Hi chaps,
The A2 is a theoretical examination only. There’s no practical element/requirement associated with it, other than the ‘building block’ of practical flying which must be self-declared by the candidate prior to them undertaking the examination.
If the candidate hasn’t completed the pre-requisites or they don’t feel confident that they are capable of doing so, the self-declaration can be replaced by ‘training as appropriate’ from the RAE and we could then provide them with a certificte which states that they have reached the minimum standard required for the award of the A2; upon successful completion of the Theory Exam.
There is no alternative with the GVC as it’s designed for higher-risk operations… So that is Theory and Practical.
All this info can be found in the CAP 722B.
Hope that helps! 