Latest Amendment

The most recent amendment to Annex 1, was Amendment 168 (Annex 1, Tenth Edition), adopted by the Council on 23 February 2007. The amendment concerns:

• the replacement of the approach and area radar control ratings by approach and area control surveillance ratings to reflect the fact that surveillance systems are not limited to radar;
   
• the harmonization of the Human Factors knowledge requirements for air traffic controllers with those recently adopted as part of Amendment 167 to Annex 1 for flight crew;
   
• the applicability of the existing Standards on approved training for flight crew (Annex 1, 1.2.8 and Appendix 2) to the approved training required for the air traffic controller licence and ratings; and
   
• new provisions for student air traffic controllers receiving instruction in an operational environment.
   

Historical Background

Standards and Recommended Practices for Personnel Licensing were first adopted by the Council on 14 April 1948 pursuant to the provisions of Article 37 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago 1944) and designated as Annex 1 to the Convention. They became effective on 15 September 1948.

Table A shows the origin of subsequent amendments together with a list of the principal subjects involved and the dates on which the Annex and the amendments were adopted by the Council, when they became effective and when they became applicable.

Application of the PEL Standards

Annex 1 contains Standards and Recommended Practices adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization as the minimum standards for personnel licensing.

The Annex is applicable to all applicants for and, on renewal, to all holders of the licences and ratings specified herein.

The Council has decided that, in principle, amendments affecting existing licensing specifications are applicable to all applicants for, and holders of, licences but, in considering their application to existing holders of licences, the assessment, if necessary, by re-examination of the knowledge, experience and proficiency of individual licence holders is left to the discretion of Contracting States.

Action by Contracting States

Notification of differences. The attention of Contracting States is drawn to the obligation imposed by Article 38 of the Convention by which Contracting States are required to notify the Organization of any differences between their national regulations and practices and the International Standards contained in this Annex and any amendments thereto. Contracting States are invited to extend such notification to any differences from the Recommended Practices contained in this Annex and any amendments, when the notification of such differences is important for the safety of air navigation. Further, Contracting States are invited to keep the Organization currently informed of any difference which may subsequently occur, or of the withdrawal of any difference previously notified. A specific request for notification of differences will be sent to Contracting States immediately after the adoption of each amendment to this Annex.

Use of the Annex text in national regulations. The Council, on 13 April 1948, adopted a resolution inviting the attention of Contracting States to the desirability of using in their own national regulations, as far as practicable, the precise language of those ICAO Standards that are of a regulatory character and also of indicating departures from the Standards, including any additional national regulations that were important for the safety or regularity of air navigation. Wherever possible, the provisions of this Annex have been written in such a way as to facilitate incorporation, without major textual changes, into national legislation.

General Information

The expression “licence” used throughout this Annex has the same meaning as the expressions “certificate of competency and license”, “license or certificate” and “license” used in the Convention. Similarly the expression “flight crew member” has the same meaning as the expressions “member of the operating crew of an aircraft” and “operating personnel” used in the Convention while the expression “personnel other than flight crew members” includes the expression “mechanical personnel” used in the Convention.

FOREWORD

CHAPTER 1. Definitions and General Rules Concerning Licences

• 1.1 Definitions
• 1.2 General rules concerning licences

CHAPTER 2. Licences and Ratings for Pilots

• 2.1 General rules concerning pilot licences and ratings
• 2.2 Student pilot
• 2.3 Private pilot licence
• 2.4 Commercial pilot licence
• 2.5 Multi-crew pilot licence appropriate to the aeroplane category
• 2.6 Airline transport pilot licence
• 2.7 Instrument rating
• 2.8 Flight instructor rating appropriate to aeroplanes, airships, helicopters and powered-lifts
• 2.9 Glider pilot licence
• 2.10 Free balloon pilot licence

CHAPTER 3. Licences for Flight Crew Members other than Licences for Pilots

• 3.1 General rules concerning flight navigator and flight engineer licences
• 3.2 Flight navigator licence
• 3.3 Flight engineer licence
• 3.4 Flight radiotelephone operator

CHAPTER 4. Licences and Ratings for Personnel other than Flight Crew Members

• 4.1 General rules concerning licences and ratings for personnel other than flight crew members
• 4.2 Aircraft maintenance (technician/engineer/mechanic)
• 4.3 Air traffic controller licence
• 4.4 Air traffic controller ratings
• 4.5 Flight operations officer/flight dispatcher licence
• 4.6 Aeronautical station operator licence
• 4.7 Aeronautical meteorological personnel

CHAPTER 5. Specifications for Personnel Licences

CHAPTER 6. Medical Provisions for Licensing

• 6.1 Medical Assessments - General
• 6.2 Requirements for Medical Assessments
• 6.3 Class 1 Medical Assessment
• 6.4 Class 2 Medical Assessment
• 6.5 Class 3 Medical Assessment

APPENDIX 1. Requirements for Proficiency in Languages Used for Radiotelephony Communications

APPENDIX 2. Approved Training Organization

APPENDIX 3. Requirements for the Issue of the Multi-crew Pilot Licence — Aeroplane

ATTACHMENT A. ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale

ATTACHMENT B. Multi-crew Pilot Licence — Aeroplane — Levels of Competency