Safety
Airworthiness Directives. Centrair 101 Pegase. EASA has published AD 2013-0258 for before next flight structural inspections following any of the incident types listed in the AD. This AD supersedes DGAC AD 85-21(A), published in TNS 04/85. The initial inspection should have been completed on all BGA gliders at that time. However, if any glider of this type was subsequently involved in any of the incidents described in the AD and SB and has not been reinspected in accordance with SB 101-06 r1, the repeat inspection is required before next flight. The AD is at http://ad.easa.europa.eu/blob/easa_ad_2013_0258.pdf/AD_2013-0258_1 and the service bulletin at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/technical/documents/centrair_sb101-06r1.pdf
Safe Winch Launching Update. There were no fatal or serious injury winch accidents in 2013. Overall, in the 8 years of the BGA Safe Winch Launch initiative there have been 5 fatal or serious injury winch accidents compared with an average of 24 in previous 8-year periods. This reduction is because fewer pilots stalled or spun on the wire or after a launch failure. However, accidents resulting from wing drops continue. Although there were no serious winch accidents in 2013, there were two recent accidents caused by a wing drop (one followed by a cartwheel), both of which had the potential to be very serious. Please review the Stop the Drop presentation at http://www.gliding.co.uk/stopthedrop.ppsx for guidance on how all involved in the launch can contribute to a wings-level launch. More detail on the progress of the Safe Winch Launch initiative is at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/safety/documents/safewinchflyer201310.pdf
AirProx Statistics. The UKAB statistics have been published for the first time in a dedicated Airprox magazine. The magazine focuses on a number of specific incidents, highlighting how each incident occurred and advising readers how to avoid a similar situation. The good news is that the overall number of incidents with GA involvement, of all levels of severity, continued a steady decade-long downward trend. The magazine can be downloaded from http://airspacesafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Airprox-2013.htm
Regulatory
GA Red Tape Challenge. Following the General Aviation (GA) Red Tape Challenge, which found that the current regulatory regime is often too prescriptive, impractical and inappropriate, the Government and CAA have announced plans to transform how the UK GA sector is regulated. New measures include the creation of a new GA Unit within the CAA, focussing entirely on the sector, to help ensure that the regulatory regime for GA will take a different path and be less onerous than that applied to the commercial aviation sector. A guiding principle will be to deregulate and/or delegate wherever possible, including identifying what might be possible to exclude from EASA oversight. An independent Challenge Panel, reporting directly to ministers, will be created and which will, among other tasks, test and critique the CAA programme for GA reform and consider opportunities for reducing the regulatory burden on GA. The 6 person panel will include BGA Chief Executive, Pete Stratten. The full CAA and DfT responses are at http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP1123%20CAA%20response%20to%20GA%20Red%20Tape% 20Challenge.pdf and https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/255308/gov-res-rtc.pdf.

BGA
The Flying Show. A reminder that the BGA will be exhibiting at the Flying Show at the NEC on 30th November and 1st December. This is the largest UK indoor aviation event, featuring all forms of recreational aviation and targeting aviation-interested general public and existing air sports participants. Entry is normally £12.50 but we have negotiated a fee of just £6 for BGA club members. For tickets, go to http://www.theflyingshow.co.uk/ and click on ‘Buy Now’. On the order page, there is an ‘Enter Promo Code’ link. Enter ‘BGA1981’ when prompted and, on the payment page, enter the first 4 characters of your club name (just above the ‘Pay Now’ button).
BGA Club Management Conference. If you have not already registered for the BGA Club Management Conference, please would you do so by the end of this week. There will be streams for club chairmen, treasurers and CFIs; the conference provides a great opportunity to interact with your peers, keep up with latest developments and influence BGA thinking. The event will be held at the University of Warwick on 23rd November. Full details, including a booking form, are at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/index.htm. If you need accommodation for the night before, please book directly with the University (details on form).
BGA Sporting Conference. While you have your diaries out, please make a note that the 2014 BGA Sporting Conference will be held on Saturday 1st March at the Nottingham Belfry. Bookings for the gala awards dinner are already being accepted and we recommend that you book your hotel rooms early for the best possible deals.
Competitions and Cross-Country
Team GB for 2014. The British Team for the 2014 World Championships has been selected. In the championship for the unflapped and 20m classes, at Ryaskala in Finland, we will be represented by Pete Masson and G Dale (Club Class); Richard Hood and Jez Hood (Standard Class); and Steve Jones (20m Multi-Seat Class). In the flapped classes event, to be held at Leszno, Poland our team will be Leigh Wells and Phil Jones (15m Class); Russell Cheetham and Mike Young (18m Class); and Andy Davis and Pete Harvey (Open Class).
New Records. The BGA has validated two new record-breaking flights. John Williams’ flight from Portmoak on 19th August at 152.53kmph beat the existing UK records for the 100km and 200km triangle in Open and 20m classes, and Ed Downham’s 901km flight from Bloemfontein set a new British National 15m Free Out and Return record. Congratulations to both.
General
BWPA Award for Ayala Truelove. The British Women Pilots Association (BWPA) award a number of trophies every year, the most prestigious of which is the Brabazon Cup, presented to the BWPA by Lord Brabazon of Tara in 1959. It is awarded for one particular outstanding or noteworthy performance in aviation and this year the Awards Committee has chosen Ayala Truelove to receive it in recognition of her achievement in winning silver at the Women’s World Championships in July. She has previously been the recipient of the BWPA’s OP Jones gliding trophy for her exceptional performance at the 2009 World Championships as a rookie pilot.
RAeS Light Aircraft Design Conference. A reminder that the Royal Aeronautical Society holds its 2013 Light Aircraft Design – Methods and Tools conference in London on 11th November. The BGA is a conference sponsor and a discounted rate of £50 (+VAT) is available to BGA club members. See http://aerosociety.com/Events/Event-List/918/Light-Aircraft-DesignMethods-and-Tools-2013 for details.