unit endorsement revalidated every 12 months | Medical certificate class 3 |
| Remote Pilot Certificate | Remote pilots of unmanned aircraft of 250 g or more operating beyond the basic rules | 16 | 5 years; theoretical refresher before renewal | Declaration of fitness |
| Flight Operations Officer Licence | Officers preparing and supervising flights for air operators | 21 | 5 years; competence check every 24 months | None |
| Air Operator Certificate | Organisations carrying passengers or cargo for hire or reward | Not applicable | Continuous, subject to annual audit | Not applicable |
| Maintenance Organisation Approval | Organisations maintaining aircraft for others | Not applicable | Continuous, subject to annual audit | Not applicable |
Applying for a licence. The steps below apply to every personal licence and certificate. Applications for an air operator certificate or a maintenance organisation approval follow a longer process of document assessment, inspection and demonstration, which is described in the questions below and in more detail on request.
Step 1: Check that you are eligible
Confirm that you meet the minimum age and the medical requirement for the licence sought, and that you have completed the training and experience the licence requires. Training must have been completed with a training organisation recognised by the Authority or, before establishment, by a member organisation of the Network.
Step 2: Gather your evidence
Assemble your training records and course completion certificate, your logbook or record of experience, the results of your theoretical examinations, your current medical certificate, and your staff or citizen identification. Applicants converting an existing licence should also provide the licence and its most recent revalidation.
Step 3: Submit your application
From 14 September 2026, write to the Authority stating the licence applied for and attaching your evidence. The Authority acknowledges every application within two working days and tells you if anything is missing. Applications are examined in order of receipt.
Step 4: Assessment
The Authority's licensing officers verify your training and experience against the requirements of the licence, normally within fifteen working days of receiving a complete application. Where a skill test is required, the Authority arranges it with an examiner at Central Exchange, Northgate or Eastfield and confirms the date by email.
Step 5: Licence issued
When the assessment and any skill test are complete, the licence is issued electronically and a record entered on the register of licence holders. The licence states its privileges, ratings and conditions and the date by which it must be renewed. Applicants who are refused are told the reason in writing and may ask for the decision to be reviewed within 28 days.
Questions from applicants. The answers below reflect the arrangements as of 6 September 2026 and will be revised as the Authority's licensing programme comes into operation.
Enquiries about licensing may be sent to contact@aviation.gov.vin. For the registration of aircraft, see Aircraft Registration; for the Authority's audits of certified operators and organisations, see Safety Oversight; for figures on licence holders by category, see Statistics.