Aerobatic training

[BEagle]

"Would you be so kind as to give us a reference to which specific JAR ratings must be held to fly aeros or formation?"

Non required to fly aerobatics or formation; however, any instruction (in whatever field) to a licence holder at SEP Class SPA level must be given only by a CRI or FI. Which is what the PFA now do.

Variable quality advice has been posted by the unqualified about the quirks of various a/c; you may be lucky and receive such guidance from a good quality source, or you may be very unlucky and be given absolute tosh.

Experience, competence and legality are the sole criteria for any 'check pilots'.

I was at an aerodrome the other day and overheard an interesting conversation:

A."Why have you asked to fly with xxxx ?"
B."I need to do my single engine reval."
A."Your what?"
B."My reval. check"
A."You don't need to fly with him; any intructor can do that!"

'A' is a well-known aerobatic pilot. But clearly has no knowledge of the requirements for conducting SEP Class Rating Revalidation Proficiency Checks. What else doesn't he know when it comes to the Law, I wonder...........

Those who do not hold CRI or FI Ratings and who profess to be 'aerobatic instructors' might care to note the following from the Air Navigation Order:

"..the holder shall be entitled to fly as pilot in command of an aeroplane of a type or class specified in any flying instructor’s rating, class rating instructor rating, flight instructor rating or assistant flying instructor’s rating included in the licence on a flight for the purpose of aerial work which consists of:

(i) the giving of instruction in flying; or

(ii) the conducting of flying tests for the purposes of this Order;

in either case in an aeroplane owned, or operated under arrangements entered into, by a flying club of which the person giving the instruction or conducting the test and the person receiving the instruction or undergoing the test are both members."

And don't try to pretend that teaching aerobatics isn't 'the giving of instruction in flying' - quite obviously it is!