The Flight Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence (FRTOL) permits the operation of an Aeronautical Radio Station in a UK-registered aircraft.
General information regarding the FRTOL may be found on the CAA website here
To obtain the FRTOL a successful pass is required in both the Communications theory exam and the FRTOL Practical Test. It is not unusual for student pilots to have completed some training and possibly the Communications theory exam as part of their ongoing NPPL or EASA PPL/LAPL training, they just need to pass the FRTOL Practical Test. Other applicants arrive having already been issued with a flight crew licence of one sort or another.
Andrews’ Aviation offers both training and assessment for the UK FRTOL. The course handout can be downloaded here. Gaining the skills to be able to use the radio effectively when in the air really takes a two-stage process. Firstly, the course takes between 10 and 12 hrs, this is normally broken down into five 2-hour online sessions followed by a period of rehearsal. This can be done with another pilot or if you prefer another we can provide 1:1 training.
Examination Validity
If the Communications examination is taken together with the theoretical examinations for the issue of a PPL, LAPL or NPPL licence the examination validity periods as per UK Part- FCL.025 apply;
(b)(2) an applicant has successfully completed the required theoretical knowledge examination for the appropriate pilot licence or rating if he or she has passed all the required theoretical knowledge examination papers within a period of 18 months counted from the end of the calendar month when the applicant first attempted an examination.
(c)(1)(i) The successful completion of the theoretical knowledge examinations will be valid for the issue of a light aircraft pilot licence or a private pilot licence, for a period of 24 months, which shall be counted from the day when the pilot successfully completes the theoretical knowledge examination, in accordance with (b)(2).
What isn’t clear from UK Part-FCL.025 is the scenario where a pilot already holds a flight crew licence or someone who doesn’t intend to ever hold a flight crew licence but wishes to apply for the FRTOL. This category of applicant doesn’t appear to fall within the scope of (b)(2) because they haven’t ‘…successfully completed the required theoretical knowledge examination for the appropriate pilot licence or rating…’
Neither will they fall within the scope of (c)(1)(i) because they haven’t ‘…successfully completed the theoretical knowledge examinations…’ ‘…for the issue of a light aircraft pilot licence or a private pilot licence…’
I recently managed to clarify this with UK CAA and their policy is that a pass in the Communications TK exam is valid for a period of 24 months, which shall be counted from the day when the pilot successfully completes the theoretical knowledge examination, in accordance with (b)(2).