450Kg microlights - flights overseas?

[Lowtimer]

Some of the interesting Rotax / Jabiru powered sub 450kg aircraft coming on to the UK market look like potentially quite useful travelling machines, at least solo or for two fairly streamlined people. But will new-ish PPLs, who have never held the "old" national CAA PPL, be able to take them over the water?

Holding a JAR-FCL PPL(A) which I intend to retain and develop, I may also wish in the future to fly a sub 450kg aircraft like the new EV-97 teamEurostar, which to all practical intents and purposes flies like a good Group A two-seater, but is technically a microlight. It appears that the only way I can fly one in the UK is by cross-qualifying to the NPPL Microlight. So far so good, but then, I can't fly it overseas, because my JAR-FCL licence is no good for the aircraft, and my NPPL doesn't work outside the UK FIR. However, it also seems to me that if I had an old-style CAA PPL with a microlight rating, I probably would be OK to fly into Europe in a teamEurostar or similar.

Am I right that there's a catch here? Hope I'm missing something, otherwise those Jabiru adverts suggesting "X hundred hours later you're Y miles to run to Deauville" may lead to some disappointment...

[Rob_L]

You can add the M rating to CAA or JAA PPL:

The whole text of the GID is on the srg website under "Personnel Licensing", but not easy to find. If you have an e-mail I'll send it to you.

SAFETY REGULATION GROUP
PERSONNEL LICENSING DEPARTMENT
GENERAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT
No. 39
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ADDITION OF
TYPE/CLASS RATINGS (LANDPLANES) TO A
PILOT’S LICENCE (AEROPLANES)
Version 03
22/01/02

.....

PART 8 MICROLIGHT AEROPLANE RATING
Introduction
A microlight rating entitles the holder to act as Pilot-in-Command of any aeroplane that meets the following
definition:-
an aeroplane designed to carry not more than two persons which has:
a) a Maximum Total Weight Authorised (MTWA) not exceeding:
390 kg for a single seat landplane (300 kg if Permit to Fly or Certificate of Airworthiness is not
issued by 1/1/2003);
450 kg for a two seat landplane;
330 kg for a single seat amphibian/floatplane;
495 kg for a two seat amphibian/floatplane;
and
b) a wing loading at the MTWA not exceeding 25 kg/m2 or a stalling speed at the MWTA not exceeding 35 knots calibrated airspeed.
NOTE: Microlights in the 390 - 450 kg weight category, which meet he above criteria, were formerly known as
‘Small Light Aeroplanes’.
To fly as pilot-in-command (PIC) of an aeroplane classed as a microlight you must have a microlight rating endorsed onto your licence. The microlight rating is issued under UK national regulations - JAR-FCL explicitly does not cover microlights, therefore the holder of a licence with an SEP rating only does not have microlight privileges.
AIC 126/1998, which signalled the changeover to JAR-FCL style ratings, stated that existing privileges would be retained provided they were being exercised and the rating revalidation requirements maintained. Those holders of a Group A rating, who at the time were flying both non-microlight Group A aeroplanes and microlights and who at the time met the relevant revalidation requirements, were entitled to have the licence revalidated for both microlights and for those Group A aeroplanes which were included in the new SEP rating.
In the case of a pilot who has continued to fly microlights and SEP aeroplanes without having had the distinction clearly established in his licence, we are prepared to include the microlight rating in his licence free of charge - if we can be satisfied that, subsequent to the issue of AIC 126/1998, the pilot has continued to meet the relevant requirements to keep both ratings valid.

[Rob_L]

The address is:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_gid39.pdf

Then GID33 deals with the currency requirements (5 hours a year still I think for microbes). Just substiture 33 for the 39 in the address.

[Fly Stimulator]

Low Timer

I think you might be OK with an NPPL (Microlights), at least for France.

The BMAA website has a document on the French requirements for foreign microlights here (http://www.avnet.co.uk/bmaa/fr2002.htm)

The key section is:


All Microlights normally used in a member state of the European Community, or party to the airspace agreement of the EEC, and identified or registered in that state, are authorised for private flight over French territory, provided that:

(a) The Microlight holds a Flight Authorisation (permit to fly) granted by that state or its delegated authority, on the basis of its compliance with a technical standard for safety.

(b) The pilot holds a valid licence in the Microlight's home state. The Microlight must be operated in accordance with the rules and limitations applied by the state of origin, and within the limits of applicable French rules.

An NPPL (Microlights) would certainly seem to qualify as a "valid licence in the Microlight's home state."

I understand that existing holders of the PPL(A) Microlights will retain their existing priviledges and recognition by various foreign states too, but that won't apply to you unless you can add the microlight rating before next Tuesday!

For a definitive answer, give the BMAA a ring on 01869 338888.