THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM The Coordinating Body of British Airsport Organisations Patron:Her MajestyThe Queen President:HisRoyalHighnessTheDukeofYork,KG, NEWSLETTER Winter 2014 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Aviators are, the world over, by definition and tradition, an optimistic bunch. The particularly unpredictable nature of our weather also means that UK aviators have an unparalleled capacity to be both optimistic and philosophical at the same time. Both qualities were rewarded in 2014. The weather generally played ball; and, at long last, our efforts to push back against unhelpful European regulation received significant support from a new quarter. The general aviation component of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge (RTC) was (re)launched in 2013. It began to influence, if not deliver, some significant outputs in 2014 - the formation of the CAA’s General Aviation Unit being one such example. One of the reasons why the RTC made significant progress was that it was led from the front and throughout by two senior government ministers – Grant Shapps and Robert Goodwill. Grant Shapps has continued to push the case for the much lighter regulation of general aviation. His involvement has provided a source of constant, helpful pressure on both the CAA and EASA, and he has not been averse to making some truly radical proposals directly to EASA. Such government support has been very helpful in lending weight to the work that the Club, its members, the GA Alliance, and our European counterparts have been engaged in for so long. As the year progressed, EASA began to signal subtle changes in its own thinking about the nature and pace of GA regulation. A major EASA conference was held in Rome in the autumn. It was well attended by GA representatives from across Europe. Many of the most significant issues were discussed in open forum. EASA was left in no doubt of the scale of negative effect many of its measures were having on GA, and the strength of feeling that things needed to change. One key point of discussion was the planned requirements for Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) – a measure seen as excessively burdensome, indeed totally unnecessary, by many air sport communities. As 2014 came to a close, news came of the decision to defer the implementation deadline for a number of EASA regulations – including those pertaining to ATOs and certain aspects of flight crew licensing – for a period of three years. We will now work hard to ensure that we use that time to redefine significantly what regulation comes our way – and not just await the arrival of things that would otherwise be inevitable. We will also do what we can to ensure that we maintain a high level of political support for our activities given that 2015 is a general election year – something that often reorders MP and Ministerial priorities. A little further from home than Cologne, I attended the FAI Annual Conference in Thailand in October. Members will recall that the Club has been concerned about some of the directions in which the FAI had been directing its activities in recent times, and the usefulness of the connections that could be made between them and the development of our air sports at the more ‘grass roots’ levels. We have also been making our concern known with the need for the FAI to both manage its own financial affairs more effectively, and appreciate the financial constraints that its own members – including the RAeC – are working under. We know from our own contacts with RAeC counter-part organisations in other countries that many others feel the same as we do. A number of developments during the conference gives us grounds for optimism that our and others’ inputs are being picked up by the FAI. Of particular note was the decision taken by conference delegates to direct the FAI Board to set up an independent group to provide oversight and advice to the FAI on financial matters. The Executive Board of the FAI has also been refreshed by the election of three new Directors. It is early days, and we need to keep careful track of how the FAI follows through on the directions it has received from its members. Far closer to home than either Cologne or Thailand, I’d like to highlight two – from among many – developments. Firstly, the Youth in Aviation initiative – Leading Edge – hosted another very successful reception at the Palace of Westminster for MP and Peers. In what has now become an annual event, we now have a unique environment within which bodies particularly concerned with youth aviation can showcase their activities and broaden the support that they receive from across the political and governmental domains. On behalf of the Club, I’d like to express its appreciation to the Air League team that lead this important initiative. Secondly, the RAeC now has a second Vice Chair. Duncan McClure from the BMFA was elected to the post at the October Council meeting. Duncan will work alongside myself, Dave Phipps (RAeC Secretary) and Roger Hopkinson (RAeC Vice Chair) in setting the Club’s overall strategy and priorities for Council. I’d like to thank Duncan for offering himself for the role, and