UK microlight on FAA PPC?
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Originally Posted by Whopity
" Can I fly these in the UK on my FAA cert? If so, can I log the time as PIC?"
Yes
In accordance with ANO Article 26 (4)(a) You do not need any other licence despite what you may have been told.
The FAA Cert must be valid, the FAA Medical must be valid and you must have had a Bienial Flight Review in the past two years.
Yes
In accordance with ANO Article 26 (4)(a) You do not need any other licence despite what you may have been told.
The FAA Cert must be valid, the FAA Medical must be valid and you must have had a Bienial Flight Review in the past two years.
"in the case of injury or illness the suspension shall cease..."
I can't seem to find a relevant paragraph nearby but it is all a bunch of legalese to me...
I am in this exact situation myself, I have an FAA ticket with 55 hours total time (of which 6 in the UK). My father has just bought a Chevvron which definitely does not fall under the FAA "ultralight" classification, though it is registered as a British microlight. I am very eager to get a verifiable answer on whether or not I can fly it! (Hopefully an affirmative answer, of course).
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The answer is no. Contact Roy Hart at the BMAA (details earlier in the thread) to get it from the horse's mouth. Then ask him how the BMAA justified this apparently pointless restriction. Please post his response, because I never received a satisfactory answer and would love to know.
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To provide an update/closure to my original question for future searchers:-
Unfortunately I did not receive a definitive answer. The CAA said "If you are legal to fly it in the US on your FAA ticket, then you can fly it in the UK." This may be a starting point for anyone else with more perseverance than I.
I ended up buying a share in a small PFA type (Kitfox) which is registered as a standard "Group A" aircraft. This gives me flying with the same outlay and running costs as a microlight, but without the hassle of having to get an NPPL. I fly it on the standard FAA cert & 3rd class medical.
Al
Unfortunately I did not receive a definitive answer. The CAA said "If you are legal to fly it in the US on your FAA ticket, then you can fly it in the UK." This may be a starting point for anyone else with more perseverance than I.
I ended up buying a share in a small PFA type (Kitfox) which is registered as a standard "Group A" aircraft. This gives me flying with the same outlay and running costs as a microlight, but without the hassle of having to get an NPPL. I fly it on the standard FAA cert & 3rd class medical.
Al
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That's an interesting answer.
I wonder if you could perhaps ask them the same question, this time casually mentioning a U.S. Experimental Category aircraft
An whole lot of people, myself included, would be delighted to sponsor the cost of typing up the letter.
But seriously, I am not suprised by their answer. The trick will be to check if the same aircraft would be legal to fly in the USA.
And obviously make a full disclosure to the insurance company. That's what really counts in these "everybody knows this is safe but is it legal" situations. The "most" the CAA can do is prosecute you.... other outcomes are much worse.
I wonder if you could perhaps ask them the same question, this time casually mentioning a U.S. Experimental Category aircraft
An whole lot of people, myself included, would be delighted to sponsor the cost of typing up the letter.But seriously, I am not suprised by their answer. The trick will be to check if the same aircraft would be legal to fly in the USA.
And obviously make a full disclosure to the insurance company. That's what really counts in these "everybody knows this is safe but is it legal" situations. The "most" the CAA can do is prosecute you.... other outcomes are much worse.
You'll never get indefinite permission to operate a US Experimental type in the UK, because it's sub-ICAO. The best you can do is a short term exemption under the terms of AN52.
G
G
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It seems you can fly microlights on an FAA certificate in the UK after all.
Having been told initially by the BMAA that it was not possible, I queried their response and was ultimately referred to the CAA. Cut a very long story short, I now have it in writing that provided the restrictions of the foreign ICAO licence are adhered to its priveleges can be exercised in the UK (which is only confirming what LASORS says after all). Therefore provided I am current and legal in the eyes of the FAA I can fly UK registered aircraft in the UK. No distinction between microlights and Group A applies.
A professional pilot would be expected to convert the certificate after one year, but this does not apply in the case of a private pilot.
Furthermore, although differences training for microlights would be mandatory in the UK, my letter from the CAA merely 'recommends' that I undertake such training (which of course I plan to do).
