Kitfox and Easy Raider: Microlights or PFA?

[ToryBoy]

I am getting rather confused.

Are the Kitfox and the Easy Raider registered as microlights or PFA a/c's?

Also, can someone point out the basic differences between Group A ownership and PFA ownership? I'm not so interested in the cost differences (anything must be cheaper than my Group A is to run), but more the maintenance procedures etc.

Any special procedures for taking a PFA a/craft across to France?

Do M3 organisations do work on PFA planes if the owner is not mechanically minded?

Having only ever known Group A ownership, I still can't see the advantages to the PFA system. I have looked on the website but it doesn't actually say what the core differences are between Group A and PFA.

Sorry for all the questions.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Both are homebuilts. The Kitfox through the PFA (some variants are microlights, some light aircraft), the Easy Raider through the BMAA (only one version, and that's a microlight).

These, all microlights, and all PFA aircraft fly under a permit to fly - as opposed to a CofA. This allows owner-maintenance (with one or two exceptions), cheap running costs, cheaper parts, etc. You are restricted to day-VMC in permit aircraft.

Microlights and PFA homebuilt permits can both fly to France pretty much without restriction. There are some procedures to follow for both - which can be downloaded from the respective websites. (Basically it's a negotiated privilege rather than an automatic right, but the two associations have done the negotiating for you already.)

You can pay somebody else, an M3 organisation, local inspector, etc. to work on your BMAA Microlight or PFA Homebuilt (which may also be a microlight, BMAA doesn't have all microlights - only about 85% of them, the rest are with PFA for historical reasons). You may have as a licensed pilot to certify the work yourself, or if not confident to do so get a BMAA or PFA inspector to do so - but that's no big deal.



What are the advantages to the permit system? (By which I mean PFA or BMAA, the differences are far less than the similarities.)

- Cheaper self-maintenance
- Pretty much guaranteed permission to use MOGAS
- Cheaper uncertified spares
- Ability to cheaply get approval for modifications
- Usually more interesting aeroplanes.

A typical microlight is going to cost around £20-£30/hr total to run, with PFA homebuilts starting in the same range but some getting more expensive (as they become more capable) say to around £60/hr. So overall, you can probably expect to pay around half what you would for a comparable owned CofA aeroplane - albeit at the cost of no night or IMC flying.

Incidentally, I personally prefer the Easy Raider for handling and a good solid structure - but even nicer is the Escapade, which is the new side-by-side twin-stick version of the Easy Raider. But frankly, this is still nitpicking between a lot of very good aeroplanes.

G

[FlyingForFun]

Microlights and PFA homebuilt permits can both fly to France pretty much without restriction

Absolutely.

But it's probably worth adding, for the avoidance of doubt, that the rules are different for each country, and you must check the rules for every country you intend to either overfly or land in. The French are very good in this respect, as Genghis says, with no extra red tape to get in your way. The only other country I have any first-hand experience of is Belgium, where you will have to pay a small fee for a 1-year permit to take your non-CofA aircraft into or over their airspace.

FFF
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[bar shaker]

Agree with Genghis on the Escapade, what a lovely aircraft!!

Folding wings too, so very cheap hangarage costs.

Escapade

[BEagle]

Do remember though, that Permit Ac are not allowed to fly over built-up areas at any height - this could prove difficult in some locations, perhaps?

[tonyhalsall]

Some might say its good airmanship not to fly over built up area's in any SEP?

Just being devils advocate - sorry

Tony