also all of those others that already tirelessly serve the Club and Trust in its various areas. Finally, I’d like to wish all of our members, our members’ members, and all other general aviators a thoroughly enjoyable time over the Festive Season. I trust that the New Year marks the beginning of another good flying season and another year where we are rewarded for our philosophical and optimistic outlooks. Happy aviating. Patrick Naegeli Chairman ACHIEVEMENTS and AWARDS The date for the Royal Aero Club Awards Ceremony for the 2014 Awards will be Tuesday 12th May, 2015, at the RAF Club. Nominations for awards will be considered by the RAeC Medals and Awards Committee in early January. Dr Frederik Paulsen has been appointed a Companion of the Royal Aero Club, in recognition and appreciation for the generous donation he made to fund the employment of the Future Airspace Strategy Programme Manager. International Competitions and Achievements Dominic Bareford won the Gold medal at the Junior World Hot Air Balloon Championships, which took place in Vichy in September. Son of balloonist David Bareford, Dominic was flying alongside his sister Stephanie, who took sixth place in the Championships. In this contest for pilots under 27, the two British crews had an average age of 21. At the World Microlight Championships in Hungary, Rob Grimwood and John Waite also took Gold, flying their SkyRanger Nynja in the dual fixed-wing class. There were Bronze medals for the QuikR team of Rob Keene and Amy Bolton in the two-seat flexwing class. Paul Dewhurst was awarded a special prize after the only other entrant in the solo fixed-wing class retired. At the World Paramotor Championships, taking place alongside the Microlight Championships, Michel Carnet won the Silver medal in the footlaunched solo class. Two new formation skydiving records have been set in the Women’s and Open categories, with a 2point 117-way formation beating the previous record of a 2-point 110-way. The records were set in October at Perris Valley in California. Ten British women skydivers took part in the record. Staying with skydiving, Jackie and Spike Harper have placed first and second overall in the Wingsuit Performance World Series. Spike won the gold medal at the final event of the series, but was unable to overtake Jackie in the overall rankings and she became World Champion with a 1.4% lead. Four British 4-way formation skydiving teams took part in the European Skydiving League at Teuge in the Netherlands this year and were successful in winning back the coveted ‘ESL Spirit Sword’. The three air sports disciplines selected to feature, namely Parachuting Canopy Piloting, Glider Aerobatics and Paramotoring, will take place concurrently from 4 to 7 August 2017, starting the day after the Opening Ceremony on 3 August. Team Kaizen getting in the mood at the World Championships The Games, which will showcase a total of 28 sports, will continue until the 13 August and the Closing Ceremony will be held on the evening of that day. High Altitude Sky-Dive record smashed. At the World Formation Skydiving Championships at Prostejov in Czech Republic in August, Team Kaizen – Lynne Murray, Maria Russell, Laura McLelland and Rai Ahmed – won Bronze medals in the 4-way female event. Congratulations to all. World Air Games Dubai 2015 FAI officials gathered in Dubai recently to meet members of the Organising Committee, the host city and the competition venues of the 2015 World Air Games. The experts from the Sports Commissions met their Dubai counterparts to discuss the key issues pertinent to FAI’s flagship event and the Emiratis also took their guests to visit the Dubai International Parachuting Championship, where competitions were in full swing, as well as the venues where the FAI World Air Games are planned to take place. Talks centred on the schedule, the athletes’ selection process and the participating sports, which will be Aerobatics, Aeromodelling, Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft, Ballooning, General Aviation, Gliding, Hang Gliding, Microlights, Parachuting, Paragliding, Paramotors and Rotorcraft. More information regarding the disciplines chosen to be on the programme of the Games will be disclosed soon. In October, Google Senior Vice President and computer scientist Alan Eustace set three new sky dive records including the highest altitude skydive of 135,890ft, bettering the Felix Baumgartner/Red Bull record set in October 2012 by almost 8000ft. Though not a ‘secret’ challenge, Eustace did not actively promote his self-funded attempt, which was carried out in conjunction with the Paragon Space Development Corporation as part of a scientific programme to develop survival systems for descent from very high altitude vehicles. Preparations for the jump had been ongoing for several years. Unlike Baumgartner, who ascended in a capsule, Eustace was suspended beneath a balloon and wore a specially designed space suit that contained the entire life support system within it. Eustace also set a new freefall distance record of 123,414ft, and the highest achieved vertical speed of 822 mph (Mach 1.23). Julian Nott, a former BBAC delegate to the RAeC Council, was the balloon consultant and inventor