Regulatory
Carriage of Transponders. The CAA has issued Information Notice IN-2012/151 reminding pilots of gliders and SLMGs equipped with Mode A/C transponders that the exemption which allowed them to operate in the Stansted TMZ during the Olympic period has now ended. The Information Notice is at http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/InformationNotice2012151.pdf. Details of areas where non-Mode S equipped gliders and SLMGs can operate over FL100 are, as before, detailed in AIC Yellow 007/2012, available via the NATS web site (http://www.ais.org.uk/)
LAPL Medical. Pilots wishing to get their GP to provide them with a LAPL medical may find the information at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/easamedical.htm, describing how a GP should register with the CAA, useful.
EASA Commercial Pilot Licences. Commercial air transport pilots who are exchanging their UK commercial aeroplane licences for EASA commercial aeroplane licences and are concerned about adding towing or other gliding-related EASA ratings to them are advised to apply for these ratings at a later date. There is a CAA derogation in place (ORS4 No. 929) that temporarily defers any requirement to hold these ratings. A conversion report, expected yearend will define how a number of these ratings will be converted to EASA ratings and, in doing so, minimise any additional requirements. General aviation and air sport pilots including glider, SLMG and tug pilots do not need to comply with EASA licensing requirements until April 2015.
Competitions and Cross-Country
British Gliding Team Manager. After a number of successful years as Gliding Team GB Manager, Phil Sturley intends to hand over to a successor at the end of 2012. If you are have the strengths required to help the team retain its leading position in world gliding and are interested in the opportunities that this voluntary role offers, please contact Russell Cheetham: russellcheetham@clippasafe.co.uk
Liz is No 1. With the results of the UK Club Class Nationals entered into the IGC Rankings, Liz Sparrow is now the number one rated female pilot in the world. This is the second time that a UK pilot has topped the female rankings and the UK now has three pilots (Gill Spreckley, 5th and Ayala Liran, 9th) in the world top 10. This is a great testament to the improving skills and activity levels of women in competition gliding. Much of this increasing interest is the result of initiatives by the girls in the British team to promote women in gliding. You can see the rankings at http://igcrankings.fai.org/index_womens.php?rowstodisplay=20
Badge Claims and Position Recorders. From October 1st, approved GPS position recorders will be allowed for all silver and gold badge legs without the use of an additional barograph. However, where height differences are critical (height claims and claims involving the 1% rule) there will be a 100m penalty applied to the GPS height gain or loss when a position recorder is used without an independent barograph. For example, a silver height gain will need to show a GPS height gain of 1100meters and a silver distance of, say, 60km will need to show a height loss of less than 500m: ((60k*1%)-100).

Declarations. Again, from October 1st, declarations may be sent to an Official Observer or secure web site by Email rather than having to be witnessed by the O/O at the time. However, pilots should note that the declaration time is the time when it arrives at the O/Os inbox (not when it was sent) and plan accordingly. The O/O has to print the declaration for inclusion in the badge submission.
Height and Duration Declarations. Following a change in the interpretation of the FAI Sporting Code, please note that declarations are not required for badge height or duration claims, irrespective of whether a flight recorder (logger) or position recorder is used. However, for record claims, a declaration and a flight recorder (not position recorder) trace is required.
Logger Downgrades. A reminder that some flight recorders have been downgraded by the IGC from 1st October. The most significant change is that EW types A to D are no longer approved by the IGC as flight recorders (but see below). They are still approved as barographs and can therefore be used for height claims and straight line release to landing distance claims. A list of IGC-approved flight recorders is at http://www.fai.org/gnss-recording-devices/igcapproved-flight-recorders
However, the BGA confirms that all flight recorders previously approved by the IGC may still be used for flight verification in UK rated competitions.
With effect from the 1st of October 2012, the BGA has approved the EW Avionics EWFR Models A-D for the validation of flights up to and including Silver and Gold Badge performances only. The approval includes specific operational requirements which must be read and complied with. Please note that all BGA approvals are periodically reviewed. The approval is available at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/competitions/other/BGAApprovalEWA-D29Sep12.pdf
Juniors
RAeC Trust Bursaries. Details of the 2013 Royal Aero Club Trust Bursaries have been announced. Flying bursaries of up to £1000 are available to post-solo pilots, aged between 16 and 21 to progress their interest in either air sports or aviation. Last year, 28 bursaries were awarded of which 10 were received by glider pilots. Applications need to be received by the BGA no later than 28 February 2013. More details are on the RAeC Trust web site at http://www.royalaeroclubtrust.org/bursaries.html
General
Light Aircraft Design Conference. The Royal Aeronautical Society is holding a light aircraft design conference on 19th November. Full details, including a discounted rate for members of BGA clubs (£45 compared to the usual £75) is at http://aerosociety.com/Events/Calendar.
Visit ATC Day. The Exeter and Coventry units have been added to the list of Air Traffic Control centres that will be hosting Visit ATC Days this coming autumn. For more details see the BGA September Newsletter (http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/newsletters/newslettersep12.pdf) or, for a full listing of participating units, http://airspacesafety.com/news/visit-atc-day-is-back
EGU Newsletter. The latest edition of the European Gliding Union newsletter has been published. You can download it from the EGU web site at http://www.egu-info.org/
EAS Newsletter. Europe Air Sports has also published a new edition of their newsletter, at http://www.europe-airsports.org/fileadmin/user_upload/newsletter/EAS_NL_September_2012_final_version.pdf