Safety
Airworthiness Directives. DHC Chipmunk 22 and 23: Recording and consumption of fatigue lives. The CAA has published AD G-2012-0001 to mandate the requirements of TNS CT (C1) 138 issue 6 for the recording of flights, role factors and fatigue life consumption. Compliance is required by 31 March 2012. Full details are at http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/20120315UKADG20120001.pdf
L’Hotellier Ball and Swivel Connectors. EASA has published Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2012-04 regarding L'Hotellier connectors at http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2012-04. In addition, the BGA reminds owners, operators and inspectors that it requires that all aircraft operating under the BGA CAMO (i.e. have a BGA ARC) that employ the various types of L'Hotellier connector are modified with locking pins or sleeves as required in LBA airworthiness directives 1993-001/3 and 1994-001/2. These directives are at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/technical/documents/lta1993-001-3maint.pdf and http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/technical/documents/lta1994-001-2.pdf respectively. More BGA advice and information is at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/technical/documents/SIB2012-04Advice.pdf.
NOTAM Co-Ordinates. Following a query by a BGA club, the CAA has advised that there may often be a difference between co-ordinates specified in a NOTAM and the actual co-ordinates. This is because, in accordance with Eurocontrol guidelines, NOTAMs outside of a CTA/ CTR are specified to an accuracy of 1 minute, rounded to the nearest whole number. This is why NOTAMs may also quote an AIC describing more accurate positions. A recent example led to a difference of ½ mile between a RA(T) boundary specified in a NOTAM and the definitive boundary described in the AIC referred to in the NOTAM – a significant issue to a gliding club located close to the RA(T). Pilots are advised to read NOTAMs very carefully to ensure that additional referred detail is taken into consideration.
More NOTAM Advice. As our thoughts turn to cross-country soaring again, it is a good time to remind ourselves that it is the duty of every pilot to respect airspace restrictions. Permanent airspace will be marked on our charts and in our GPS map displays; however, temporary restricted airspace will not be, in which case it will be communicated via NOTAM. The BGA issued advice about this last year. This advice is still relevant and important – please re-read the document at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/airspace/documents/rats.pdf
2011 Accident Review. The BGA Review of Accidents in 2011 has been published. There is some good news to report in that there were no fatal accidents in 2011 and no serious injury accidents from winch launches or instructing flights. Of the 22 fatal or serious injury gliding accidents from 2008-2011, 10 were associated with field landing. Field landing accidents with personal injury are of increasing concern. Please either collect a copy of the review from your

club or download from http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/documents/accidentreview2011web.pdf and use this to supplement your own efforts to achieve safe flying in 2012.
Airspace Files. Airspace files have been updated (.tnp format) have been updated, including Olympic airspace and are available at http://soaringweb.org/Airspace/UK.
GASIL. The latest edition (2012/02) of the CAA General Aviation Safety Leaflet, GASIL, has been published and is available at http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/2012%2002.pdf.
Scarlet Parachute Thread. We continue to receive occasional reports of parachutes which have been packed with the end pin held in place with the scarlet thread. In one recent example, the pin was secured with four turns of thread, meaning that the ripcord could not deploy without excessive force. Only a single loop of scarlet cotton thread of no more than 4.5lbs in strength should be used purely to show that the parachute has been packed for operational use; this must never be used to hold the pins in place. We recommend that all owners and operators check the safety pin tie on their parachutes.
