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Extending a balloon pilot instructor certificate with new ratings or remarks

If you have a balloon pilot instructor certificate, you can extend your existing qualifications with additional ratings or remarks. You can apply for an extension of your balloon pilot instructor certificate through the Civil Aviation Authority the Netherlands (CAA NL), part of the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT).

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You can apply for the following extensions:

  • Night rating training
  • Tethered flight instruction
  • Hot-air balloon A, B, C or D flight training

Required attachments

You must upload several attachments with your online application.

How to apply

Apply for a an extension to your balloon pilot instructor certificate using the online form Application for a flight instructor certificate. In the form, select: Extension of a flight instructor certificate.

Costs

The extension of an instructor certificate costs €175. This amount is legally determined in the Regeling tarieven transportsectoren (Transportation Sectors Tariffs Scheme, in Dutch). You do not have to pay VAT on this amount.

Please note: If your employer is covering the costs you can indicate this during the application process. Please request authorisation from your employer for this and upload the completed and signed authorisation form as an attachment to your application.

After submitting your application

  1. You will receive an automatic email confirming that CAA NL has received your application.
  2. You will receive a payment request by email. Please pay within 4 weeks of the date on the payment request.
  3. If any information is missing, CAA NL will ask you to provide additional details.
  4. Once your application is complete and the fee has been paid, CAA NL will begin processing your application.
  5. CAA NL will take approximately 30 working days to process your application.
  6. You will receive the decision by email, along with an acknowledgement of payment for your records. If your application is approved, your current certificate will be extended.

Recency requirements

A balloon pilot instructor certificate is valid indefinitely. However, you must be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient experience and skills. These are the known as the recency requirements.

The recency requirements for balloon flight instructors are:

  • You have a valid Balloon Pilot Licence (BPL).
  • You have completed a refresher course for instructors at a declared training organisation (DTO, in Dutch) in the past 3 years.
  • You have taught at least 6 hours in a hot air balloon in the past 3 years.
  • You have completed at least 1 instructional flight in the past 9 years under the supervision and to the satisfaction of an experienced FI(B). This person has been designated for this purpose by the Head of Training (HT) of the training organisation.

If you do not, or no longer meet all the requirements, you are not allowed to teach in a balloon. If you want to start teaching again, you must take a refresher course and pass an Assessment of Competence (AoC). This can be done at a at a DTO (in Dutch).

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