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News Archives 2008 |
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News Archives 2008 2008 EASA Pilot Licensing Proposals Unveiled 6th June 2008 A week later than expected, EASA has now released its Notice of Proposed Amendment 2008-17 regarding the implementing rules for pilot licensing. This will affect gliding in the UK. The EASA timetable indicates that the new requirements will apply by 2012. Details are here. The BGA has been engaged in gliding related EASA rulemaking development through the European Gliding Union and Europe Air Sports for a number of years. Additionally, the BGA is engaged with CAA who will be expected to interpret any future EASA regulation and implement those rules in the UK through the BGA. The BGA future licensing working group, under the chairmanship of Chris Gibson, an instructor and ASW20 pilot/owner who flies at Lasham, has been working for some time now to determine where the challenges lie and how best to address the known issues. This very important work will accelerate over the summer and advice to members regarding the EASA consultation will be made available on this website in due course. June Newsletter 5th June 2008 The BGA newsletter for June has been published and can be viewed here. Avian Influenza Outbreak 4th June 2008 An outbreak of Avian Influenza in central England has been confirmed. Full details including those relating to associated control zones are here. This is a worrying time for the farming industry so in the event of any field landing please remain sensitive to farmers' concerns and make sure you follow the BGA Code of Practice for field landings as published within BGA Laws and Rules. Mode S Consultation Now Closed 2nd June 2008 The CAA's consultation into the possible expansion in use of Mode S transponders closed on Saturday 31st May. The BGA thanks all individuals and clubs who responded to the consultation. Once again, there was a major input from glider pilots. Although the consultation is now closed, the BGA will continue to work for a fair outcome to this important issue. BGA Final response to Mode S Consultation 30th May 2008 The BGA has now submitted its final response to the CAA's consultation re Mode S transponders. You can view the response here. The consultation now has just over 24 hours to run. If you have not already done so, please find time to respond. Full details about how to do this are on the Mode S consultation page. The box above explains why it is critical that every UK glider pilot takes the time to respond. EASA Transition Update 29th May 2008 The BGA process for transition of EASA gliders to EASA C of A in time for the 28 September 2008 deadline is working well. Many thanks to the inspectors and owners involved. The CAA part of the process is currently stalled pending receipt of the expected written formal approval from the European political system. To ensure that owners are unaffected by the CAA delay, the BGA has negotiated a contingency plan with the DfT and the CAA. That contingency plan is underway. All the transitions currently received will have their BGA C of A extended to full validity. Owners will be receiving a replacement BGA C of A in due course. Due to the high number this may take a month or two (if you have not received the replacement C of A by August, please contact the BGA office). All transitions will from now result in the issue of a full validity BGA C of A. A BGA C of A that expires after 28 September 2008 will be renewed in the normal way. Inspectors will receive guidance on what will be required to ensure that the already submitted transition package remains valid. Another transition will not be required. Please note that this is a contingency process that in fact may not be required. As usual, the BGA is taking a proactive approach on behalf of pilots and owners. ATSOCAS 18th May 2008 The Airspace & Safety Initiative has announced that the introduction of new UK Air Traffic Control Services Outside Controlled Airspace (ATSOCAS) will take place on 12 March 2009. The four new services that make up the changed ATSOCAS, which has been the subject of full industry consultation, will completely replace the existing services. The official CAA publication (CAP 774) will be available on the CAA website in June and a fully interactive guide to the services will be posted at http://www.airspacesafety.com. Motor Glider Instructors Wanted 15th May 2008 The Hertfordshire Scouts have a Super Falke motor glider based at Gransden Lodge in Cambridgeshire. Learning to glide in this aircraft is proving very popular among increasing numbers of young people - so much so that the club at Gransden Lodge would very much welcome visiting BGA MGIR or CAA SLMG flying instructors who could give up an occasional weekend half or full day to help with the flying. Please contact the club directly rather than the Scouts – office@glide.co.uk Assistant Instructor Course Vacancy 12th May 2008 Due to a cancellation we now have 2 vacancies on our Assistant Instructor Course running at Lasham on 31st May – 8th June. If you are interested in this place please give Debbie Carr a ring at the BGA office 0116 2531051. New UK AIS Web Site 11th May 2008 The AIS website has been redesigned and is now live. The site has been re-hosted to the European AIS Database and features several improvements, developed in response to user feedback including: • The UK Aeronautical Information Package can be accessed without the need to register Pilots still need to register to download NOTAM information. Users who first registered after 16 Feb 2008 will need to re-register. There is no need to register if you solely wish to view static data such as UK AIP, AICs and Supplements. Mode S Update 8th May 2008 There are now just over 3 weeks remaining in which to respond to the CAA Mode S proposals . Hundreds of glider pilots have now responded but we believe that we need many more responses in order to fully press our case (see the Mode S page for full details). As well as responding to the CAA, the BGA is now also asking that PILOTS WRITE TO THEIR MP to bring this matter to their attention. A sample letter and a link to MP contact details are also on the Mode S page. As with your response to the CAA, please use the sample letter as a guide to formulating your own letter. This threat is real. Implementation of the proposals will make it uneconomic for many to continue to fly. A number of clubs may be forced to close. Please respond. May Newsletter 8th May 2008 The BGA Newsletter for May is now available here. New S&G Editor 3rd May 2008 The BGA is delighted to announce the appointment of Susan Newby as the new editor of Sailplane & Gliding. Susan, who has worked in both newspaper and magazine publishing, has experience in a range of sectors, from pharmaceuticals to aerospace. She has recently worked on Go Flying! Magazine which, she says, gave her a real interest in flying. Living just down the road from Gransden Lodge, she has taken the Go Flying message to heart and has already had her first glider flight in more years than she cares to remember. Susan will be working with Helen Evans on the June issue of S&G, before going solo on the August one. Club Class Nationals on Sky 27th April 2008 The feature filmed at last year's Club Class Nationals will be shown in three episodes on Sky Sports next month. Each programme will be repeated multiple times over the course of a week. You can see the full screening schedule here. The programme provides an excellent insight into how a championship works and features interviews with many of the leading pilots. NPPL SLMG Licensing Update 24th April 2008 Further to the article in the last issue of S&G, NATS have now issued Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 30/2008 (White 146) describing the changes to NPPL licensing that came into effect at the end of January. We recommend that all NPPL SLMG pilots and instructors read this. The document is available on the AIS web site but, as this requires user registration, a copy has been provided here for convenience. Advice is also being published on the NPPL website. EAS Programme Manager 24th April 2008 Europe Air Sports is seeking to recruit a professional programme manager to replace Rudi Schuegraf, who is retiring after three years in post. The successful applicant will be responsible for the collection, collation and dissemination of relevant information to the EAS Board, technical officers and member organisations and for the management of work programmes to support the EAS representation in various forums. In summary he/she will be responsible for managing the internal process from input to output in the EAS organisation. He/she will actively work with pan-European aviation regulatory bodies to promote the optimum position for EAS and its members. Closing date for applications is June 1st. Full details are here. New RAeC Chairman 16th April 2008 We are delighted to announce that David Roberts has been elected as the new Chairman of the Royal Aero Club. David, a current Vice-President of the BGA, was BGA Chairman from 2000-2006 continues to lead the UK’s team in numerous meetings with EASA and other bodies seeking to secure from EASA and from the CAA the freedom for sporting and recreational aviation to govern itself without undue red tape and European interference. Mode S Consultation Latest 14th April 2008 The draft BGA response to the Mode S consultation and other supporting documents are now available on the Mode S Consultation page. The BGA urges all pilots to respond to the consultation to make sure that the CAA understands your views about the proposals. We believe theese represent a disproportional approach by the CAA that will give rise to significant burdens to individual pilots and to businesses, including clubs, that operate in the gliding area. We further believe that the proposals have the potential to threaten the fundamental viability of our sport. Details of how to respond are also available on the Mode S page. April Newsletter 3rd April 2008 The BGA newsletter for April has been published and can be viewed here. Airspace Update Published 3rd April 2008 BGA Airspace Committee Chairman, Carr Withall's annual airspace update (first published in Sailplane & Gliding) is now available for download from the Airspace Section of the website. Mode S Open Meetings Update 29th March 2008 Two additional open meetings have been arranged, at Shobdon and Husbands Bosworth. The dates of these and the remaining originally scheduled meetings (all 7pm) are: Space at the Shobdon meeting is limited - please let Diana King know if you plan to attend. More details about the meetings are below. If you have not attended one of the other Mode S open meetings, please make every effort to go to one of these so that you understand