From 30th September 2025 an SPL ( Sailplane Pilots Licence ) and medical will be required for qualified pilots to fly solo in the UK.
After 30th September any pilot still under training will need a medical before their first solo and subsequent solo flights. It would be a good idea to get the medical well before getting close to solo.
Medical options are CAA Class 2, CAA LAPL Medical or PMD. (Pilot Medical Declaration), for the vast majority of people, the PMD is by far the easiest option.
Making a Pilot Medical Declaration
The CAA’s medical portal is called Cellma. To access Cellma, pilots first need to open a CAA customer account on the CAA Portal.
If you do not already have a CAA Portal account you can create one on the portal login page https://portal.caa.co.uk/ by clicking the Create button, please note that it can take up to 10 working days for the CAA to create your account.
Enabled Medical Service
Once you have an account, you will then need to get access to the medical service, from the CAA portal under the “Apply to use these Services” section you need to select “Medical – Pilots / ATCOs for medical certification” and then click ok when it asks you to confirm. This is highlighted in the photo on the right (click photo to enlarge)
This can take up to 5 working days to be enabled on your account.
Accessing PMD form
Once the medical service has been enabled you can click on it under the “Your Services” section, by clicking on “Medical – Pilots / ATCOs for medical certification”.
You will be asked to confirm a security code sent to your mobile and then you will be presented with the page shown on the right (click the photo to enlarge).
Select License Type
Even if you do not yet have one, select “UK Part-SFCP SPL” and press Next as shown in the screenshot to the right (click photo to enlarge).
Declaration
Select the top box to confirm you have read and understood the CAA guidance etc etc
Choose the “no greater than 2000 kg MTOM” and save and then press next
Read and then press the accept button
Print and Sign
After making the declaration print it out ( top right) and sign it. You might also wish to download a copy for your records.
There will be no expiry date, so after printing, press the back button (the one at the top right of the screen not your browsers back button!), you will see your application with a green arrow on the left hand side, click on it and it will then show you a “valid to date” on the right, please write that on your PMD.
Keep the PMD with your flying documents and provide a copy to Julie in the office.
How to find the valid to date for a PMD
This assumes that you already have a Cellma account and have previously done a PMD, if you havn’t then use the guide above first!
- Log into your CAA Cellma account
- Go to your services
- Click on “Medical – Pilots / ATCOs for medical certification”
- Enter the SMS code you will be sent
- Click on Access my Cellma Record
- Click on Applications
- Click on In Progress & Completed Applications
- Click on the green arrow next to your latest PMD application
- Note the valid to date on the right.
Please write this date on a printed copy of your PMD and give to Julie in the office.