The most difficult part about all this was identifying someone who was prepared to look at the issue and give a considered and authoritative response. It is the CAA and not the BMAA which makes policy on pilot certification issues, even in the case of microlights.
Credit to the CAA for a pragmatic policy. This means that if you are looking for cheap VFR flying in the UK in the form of microlighting, and can visit the US every couple of years for a flight review and a medical (or even undertake them in the UK), there is no longer any need to join the JAA pilot certification regime with its inflated charges.
Having been told initially by the BMAA that it was not possible, I queried their response and was ultimately referred to the CAA. Cut a very long story short, I now have it in writing that provided the restrictions of the foreign ICAO licence are adhered to its priveleges can be exercised in the UK (which is only confirming what LASORS says after all). Therefore provided I am current and legal in the eyes of the FAA I can fly UK registered aircraft in the UK. No distinction between microlights and Group A applies.
A professional pilot would be expected to convert the certificate after one year, but this does not apply in the case of a private pilot.
Furthermore, although differences training for microlights would be mandatory in the UK, my letter from the CAA merely 'recommends' that I undertake such training (which of course I plan to do).
The most difficult part about all this was identifying someone who was prepared to look at the issue and give a considered and authoritative response. It is the CAA and not the BMAA which makes policy on pilot certification issues, even in the case of microlights.
Credit to the CAA for a pragmatic policy. This means that if you are looking for cheap VFR flying in the UK in the form of microlighting, and can visit the US every couple of years for a flight review and a medical (or even undertake them in the UK), there is no longer any need to join the JAA pilot certification regime with its inflated charges.
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You can do an FAA BFR in the UK:
1) In a G-reg, with a JAA instructor who is also an FAA CFI
2) In any foreign reg, with a FAA CFI who doesn't charge for the flight
3) In any foreign reg, with a FAA CFI, outside the UK FIR
4) In any foreign reg, with DfT permission (which is subject to various conditions), with a JAA instructor who is also an FAA CFI
I think that's right.
Genghis - aren't Permit types sub-ICAO too?
1) In a G-reg, with a JAA instructor who is also an FAA CFI
2) In any foreign reg, with a FAA CFI who doesn't charge for the flight
3) In any foreign reg, with a FAA CFI, outside the UK FIR
4) In any foreign reg, with DfT permission (which is subject to various conditions), with a JAA instructor who is also an FAA CFI
I think that's right.
Genghis - aren't Permit types sub-ICAO too?
Originally Posted by IO540
Genghis - aren't Permit types sub-ICAO too?
G
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What difference, if any, is there between
a) a French based F-reg Permit plane coming to the UK, and
b) an N-reg Exp Cat plane coming to the UK
Both are sub-ICAO.
I know this is going off at a tangent but isn't there a mechanism for getting US Exp Cap planes approved elsewhere in the EU (Spain is a word which keeps coming up) and then they can circulate freely?
a) a French based F-reg Permit plane coming to the UK, and
b) an N-reg Exp Cat plane coming to the UK
Both are sub-ICAO.
I know this is going off at a tangent but isn't there a mechanism for getting US Exp Cap planes approved elsewhere in the EU (Spain is a word which keeps coming up) and then they can circulate freely?
Originally Posted by IO540
What difference, if any, is there between
a) a French based F-reg Permit plane coming to the UK, and
b) an N-reg Exp Cat plane coming to the UK
Both are sub-ICAO.
I know this is going off at a tangent but isn't there a mechanism for getting US Exp Cap planes approved elsewhere in the EU (Spain is a word which keeps coming up) and then they can circulate freely?
a) a French based F-reg Permit plane coming to the UK, and
b) an N-reg Exp Cat plane coming to the UK
Both are sub-ICAO.
I know this is going off at a tangent but isn't there a mechanism for getting US Exp Cap planes approved elsewhere in the EU (Spain is a word which keeps coming up) and then they can circulate freely?
All sub-ICAO aircraft are likely to be given short-term dispensations within either the word or spirit of AN52, but not indefinite dispensation unless you can demonstrate that it fully meets local engineering standards.
G