just what the CAA's revised proposals mean to you. Distress and Diversion Telephone Details 27th March 2008 Following the relocation of the London Distress and Diversion cell to Swanwick, the previously published telephone number is no longer valid, although it is expected that an answering machine will give details of the new number. The new telephone number to pass information such as an overdue aircraft to the Distress and Diversion cell is now 01489 612406. The service available on the VHF emergency frequency 121.5MHz remains unchanged. (The D&D Cell has requested that pilots let them know if they have landed out and had to leave the glider in the field overnight or if, for any reason, they believe that the landout has caused or is likely to cause alarm. In these events, please call the D&D Cell, letting them know the location and confirming that there are no casualties. Mode S Open Meetings Update 14th March 2008 Please note that the three Mode S Open Meetings being hosted by BGA clubs will start at 7pm. More details are below. Visit ATC 14th March 2008 Over 20 UK Air Traffic Control Units will be taking part in the first national Visit ATC event in May. The MoD, NATS and independent air traffic units throughout the country are participating in the scheme which is aimed at increasing the knowledge of both pilots and controllers of each others’ skills and limitations. Places must be pre-booked and are open only to holders of pilot licences (NPPL, PPL, BGA certificate etc) – you will be required to show their licence to gain entry. A full list of participating units and dates, and registration details are available on the AIS website. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. All the events are free of charge. Women Pilots' Development Weekend 2008 12th March 2008 There are still a few places available on the development weekend. If you're an up-and-coming comp pilot and want to learn to fly faster, book your free place ASAP - numbers are limited. Plans for the weekend include flying as weather permits, and briefing /discussion with members of the British Team in between times. There will be a very limited amount of 2-seater flying available, so do bring your glider to put it all into practice. Contact Liz Sparrow to book a place. Please note that if attending and intending to fly, you must bring your current medical declaration with you. More details on the Women's page. Mode S Open Meeting at Lasham 10th March 2008 Please note that the date of the Mode S Open Meeting at Lasham with the CAA has been changed to Friday 4th April. Other dates and venues are unchanged. More details are below. March Newsletter 5th March 2008 The BGA newsletter for March has been published and can be viewed here. FAI Lilienthal Medal Awarded to Derek Piggott 2nd March 2008 The BGA is delighted to announce that Derek Piggott has been awarded the FAI's Lilienthal Medal. The award is made to reward a particularly remarkable performance in gliding, or eminent services to the sport of gliding over a long period of time. Derek becomes only the sixth British recipient of the award, which was established in 1938. Terminal Control North – Proposed Changes to Airspace 28th February 2008 National Air Traffic Services (NATS) have commenced the formal consultation on proposed changes to airspace over parts of London, southern and eastern England. This airspace is called ‘Terminal Control North’ (TCN) and is amongst the most complex airspace in the world. You are invited to visit the NATS web site where detailed information on the proposals is available, along with a full copy of the consultation document, a downloadable information DVD and an online questionnaire for submitting feedback. The consultation began on 21st February and closes on 22ndMay. The BGA airspace team have had informal meetings with NATS over the last two years to highlight our concerns and put forward our ideas over this proposal and clubs in the proposed areas of change have been kept informed. Mode S Open Meetings 26th February 2008 The BGA has asked a number of clubs to facilitate open meetings with all air sport pilots and the CAA regarding the plans for mode S as detailed in the current phase 2 consultation document. This is a great opportunity for our members to engage with the rulemakers, further clarify our airspace needs and to develop personal views on how to respond to the consultation. As such, the BGA urges ALL pilots to try to attend one of the meetings. The evening meetings (al 7pm) are: Portmoak (Scottish Gliding Union) Thursday 20th March; Lasham Friday 4th April (NOTE CHANGE OF DATE), Pocklington (Wolds GC) Friday 11th April. Additionally, the PFA (recently renamed LAA) are hosting a similar event for all pilots at their Turweston site during the day on Saturday 15th March. The BGA is planning to be present. Detailed information regarding each meeting venue will be published on the BGA web site when available. Information regarding the BGA position on the mode S phase 2 consultation will also be published in due course. Details of the CAA consultation, which closes at the end of May, can be viewed on their web site. Directions etc to the clubs are here. February Newsletter 7th February 2008 The BGA newsletter for February has been published and can be viewed here. Mode S Consultation 7th February 2008 The CAA has begun the next stage of consultation over their proposals to introduce Mode S