I stand to be corrected, but I believe you are wrong sir re your hours training at a BGA club counting towards a EASA PPL. I had a long chat with the CAA with regards to the changes in the rules which come into effect on 8th April 2012.
As I understand it many of the BGA instructors have Motorglider Instructor Ratings (Restricted). This means that they can teach only for GLIDING exercises- ie cross country nav before someone does their first XC, field landing checks etc. These guys, good as they are cannot teach towards a PPL of any sort and your hours WILL NOT count.
The next type of instructor is those than can teach for the NPPL TMG. These guys again are restricted to this, and speaking to CAA flight Crew Licencing the hour done will NOT count towards a EASA PPL
To do an EASA PPL you need to train through either a REGISTERED TRAINING FACILITY or an APPROVED TRAINING FACILITY. This is an approval given by the CAA to carry out PPL training for the EASA PPLs.
You are right in saying that Hinton is one of the few places that has BOTH approvals to do PPL EASA training, NPPL training, SLMG renewals and is a registered training organisation and has FULLY RATED motorglider instructors and examiners that are BOTH BGA and CAA. They also do IMC, tailwheel and IR (SEP) training.
People need to be careful to ensure that if they undertake training that where they fly has the correct rated instructors and approvals to undertake the training for the licence that they want.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GET AT THE END OF IT ALL?
EASA PPL (TMG) OR EASA PPL SEP- Must be carried out at a RTO (CAA Registered Training Organisation) with a CAA approval with a CAA rated instructor.
NPPL- Can be by either a RTO as above with a CAA instructor or with a BGA Instructor who has a FULL MOTORGLIDER rating. These hours will NOT count towards a EASA PPL and you would have to redo them.
GLIDING RELATED EXCERCISES- Can be by any of the above OR a BGA instrucotr with a restricted motorglider rating.
Last edited by billiboing; 13th Jan 2012 at 10:55.