Regulatory
Mode S Update. The Air Navigation Order (CAP 393 at http://www.caa.co.uk/cap393) Schedule 5, Radio Communication and Radio Navigation Equipment to be carried in Aircraft, Gliders & Self-Launched Motor Gliders has changed with effect from 6 April 2012. The changes refer to the carriage requirements for Secondary Surveillance Radar Transponder equipment from that date. More information is in CAA Information Notice IN-2012/061 at http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=4939
EAS/IAOPA Paper on European Rulemaking. Europe Air Sports (EAS) and the International Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association – Europe (IAOPA) have submitted a paper to the EASA Management Board addressing rulemaking issues for GA aircraft, pilots, operators and other parties with aircraft up to 5,700 kg MTOM and primarily used non-commercially. The Board, which comprises representatives of EU member states and the European Commission, discussed the paper on 13th March 2012, following which the Board members agreed that a different rule-making approach is required for GA. The Board agreed to establish a small group drawn from NAAs, EASA and EAS / IAOPA to consider how GA should be regulated in a proportionate way in the future. It is expected that this group will be formed in the near future and commence work in early May 2012. More information is in an EAS press release at http://www.europe-air-sports.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Press_release_26_March_12.pdf
Competitions and Cross-Country
Gliding Access to Restricted Airspace. Cross-country pilots will be aware that there are a number of arrangements in place allowing gliders to use certain areas of airspace, for example via Letters of Agreement (LOAs), including the agreements in respect of Temporary Reserved Areas (Gliding) – TRA(G)s - and arrangements where gliders can access Class D airspace with specific permission. When negotiating access for new areas or for renewal of existing privileges, it is often critical that our airspace team can demonstrate that a need for access exists. The BGA Ladder is proving to be a vital tool in this area and we are asking that pilots please post details of all flights on the Ladder in order to help us gain a complete picture of how we use airspace. Please post flights even if you have no competitive urge – your data is vital to us. Visit the ladder at http://www.bgaladder.co.uk

Open Class Nationals. The venue for the Open Class Nationals has changed. They will now be held at Lasham, alongside the 15m Nationals and the Lasham Regionals. The dates are unchanged – 2nd to 10th June. It is hoped that amalgamating the event into a vibrant multiclass structure will increase the appeal leading to a strong participant list developing. More details are at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/competitions/news.htm
Competition Rulebook. The 2012 BGA Competition Rulebook has been published at http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/competitionrules2012.pdf
New Records. The BGA has ratified a new UK 100km goal record in the Open, 20m and 15m classes. The new record of 233.60km/h was set by Colin Hamilton in his Ventus CT from Portmoak on 13th February.
Flight Recorder Approval Downgrades. The IGC has issued details of changes to approvals to certain types of flight recorder. With effect from 1st October 2012, the following types of recorder will no longer be approved for badge claims: EW A-D with separate GPS receiver; Filser/LXN LX20, batch 1 without RSA; Print Technik GR 1000 without RSA; and Print Technik GR 1000A with RSA. At the same time, approvals for the following types will be downgraded to Diamonds level (only acceptable for claims up to and including Diamond legs): Cambridge 10, 20, 25; Filser/LXN DX50; Filser/LXN LX20, later models with RSA192; Filser/LXN LX21; Filser/LXN LX5000 IGC; LXN Colibri 1; SDI/LXN Posigraph; Zander GP940. More information is available at www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC
Women Glide (UK). The women’s gliding group has set up a Facebook page - Women Glide (UK) - to let gliding women everywhere share thoughts and experiences.
BGA Waypoint List. The 2012 BGA List of Waypoints and Club Sites has been published and is available from www.spsys.demon.co.uk/turningpoints.htm. Due to new controlled airspace surrounding Norwich Airport, eight WPs in the Norwich area have been withdrawn, as have some WPs at active airfields that no longer have a BGA club on site. These withdrawals are balanced by new WPs in the Lyneham area, available because the Lyneham zone no longer exists. Other new points include several south of Carlisle and on the Denbigh ridge in Wales.
General
RAec Awards Ceremony. The Royal Aero Club Awards ceremony will take place on 17th May at the RAF Club in Piccadilly. Gliding will, again, be well represented amongst the recipients with awards going to Doug Jones, Diana King, and Dave Masson. Tickets, costing £35, can be purchased via http://www.royalaeroclub.org/award11.htm
IGC on Twitter. The International Gliding Commission (IGC) is now publishing international gliding news on Twitter, and they invite you to follow them on http://twitter.com/FAI_IGC
CAA Website. The CAA has recently undertaken a major revision of their website. As a result, some of the links used in BGA publications, website etc may no longer work. We would be grateful if you could report any broken links that you may encounter so that we can correct these (it would help of you could also provide details of the new link, if possible). Please report to Keith Auchterlonie – keith@gliding.co.uk