" We discussed this on this group about 3 or 4 years ago and the sentiment was strongly in favour of adding a glider rating to any other CASA licence.."
That's not how I remember that discussion Mike, I do not recall any general sentiment in either way, just points both for and against. It may have been (unsurprisingly) the sentiment of those who already have a CASA license. Have to agree largely about the GFA though. Dave -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tim Shirley Sent: Thursday, 31 May 2007 8:38 AM To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.' Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Sporting Licences Hmmm An FAI Sporting Licence costs $5 per year. Hard to imagine any other rubber stamp costing so little. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Borgelt Sent: Thursday, 31 May 2007 8:58 To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Sporting Licences At 06:45 PM 30/05/2007, you wrote: >Mike, > >Please be careful with regard to a NAA recognised license (Do we >really want one), Well, I do. I already have a PPL. All the GFA exemptions are worthless to anyone with a PPL or higher as that person already complies with all the requirements. The GFA system just adds expense. We discussed this on this group about 3 or 4 years ago and the sentiment was strongly in favour of adding a glider rating to any other CASA licence. I talked with many glider pilots. Most would be happy to have a "real" licence. In many cases spouses and friends would be happier particularly if going to fly with these people. At the time CASA had a Recreational Private Pilot licence proposal on the table to cover all aspects of sport aviation. It seemed totally sensible. Hall and Meertens(along with the then AUF rep I believe) went along to the Minister to can it. Of course you remember being asked whether this was what you wanted, don't you? > Australia has a lodged exception with ICAO with regard to gliding > licenses currently. Did anyone bother to ask the punters? >It is very good news for the GFA members if the SSA are dropping the >FAA license. This may remove some of the beurocratic mumbo for us at least. My post was regarding the FAI Sporting Licence requirement. Nothing all to do with the US PPL(G) which not one of the many, many US pilots I've ever talked to complained about. They study for the written, do the flight test and nobody seems to bother them after that. Most I've talked to also hold the single engine land VFR rating. The medical for gliders and balloons is a self declaration. Much of what you call bureaucratic mumbo jumbo is actually learning the rules of the air and aircraft operations as well as a little aerodynamics which might save your life and proving this by doing a written test. > In the past we had a very managable gentlemens agreement with > regard to recognition of all country entitlements to fly sailplanes. Really? It was never that easy in Europe (UK excepted) even in 1988 except for recognised international contests. I was offered a flight in the prototype LS7 in 1988 at a German Nationals by Walter Schneider. I told Walter I hadn't gone through the German paperwork. He just told me not to crash and not to talk on the radio. I didn't get to fly it as we had to go to Switzerland. The late Klaus Breitkreutz told me about flying the prototype DG400 in the early 80's which he said would have been impossible on an Australian gliding qualification. It was only that he had an Australian PPL that he could fly it. >The need for an ICAO compliant "license" for the operation of >sailplanes brings us fast into the realm of renewal, currency, >compliance by the NAA regulator (CASA in Aus) and worst of all the >loss of our own say in how its all done. You mean we would have to do all those things that the GFA does now? Except that there would be a proper public consultation process before any major changes were introduced, unlike what happens in the GFA. >The GFA has a mature working system that has been operating for more >than 60 years now. Mate, the GFA is circling the drain membership wise and people are being killed and injured as a result of poor instructor standards and training. How come the RAAus is doing so much better membership wise with a system much more like a restricted to Class G PPL? Not that I have much time at all for the RAAus who seem unable/unwilling to negotiate access to airspace above 5000 feet on a routine basis for their members. Maybe a RPPL would have helped them? >If you want to see how the NAA license doesnt work try flying in Europe now.. See above. >I can see we will have to have a CASA type of license to operate >internationally, but not within Australia, at least i hope so. It might actually be easier for everyone to have one here. Only problem is the GFA fears losing control/revenue and a few people in the GFA would lose a position of some authority which might damage their egos. About 3 years ago I talked with a couple of German glider pilots at Toc. Their opinion was that gliding was going downhill in Germany because those who run it at every level (from their GFA equivalent through to the clubs) fear letting go control. Quote "they'd rather drive it in to the ground than let go control". One of the guys was the business manager of a large German glider manufacturer. Mike > Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments phone Int'l + 61 746 355784 fax Int'l + 61 746 358796 cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784 Int'l + 61 429 355784 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.borgeltinstruments.com _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
