I have considered getting the GPC/PPL endorsement for flying in
Europe (Austria) as I visit there every couple of years. But it was
all somewhat too hard (and when I visited this past Christmas, it
was winter and the local club wasn't flying anyway).
If I ever retire to Europe for an extended period I _may_ get a bit
more serious about an endorsement on my PPL.
" ...whereas the traditional route of finding someone amenable
inside the LBA was ironically much more straightforward".
I am pretty sure that up till the mid 2000s, people flying German
(and most other European countries) gliders on the old GFA white
card were doing it strictly illegally, just no one asked. The
introduction of EASA licensing put the spotlight on the issue.
The only country at that time which had a formal method of dealing
with "non licensed" glider pilots was France, because of the number of
BGA pilots who spent time there.
SWK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
To:"Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
Cc:
Sent:Mon, 6 Feb 2017 14:10:41 +1100
Subject:Re: [Aus-soaring] MEMBERSHIP AND A WORLD REVIEW
>The GPL, as I understand it, is now supposed to allow glider pilots
to fly overseas (BUT not in Australia). Just out of interest, has
anyone actually done that yet?
Yes, I have an FAA licence issued on the back of my GPL. It wasn't too
painful, except for having to pickup the FAA licence in person(!)
I also received a temporary German validation to fly based off it, but
the process was far more complex and expensive than it was without the
GPL - but I suspect this is because we're now going in the front door
of the LBA, whereas the traditional route of finding someone amenable
inside the LBA was ironically much more straightforward.
On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 1:30 PM, Ulrich Stauss wrote:
Please correct me if I’m wrong but the L2 Independent Operator
endorsement has always allowed glider pilots to operate independently
within Australia (at least as much as that is possible). The question
is why don’t pilots take that route?
IIRC the GPC (or better GPL) initially was meant to be a “license
equivalent” to be able to fly overseas. The (political?) process
then gave us the GPC which was bolted into the MOSP in a fairly
incomplete way and left clubs and instructors to implement the changed
syllabus (which was given as a list of dot points) somehow on their
own. As can be expected this resulted in any number of different
interpretations the manifestations of which we are discussing here.
The main aim – to provide a piece of paper or plastic that is
recognised overseas – was not achieved.
The GPL, as I understand it, is now supposed to allow glider pilots
to fly overseas (BUT not in Australia). Just out of interest, has
anyone actually done that yet?
Also, if my understanding is correct it is possible fly a
self-launcher with a C certificate (plus corresponding
training/endorsement) under the supervision of an instructor(?). And
now the call from someone within the upper rungs of the GFA that
“anyone cleared to fly a Self Launcher automatically has L2 OPS
annotated on GPC“. Hmmm. Maybe the people who (want to) doctor
around with the MOSP should actually read and (try to) understand it.
Ulrich
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