of the launch method for Paragon, the prime contractor. More at www.uspa.org and www.nott.com RAeC COUNCIL NEWS At its last meeting, Council agreed to appoint Duncan McClure as a second Vice-President, alongside Roger Hopkinson. A nuclear physicist by profession, Duncan flies a wide variety of models and holds a number of administrative and instructional roles within the British Model Flying Association. He holds a UK PPL (A) (with IMC and night ratings) and flies a Piper Cherokee and also has experience of flying gliders and weightshift microlights. World Games 2017 The International World Games Association has announced that Air Sports events have been scheduled at the beginning of The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland. FAI Mission and Vision statements At the Executive Board meeting in May, the FAI adopted new Mission and Vision statements to help prioritise strategies and move towards its objectives and goals. The Mission Statement describes the reason for the FAI existence and will serve as an overall guide to priorities, actions and responsibilities. Robert Clipsham retired from the Executive Board after having served many years as Finance Director and was nominated as a Companion of Honour. Reports on different projects were made during the General Conference. They included: "FAI - the global organisation for the promotion of air sports and recreational flying" The Vision Statement outlines the clear and inspirational long-term desired change resulting from the Federation’s work: “A world where safe participation in air sports and recreational flying is available to everyone at reasonable cost” FAI General Conference The 108th FAI General Conference took place in Thailand in October. The full minutes will be published on the FAI website in early 2015. A reception and dinner were hosted by the Royal Aeronautic Sports Association of Thailand and the organising committee of the 2015 World Air Games. A booth was also specially set up by the Emiratis to present the Games. Sports Marketing & Communications. FAI World Air Games Dubai 2015 The World Games 2017 Support for FAI Organisers Anti-Doping Technical Commissions and Expert Groups The bid by Indonesia (Bali) to host the 2016 General Conference was accepted. The 2015 General Conference will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Bengt-Erik Fonsell from Sweden and Michiel Kasteleijn from Netherlands were appointed FAI Companions of Honour. SAFETY A forum was held to encourage an exchange of ideas on the initiative to increase the participation of women in air sports and in air sports organisations. We are grateful to GASCo who have agreed that we may reproduce some of the items in their latest newsletter. If you would like to see more details of safety-related matters, go to www.gasco.org to subscribe to the mailing list. FAI President Dr. John Grubbström was re-elected unopposed for a two-year term. SERA - As You Were! Executive Directors Otto Lagarhus from Norway and Beat Neuenschwander from Switzerland had decided not to stand for re-election and Hungary withdrew its nomination for László Mészáros before the start of the elections. The candidates elected to serve on FAI Executive Board for a twoyear term are Frederik Brink (Netherlands), Alvaro de Orleans Borbon (Spain), Agust Gudmundsson (Iceland), Robert Henderson (New Zealand), NielsChristian Levin Hansen (Denmark) and Gillian Rayner (France). The Standard European Rules of the Air (SERA) were due to be implemented in their entirety in UK airspace in December 2014. Mark Swan, CAA Director of Safety and Airspace, has announced: “While we welcome some of the clarity and consistency that SERA will provide, if implemented in its entirety it would impose considerable restrictions on the GA community which is why we are seeking derogations and deferring the implementation of significant parts of SERA.” The ‘significant parts’ to which the Director refers are the quadrantal height rule, VFR and Special VFR rules. While negotiations with EASA continue, the UK rules are to remain unchanged. More detail is at www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/InformationNotice2014187.pdf Winter CHIRP Now Available The first online version of CHIRP is now available on www.chirp.co.uk This issue features reports regarding Infringement of Range, Possible Airspace Infringement, Overlapping Airspace and Comms Failure. CHIRP is a confidential reporting facility for safety related incidents including errors, individual performance, regulatory aspects and unsafe practices or design. The online version replaces the printed CHIRPs that were regularly inserted in flying magazines. containing everything a vintage aircraft owner needs to know when starting a restoration project. CHIRP is also available as a Smartphone or tablet app… search for 'CHIRP Feedback' in the iTunes or Android App stores to locate. Winter Issue of GASCo Flight Safety The winter issue came out last week and included articles about incidents to R22 and R44 helicopters, Stall/Spin Avoidance, Ditching and Survival, plus the usual accident and airprox reports and some interesting letters. Safety Evening Programme 2014/15 The second half of this winter’s