Safety
Airworthiness Directives. Grob G103. EASA has issued AD 2015-0116 requiring a check and possible replacement of the air brake control system within 30 days. The AD is available at http://ad.easa.europa.eu/blob/EASA_AD_2015_0116.pdf/AD_2015-0116_1 and the relevant service bulletins are on the LTB-Lindner web site at www.ltb-lindner.com Duo Discus and Nimbus 4. EASA has issued AD 2015-0139 calling for inspection of the airbrake bellcrank, drive funnels and control system in accordance with Schempp-Hirth Technical Notices TN 380-2, TN 396-17, TN 868-22 or TN 890-14, as applicable. Inspection is required within 40 days and, thereafter, at intervals of not more than 100 hours. The AD is at http://ad.easa.europa.eu/blob/EASA_AD_2015_0139.pdf/AD_2015-0139_1 and the TNs are on the Schempp-Hirth web site at www.schempp-hirth.com/
Are You Fit to Fly? You are hopefully aware that the BGA medical requirements changed recently (you can read them at https://members.gliding.co.uk/requirements-guidance-2/bga/). However, irrespective of which medical requirement you fly under, it is vitally important that you ask yourself whether you are actually fit to fly before every flight. Are you feeling under the weather, have a cold, been under a lot of stress recently, etc? These may all be indicators that you should not fly. Be honest with yourself - your life and those of others could depend on it.
Canopies Opening in Flight. There have been three recent occurrences of canopies opening in flight. Fortunately no accidents occurred as a consequence but the potential for a serious accident was very real. Please remember that all pilots must carry out proper pre-flight checks without interruption or distraction. Careful observation by launching teams can be helpful – but there is no substitute for properly carried out pre-flight checks.
Royal International Air Tattoo. Pilots flying in the south of England should be aware that the Royal International Air Tattoo is taking place at Fairford from the 15th to the 20th July. Various restrictions are in place over a wide area throughout the event and the days before and after. Details are in AIC 2015/038 (Mauve) available on the NATS site at http://www.nats-uk.eadit.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=162&Itemid=59.html. Pilots should, of course, always check NOTAMs prior to any flight.
Airspace Infringement Reduction Targets Set. The CAA has announced that, in order to head off the need for further action, the number of serious airspace infringements at six of the highest-risk air traffic zones in the UK (Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Southampton and Stansted) should be cut by much as 50 percent over the next 12 months. Options under consideration, should the target for a particular hotspot not be met, include the deployment of bespoke Surveillance Mandatory Zones (SMZ). Such SMZs would provide a conspicuity buffer around a hotspot’s Class D airspace and could mandate the use of radios and/or transponders in that buffer area. Other options, such as rationalising airspace boundaries, are also a potential solution. Working teams, made up of local pilots, airport operators, air traffic controllers and CAA representatives, in each of the hotspots, have agreed the targets and committed to delivering the reductions through improvements to current procedures by December 2015. The BGA, which is proactive in maintaining safe airspace, believes that without effective engagement with all airspace user groups and careful analysis of infringement data, this initiative may simply result in pilots being faced with further unnecessary airspace restrictions.

Regulatory
Light Part-M. EASA has published NPA 2015-08 Light Part-M and this is now open for consultation on the EASA web site at http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/. This is one of a number of moves from EASA aimed at more proportionate regulation for the lighter end of the general aviation community (see also the CS-STAN item below). The BGA has been influencing the development of these proposals and will be responding to the consultation.
Standard Changes and Repairs. EASA has published CS-STAN (Standard Changes and Repairs) at http://easa.europa.eu/document-library/certification-specifications/cs-stan-initial-issue. This allows a simpler process for the design and embodiment of some changes and repairs to certain aircraft, including most sailplanes, and follows helpful engagement with the sailplane community including the BGA. Some changes to BGA airworthiness publications will result.
CAA Pilot Medical Consultation. The BGA has responded to the CAA consultation on UK pilot licence medical requirements (CAP1284) supporting moves to reduce the burden on pilots whilst providing appropriate protection for third parties.
Competitions and Cross-Country
Rule Change - FLARM Stealth Mode. The otherwise successful trial mandating that gliders equipped with FLARM use this in Stealth Mode in national championships has revealed some concerns from non-gliding airspace stakeholders who also use FLARM. As a result, the BGA Executive Committee has agreed to stop the trial for the remainder of this season's National competitions. The competitions committee and others will engage with the FLARM manufacturer with the aim of addressing the identified issues in time for the next competition season. Pilots are free to make their own choices about use of FLARM. The BGA Competition Rules, available at https://members.gliding.co.uk/library/competition-rules/bga-competition-rules/ has been updated accordingly. A statement about this change is at https://members.gliding.co.uk/?p=22432
European Championships. A busy season of international gliding competition gets underway this month when the European Championships for the 18m and Open Classes begins at Ocseny in Hungary. The UK will be represented by Russell Cheetham and Andy Davis in the 18m Class and by Pete Harvey and Iain Evans in the Open Class. The competition runs from 12-25 July and you can follow the team’s progress at https://egc2015.hu/tasks-results/ The Women’s World Championships and the European Championships for the Standard, Open and 15m classes follow in August and, in December, the Junior Worlds take place in Australia.
Competition Surveys. Thank you to everybody who has responded to the two competitions surveys currently open. If you are a competition pilot and have not yet responded, you still have time to make your opinion heard. The survey about cloud flying in BGA rated competitions is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cloudflying and the survey about club class handicapping is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/clubclass. The surveys will remain open until 18th September.
Northern Regionals. The Northern Regionals, scheduled to be held at Sutton Bank from 1st to 8th August, has been cancelled.
General
RAeC Newsletter. The summer 2015 edition of the Royal Aero Club newsletter has been published. It will be available on the RAeC site at http://royalaeroclub.co.uk/news.php