Ultralight Aircraft
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IO540
“Am I right in suspecting the real reason for prohibiting "mass production" in the non-CofA scene is to limit the level of activity and thus support CAA CofA revenue?”
Pretty much yes! If you wanted to set up a production facility to build factory produced VLA aircraft it would cost you a lot of money in oversight from the CAA. You would have to pay for regular inspections after you had gained the initial approval etc.
The CAA sees the rules as protecting the investment made by the factories from unregulated amateurs setting up production lines. In practice it is hard to buy a kit, pay someone to build it and come out without the aircraft having cost you a very big sum. There was a production line at Kemble many years ago, which produced some Europa aircraft, but the price was rumoured to be £75k! If you have a factory, say in the Czech republic, producing aircraft for Europe, but with no chance of getting CAA approval, then you can make serious money. You sell completed aircraft, fly them in, store them for 3 months and then supply them with forged PFA paperwork. Because the production line is on an industrial scale and it is not building from an approved kit it is of course much cheaper to build, plus you have very cheap labour. The PFA have got much better at policing such attempts to pervert the rules.
If I could change the rules I would allow US stile build assist programs, but I do not know if this will ever happen.
Rod1
“Am I right in suspecting the real reason for prohibiting "mass production" in the non-CofA scene is to limit the level of activity and thus support CAA CofA revenue?”
Pretty much yes! If you wanted to set up a production facility to build factory produced VLA aircraft it would cost you a lot of money in oversight from the CAA. You would have to pay for regular inspections after you had gained the initial approval etc.
The CAA sees the rules as protecting the investment made by the factories from unregulated amateurs setting up production lines. In practice it is hard to buy a kit, pay someone to build it and come out without the aircraft having cost you a very big sum. There was a production line at Kemble many years ago, which produced some Europa aircraft, but the price was rumoured to be £75k! If you have a factory, say in the Czech republic, producing aircraft for Europe, but with no chance of getting CAA approval, then you can make serious money. You sell completed aircraft, fly them in, store them for 3 months and then supply them with forged PFA paperwork. Because the production line is on an industrial scale and it is not building from an approved kit it is of course much cheaper to build, plus you have very cheap labour. The PFA have got much better at policing such attempts to pervert the rules.
If I could change the rules I would allow US stile build assist programs, but I do not know if this will ever happen.
Rod1
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WorkingHard
You can fly a C42 micro / or VLA version across Europe on a JAA or old CAA PPL no problem. You cannot count the hours flown in the Micro to your currency requirement, but you can in the VLA.
My comments above assumed the original question was from a JAA PPL or equivalent, witch makes the micro option much less sensible compared to the VLA route. If we bring the NPPL into it then the situation is much more complex. In theory you cannot fly a PFA aircraft outside UK airspace. In practice there are standing agreements with most of Europe, which removed this restriction. Individual pilots have started asking the French for permission to fly on NPPL A licences, and have been getting approval on a case by case basis. When the R/E NPPL comes out this will be recognised throughout Europe. This will again make the VLA route much more attractive for the NPPL holder compared with the micro option.
Rod1
You can fly a C42 micro / or VLA version across Europe on a JAA or old CAA PPL no problem. You cannot count the hours flown in the Micro to your currency requirement, but you can in the VLA.
My comments above assumed the original question was from a JAA PPL or equivalent, witch makes the micro option much less sensible compared to the VLA route. If we bring the NPPL into it then the situation is much more complex. In theory you cannot fly a PFA aircraft outside UK airspace. In practice there are standing agreements with most of Europe, which removed this restriction. Individual pilots have started asking the French for permission to fly on NPPL A licences, and have been getting approval on a case by case basis. When the R/E NPPL comes out this will be recognised throughout Europe. This will again make the VLA route much more attractive for the NPPL holder compared with the micro option.
Rod1
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When the R/E NPPL comes out this will be recognised throughout Europe. This will again make the VLA route much more attractive for the NPPL holder compared with the micro option.
Rod I agree with you, however when this happens, the microlight weight will also be altered, some say up to 600 or even 700. So why would the NPPL M be less attractive than the VLA ?
As the Microlights ( fixed wing ) will probably be the VLA's of the time
Rod I agree with you, however when this happens, the microlight weight will also be altered, some say up to 600 or even 700. So why would the NPPL M be less attractive than the VLA ?
As the Microlights ( fixed wing ) will probably be the VLA's of the time
Thanks for all the responses !
Barshifter : I had a fantastic flight in a flexwing trike a while back. It was by far the most exhilarating flying experience I've had. Unfortunately, after landing the instructor casually mentioned the steel plate holding his spine in place as a result of an accident in one. Kinda put me off
Barshifter : I had a fantastic flight in a flexwing trike a while back. It was by far the most exhilarating flying experience I've had. Unfortunately, after landing the instructor casually mentioned the steel plate holding his spine in place as a result of an accident in one. Kinda put me off
G
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Microlight Aircraft - Flexwing
Thanks to all for the contributions to this thread. I have spent lots of time "googling" various manufacturers and products. I am curious if any of you have experience with the Australian "Airborne" trike series. I am particularily interested in their "Redback" - mostly because its low cost. Anybody care to offer an opinion on it or Airborne trikes in general ?
So far as I know, the only Australian trike currently approved in the UK is the Airborne Edge / Streak III. I've flown it a couple of times and my conclusion was
(1) Beautifully built
(2) Grossly overpriced
(3) Handles like a dog, especially at low speeds.
Don't get hung up on buying new - the UK has a very strong second hand market, and an airworthiness system that whilst a bit onerous, ensures that a second hand aircraft should (with a little care) be as safe and good as a new one. Try here as a good starting point for second hand aircraft. There are a few Pegasus Qs on there - that has been an excellent first aeroplane for many flexwing pilots for example.
G
(1) Beautifully built
(2) Grossly overpriced
(3) Handles like a dog, especially at low speeds.
Don't get hung up on buying new - the UK has a very strong second hand market, and an airworthiness system that whilst a bit onerous, ensures that a second hand aircraft should (with a little care) be as safe and good as a new one. Try here as a good starting point for second hand aircraft. There are a few Pegasus Qs on there - that has been an excellent first aeroplane for many flexwing pilots for example.
G
Hard to be sure which of the aircraft you're looking at there is the one that interests you, but the answer is "probably not". Because microlights aren't subject to ICAO standards, there's no automatic international overflight permission.
The UK CAA will give you permission to fly a French registered aircraft, on your French microlight (ULM) licence, for up to a month per year. They won't allow prolonged operation.
BUT, at risk of repeating myself - the list of UK approved microlights is massive, the second hand market extremely healthy - there's huge amounts to choose from.
G
The UK CAA will give you permission to fly a French registered aircraft, on your French microlight (ULM) licence, for up to a month per year. They won't allow prolonged operation.
BUT, at risk of repeating myself - the list of UK approved microlights is massive, the second hand market extremely healthy - there's huge amounts to choose from.
G
