Microlight flying for a PPL

[Land After]

Does anyone know if it is possible to fly a microlight on a PPL(A)? If so, do the hours count for the 12 in 2 year requirement?

Before the flames start: I'm not proposing to leap in and fly without any instruction - just interested in the options for some cheap hours & a new experience.

[Rod1]

The short answer is you can fly them, but can not count the hours.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Rod is quite right, but be aware that the current rules don't allow you to hire a microlight. Getting some dual won't be a problem, but to get much flying in you'll need to buy one, or at least a share (a lot of clubs run big cheap syndicates).

I run my own 2-seater at about £20/hr, but in a club syndicate expect to pay around £30/hr wet.

I am told that you can count 100hrs of microlight time towards an ATPL.

G

[Solent 01]

Got some bad news for you guys!!

You can not at present fly microlights under a JAA PPL(A), I fell into this trap myself, and have logged many hours in my 3 Axis machine, only to find out last week that the JAA PPL(A) is not enough for flying Micro's.

The JAA PPL(A) is a licence to fly quote "Single Piston Engine, Landplane" a-ha I thought, thats a Micro,......oh no, not according to Mr JAA.

Anyway Mr Ron Jenkins of the CAA, is getting the legal Dept. on the case, so as to reverse the situation. But at present to be able to legally fly Micro's on a JAA PPL(A) you will need to pass a GFT, and add this to your licence, the same as me!!

I suggest you call the CAA, and ask to speak to Ron (Mr Flight Crew Licencing himself), he's a good guy, and full of helpful information, besides that he's a pilot himself, and so I've heard a bloody good one, not at all your usual CAA suit.

Sol

[Rod1]

Interesting point, but most PPL(A)'s out there CAA not JAA. The CAA variant is OK. I have to admit to no interest in converting mine if I can avoid it.

I also remember being told that "grandfather rights” applied to conversions from CAA PPL to JAA PPL, would this cover Micro's? I understand it does cover “complex” types.

Rod

[Solent 01]

Rod, you are right, the old CAA PPL(A) does cover you to fly Microlights, but as far as converting to the JAA Licence and retaining "Grand Father" rights, I don't know! Thats another can of worms I don't want to open.

Also with regards to 3 Axis time being credited towards an ATPL, The CAA will only grant you 10% of 100 hrs P1, this means that only 10 hrs will be credited, why this is so is beyond me, as a 3 Axis Micro has exactly what it says "Control over 3 Axis of movement" now forgive me for sounding like a prat, but don't all of the large jets etc. have control in 3 Axis.

Pitch, Roll and Yaw

Yes I know larger aircraft are alot more complex, but come on, this is abit unfair me thinks!

Sol

[Genghis the Engineer]

I think Solent that the rules you've quoted apply to PPLs, and that the rules are subtly different for an ATPL. (For a start 100 hrs out of 1500 is small change anyway).

I had a microlight PPL before gaining a JAR PPL(SEP) and wondered why CAA put "microlights" under national-only ratings in the license. It's hard to see why if they put it in there as a rating it doesn't then count for validation.

Personally I think that having to do a microlight GFT is a good thing, there are quite a few differences in handling. In fact I'd probably go one further and say one should take microlight Air-law given that the JAR license syllabus doesn't mention permit-to-fly rules whatsoever.

(I went flying the other day with an ATPL, who has infinitely more flying ability than I ever will, when we did a conventional microlight non-radio overhead join it became apparent that microlight pilots are just a little more familar with signal squares too!).

A friend who is a very (5000hrs+) experienced microlight pilot with a lot of that on taildraggers recently got a PPL(A). The CAA allowed him an automatic tailwheel privilege, rather than making him take the conversion, so common sense is sometimes applied, if not all that often.

G



[This message has been edited by Genghis the Engineer (edited 07 June 2001).]

[Solent 01]

G, The pionts you have raised about GFT's being a good thing........

I would have to agree with you totally, it can only make flying these gems safer for everyone.

Because these machines have such low inersha (spelling?), if not handled properly, trying to land with an engine out, may well see you into the trees at the threshold of the field you selected, winding you into hospital or worse!!!!

Changing the subject slightly, if you want good fun flying, fly a Micro........or a Yak if you can aford to run the damn thing!

Sol

[Noggin]

Late last year the CAA legal department issued an Exemption to permit a microlight aircraft to be flown on all PPLs issued by the UK CAA on the basis of a Medical declaration of health. That makes a nonsense out of saying the licence doesn't cover microlights.

[Solent 01]

Noggin...I know, but they have since said that they do not see the JAA PPL(A) as a licence to fly Micro's, I got this straight from the horses mouth (Ron Jenkins), but as I said earlyer, he is working to get this reversed.

How pissed off do you think I was, to be told by FCL that I would have to fly a GFT to stay legal.........

anyway, I don't think its a bad idea to make PPL(A)'s do some sort of test to fly a Microlight. It's just the safly factor at the end of the day

Sol