transponders. Their new consultation document, entitled ‘Proposal for an Incremental Expansion of the Use of Secondary Surveillance Radar Mode Select Transponders in UK Airspace’ is now available on the CAA web site. The new proposals, whilst acknowledging some of the concerns of the BGA and the thousands of glider pilots who responded to the last round of consultation, still represent a major threat to the future of gliding in this country. The BGA is currently studying the revised proposals but will certainly be calling on glider pilots to make their views known once again in order to help head off this threat. We ask all pilots to continue to monitor BGA news sources and respond when the time comes. More details are available here. Glider Pilot Licensing 7th February 2008 The latest edition of Sailplane & Gliding contains an article by Executive Committee member Chris Gibson about the moves that are taking place towards the establishment of an EASA glider pilots licence. We expect EASA to issue an NPA (Notice of Proposed Amendment) for public consultation towards the end of this quarter. The BGA will submit a formal response but there will also be the opportunity for individuals to respond. More details will be published on this web site as they become available, including information on how to respond to the NPA. In the meantime, the text of the S&G article is available here. NPPL Changes 7th February 2008 Several changes regarding the UK NPPL came into effect at the end of January. An explanatory Aeronautical Information Circular was agreed at about the same time, but the AIC production process means that it physically cannot be promulgated until about the end of March. There is thus a rather awkward gap between the (difficult to understand) legislative change and (somewhat easier) AIC. A useful (but unofficial) summary of the changes is available here. The full text of the ANO Amendment is on the OPSI web site. BGA Set to Receive Funding from BingoLotto 31st January 2008 BingoLotto is an exciting new lottery and TV game which will be hitting the airwaves in
February 2008 and donating at least 20% from the sale of each £2 Lottery Gamecard to good BGA Job Opportunity - Sailplane and Gliding Editor 29th January 2008 The BGA is now recruiting for a magazine editor who has the vision, flair and experience to take the magazine into the next chapter of its 50 year history. We are keen to hear from anyone who has the appropriate skills and experience to make the most of this exciting career opportunity. The closing date for applications is 14th March 08. A job advertisement is available here. Avian Influenza (AI) 10th January 2008 This is a worrying time for the farming industry so in the event of any field landing please remain sensitive to farmers' concerns and make sure you follow the BGA Code of Practice for field landings as published within BGA Laws and Rules. BGA Conference 2008 10th January 2008 The BGA Sporting Conference (and AGM) will be held at the Hellidon Lakes Hotel near Daventry on Saturday 8th March. Further details regarding this not to be missed event are published here. Look out for the BGA conference article in the latest edition of S&G. Details of the BGA Governance Conference - which will be running alongside ths Sporting Conference - will be forwarded to club officials and reproduced in due course on this website. Again, look out for the BGA conference article in the latest edition of S&G. Newly Imported EASA Type Certified Gliders 8th January 2008 As previously noted, as part of BGA continuing efforts to minimise the disruption to UK glider owners during the transition to the EASA airworthiness regime, the BGA has reached agreement with the CAA that newly imported EASA gliders can be issued with a BGA C of A, valid until 28th September 2008, which will be transitioned into an EASA C of A with ARC (valid for 1 year) by the existing BGA transition process. The application for BGA C of A complete with EASA C of A transition application must be made via the BGA. Full details of this application process are now available in BGA TNS6-2007. January Newsletter 3rd January 2008 The BGA newsletter for January has been published and can be viewed here. Newly Imported EASA Type Certified Gliders 3rd January 2008 This applies to both new and second hand newly imported EASA gliders, including self-sustainers. As part of BGA continuing efforts to minimise the disruption to UK glider owners during the transition to the EASA airworthiness regime, the BGA has reached agreement with the CAA that newly imported EASA gliders can be issued with a BGA C of A, valid until 28th September 2008, which will be transitioned into an EASA C of A with ARC (valid for 1 year) by the existing BGA transition process. The application for BGA C of A complete with EASA C of A transition application must be made via the BGA. Full details of this application process will be available on this website very soon. Europe Air Sports Newsletter 2nd January 2008 The latest Europe Air Sports newsletter is now available on their website. BGA Assistant Instructor Rating Courses 2008 2nd January 2008 The BGA is building on the success of the 2007 format by expanding the number of sites which will be facilitating BGA assistant instructor courses. 11 courses will be held between April and September 2008. Course dates and other detail are available here.
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