Non-instructor Trial flights

[BEagle]

I can understand that private owner groups may have their own agreements concerning mutual flying, but that's a whole different kettle of fish to a PPL holder carrying out a 'currency' check on another club member.

What does your so-called 28-day currency check ride consist of? One pilot demonstrating competency to another? If so, what criteria does the 'check pilot' use to assess this competency if he is not a trained FI? If Clubs want to make up their own rules concerning recency, then the requirement for a pilot out of 'Club recency' to be 'checked' means that he can only be checked by someone trained to assess flying standards. Otherwise it's totally meaningless. Hence I contend that your 'check rides' may only be conducted by a CRI or FI - not just by a 'nominated PPL holder' with no formal qualification. Even the PFA has had to accept that its 'coaches' must now be formally qualified CRIs.

Let's say pilot A wants to hire an ac from a Club. He arrives and is told that he cannot fly unless he takes pilot B (a non-CRI/FI PPL holder) with him. It is, therefore, a condition of the flight that pilot B flies. But in what capacity? What happens if he doesn't like something pilot A (the Commander) does? He is only a passenger and cannot dictate any part of the flight to pilot A. If they agree to share the flying, then each must pay 50% of the hire fee; if pilot B does not pay for his fraction of the flight cost, then he is receiving 'payment in kind' - free flying. That is illegal.

Incidentally, MJ, there is no such thing as CAAFU - and hasn't been for many years.

Airbedane - the 'No aerobatics' limitation does not refer merely to remunerated flight instruction, it refers to any aerobatic instruction. One is a condition of the rating, the other is a licence privilege. So no, a FI with the 'No aerobatics' restriction may not teach aerobatics.

As you rightly say, there are indeed a number of 'special condition' flights for which permission may be sought from the CAA; they will assess the application and agree the relevant conditions. Which is entirely as it should be!