CAD 54: Requirements Document – Pilot Licences and Associated Ratings

CAD 54 is the authoritative statutory requirement document issued by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) pursuant to the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 [AN(HK)O]. Serving as the central regulatory framework for civil flight crew certification in Hong Kong, CAD 54 outlines the explicit criteria, syllabi, experience thresholds, medical standards, and examination protocols necessary for obtaining, renewing, and converting pilot licences and ratings. The document detail-specifies requirements across all licence levels—including Private Pilot's Licence (PPL), Commercial Pilot's Licence (CPL), Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL), and Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) for both aeroplanes and helicopters—as well as associated ratings like Instrument Ratings (IR) and Type/Aircraft Ratings (AR). Furthermore, CAD 54 details the procedures for conversion of foreign pilot licences issued by ICAO Contracting States to Hong Kong licences via the Personnel Licensing Information System (PLIS). Serving as an essential open regulatory educational resource, CAD 54 provides indispensable technical and legal guidance for aviation students, flight instructors, commercial airline pilots, flight operations managers, and aviation law researchers across Hong Kong and the international civil aviation sector.