Safety Evening Programme continues until April. For more details see http://www.gasco.org.uk/safety-evenings.aspx REGULATORY MATTERS European Regulation The news on developments within EASA between July and November can be found at www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/InformationNotice2014187.pdf EASA news The EASA consultation on the Basic Regulation ended on the 1st September. Representatives from Europe Air Sports (EAS) are meeting EASA and the European Commission to discuss the details. The next major area of work for EAS with EASA over the next two years is the GA Safety Strategy and the GA ‘roadmap’ to implement the strategy. Positive developments include a proposal for increasing the age permitted for Commercial Balloonists up to 70 and a decision to defer for three years the Approved Training Organisation (ATO) legislation which had been due for implementation next year. There are hopes that the ATO legislation may ultimately be deferred indefinitely. EAS provided EASA with an opinion on the revision of the Part M Continuing Airworthiness & Maintenance rules, which are expected to become law in January 2015. Guidance on Restoring Vintage Aircraft ‘Guidance’ rather than regulation seems to be the new house style at the CAA as far as GA is concerned. The Authority has created a ‘one-stopshop’ webpage www.caa.co.uk - Restoring and rebuilding ex-military and historic aircraft It’s best to read it before starting work! SCHOLARSHIPS & BURSARIES RAeC Trust bursaries The RAeC Trust has launched its 2015 bursary programme aimed at supporting young pilots, with grants of up to £1,000 available. The age range has been widened to include pilots aged between 14 and 21 and a new follow-on category has been introduced for participants aged up to 24. Young people looking to advance their basic air sport qualification can visit the Royal Aero Club Trust web site at http://www.royalaeroclubtrust.org/ for full details, rules and application forms. Applicants must be UK citizens, resident in the UK, and training and flying can only be conducted at UK Clubs, Associations or training establishments. Applications, which must arrive at the Trust by 31 March 2015, are to be submitted through a Sponsoring Organisation, Club or Association. Activities available in the programme include gliding, ballooning, paragliding, hang gliding, sports parachuting, flying microlights, motor gliders, light aircraft and helicopters, and building and flying model aircraft. Bursaries are also available for Personal Computer or Flight Simulator pilots wishing to have their first experience of an air sport. Air League scholarships and bursaries The 2015 Air League scholarships and bursaries are open for applicants from gliding, power flying, helicopters and aeronautical engineering. The details of each award depend on the type of flying involved. To find out more, including closing dates, go to the Air League website at http://www.airleague.co.uk/ BMAA Flying bursary Applications for the 2015 BMAA Young Persons Flight Training Bursary should reach the BMAA by 31st May 2015 and selection will be made during June 2015. Applicants must be between 15 and 21 years old on the date of the award, have demonstrated an interest in microlight flying and be able to convince the selection panel that they have something to give back to microlight flying. www.bmaa.org/pwpcontrol.php?pwpID=6289 Flying Scholarships for the Disabled Applications can be made at any time for FSDP scholarships. Applicants must be over 18 years of age, not in full time education, resident in the UK and allowed to drive by the DVLA. For details, see http://www.fsfdp.org.uk/. Royal Aero Club Ties A new design RAeC tie has been created and is now available from the RAeC office at a price of £13.50 including postage. GAPAN Scholarships and bursaries See http://www.gapan.org/ for details of these highly-prized awards. Details of 2015 opportunities will be on the website by the end of this year and applications have to be received by mid-March. Royal Aeronautical Scholarships Society Centennial These are available for individuals and teams, generally for advanced academic study or for national programmes to encourage young people’s interest in the aviation industry and aerospace engineering. The closing date for 2015 applications is 31 May 2015. For details, see New pin badges are also available at £2.50 including postage. http://aerosociety.com/Careers-Education/centennial GENERAL NEWS Anthony Smith Anthony Smith, the president of the British Balloon and Airship Club, has died at the age of 88. Anthony was well known throughout ballooning and elsewhere for his work on ‘Tomorrow’s World’ and also for his many books. More about his remarkable life can be read in his obituary at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10971 443/Anthony-Smith-obituary.html Newsletter edited by Diana King. Please send items for future Newsletters to Royal Aero Club, Hebbs Acre, Presteigne, Powys, LD8 2HG or to [email protected] For further information on any items contained in this Newsletter, please contact the RAeC Office at 31 St Andrew’s Road, Leicester, LE2 8RE or on 0116 244 0182 or at [email protected].
© Copyright 2024