Under the new regulations, a ULM licence is issued without an expiry date. However, this does not mean that you may continue flying indefinitely without further conditions. The main rules are set out in Article 53 and Articles 54 to 62 of the Royal Decree of 20 December 2024.

To continue exercising the privileges of your licence, you must:

• hold a valid medical certificate
• meet the recent flying experience requirements for each ULM class in which you wish to continue flying
• complete an in-flight refresher training in good time
• be able to demonstrate sufficient recent experience for the additional privileges you wish to retain
• keep your logbook correctly and completely.

A ULM licence with a given class rating is in principle valid indefinitely, provided that you hold a valid medical certificate of:
Class 1, Class 2 or LAPL.

In addition, you must maintain the required recent flying experience and refresher training.

What do you have to do per ULM class?

Within 24 months after:

• your practical test for obtaining the class, or
• your last successful refresher training in that class,

you must meet the following conditions:

• At least 12 flight hours as sole pilot in the ULM class concerned
• At least 12 take-offs and 12 landings during that period
• Of those 12 flight hours, at least 6 hours must have been flown in the last 12 months
• A refresher training (minimum 1 hour) in flight with an instructor in the ULM class concerned

These conditions apply per class rating. For example, anyone who holds both a ULA and an autogyro class and wishes to continue exercising both must meet the conditions for each relevant class.

The instructor enters the date of the refresher training and his or her assessment in the logbook.

The licence holder must then report the revalidation of the class rating to the BCAA.

The FPS states on its FAQ page that a digital form will be made available for this purpose.

If, within the required period, you do not have the necessary:

• 12 flight hours;
• 12 take-offs and landings;
• or 6 flight hours in the last year,

you may not simply resolve this by continuing to fly on your own until you meet the numbers again.

The missing flight hours or take-offs and landings must be carried out under the responsibility of an instructor. According to the Royal Decree, this can be done:

• as sole occupant under the responsibility of the instructor; or
• with dual controls.

In addition, you must complete a refresher training of at least one hour of total flight time in the ULM class concerned. During this training, all the exercises of a skill test must be carried out with the instructor on board.

To be allowed to fly again in the class concerned, you must:

1. successfully complete a refresher training in the class concerned;
2. carry out the training deemed necessary by the instructor;
3. demonstrate to an examiner that you once again have the required theoretical and practical knowledge and skills;
4. have the examiner’s assessment entered in your logbook;
5. inform the BCAA of the revalidation.

The same reinstatement process applies when the privileges were suspended following an unsatisfactory assessment during the refresher training.

So do not wait until the 24-month period has expired. A refresher training carried out in good time avoids having to involve an examiner afterwards.

In addition to the class rating, a ULM pilot may hold various privileges.

ULA

• 2-axis control
• 3-axis control
• autopilot
• floats or amphibious
• retractable landing gear
• tailwheel
• glider towing
• variable pitch
• flying with passengers

DPM

• floats or amphibious
• glider towing
• flying with passengers

Autogyro

• autopilot
• floats
• variable pitch
• flying with passengers

ULH

For a ULH, a specific privilege must be obtained for each type of ultralight helicopter. A separate privilege is also required for flying with a passenger.

A privilege is revalidated together with the class rating by an authorised instructor.

To retain a particular privilege, you must be able to demonstrate, by means of your personal logbook, that you have exercised that privilege for at least 6 hours during the past two years.

If you cannot demonstrate this and the privilege is no longer valid, you may no longer exercise it until you have obtained it again in accordance with the training procedure for that privilege.

This makes accurate record-keeping particularly important. In practice, do not only note your flight hours, but also make sure that it can be shown afterwards which specific privileges were exercised during those flights.

Exception: glider towing

The general rule of 6 flight hours does not apply to the glider towing privilege. This privilege can be revalidated when at least 15 tows have been carried out in the preceding 24 months.

To retain a particular privilege, you must be able to demonstrate, by means of your personal logbook, that you have exercised that privilege for at least 6 hours during the past two years.

If you cannot demonstrate this and the privilege is no longer valid, you may no longer exercise it until you have obtained it again in accordance with the training procedure for that privilege.

This makes accurate record-keeping particularly important. In practice, do not only note your flight hours, but also make sure that it can be shown afterwards which specific privileges were exercised during those flights.

Exception: glider towing

The general rule of 6 flight hours does not apply to the glider towing privilege. This privilege can be revalidated when at least 15 tows have been carried out in the preceding 24 months.

ULM pilot authorisations issued before the new regulations remain valid until their expiry date.

The holder can obtain a new ULM licence under the 2024 Royal Decree if, at the time of application, he or she meets the conditions of Article 53 for maintaining validity. This follows from the transitional provisions of the Royal Decree.

The FPS has published a separate form for this conversion.
https://mobilit.belgium.be/nl/publications/omzetting-ulm-vergunning-kb-1999-naar-ulm-vergunning-kb-2024