The whole issue of gilder pilot licensing and the "club" based system of signing off glider pilot "ratings" needs to be overhauled for a number of reasons.
We live in an increasingly internationalised world and whether we like it or not if you want to be able to transport your gilding skills to another country it would be far easier to have an internationally recognised licence issued in Australia. Last year I was able to spend 3 weeks touring the USA by Cessna 182, I needed to have a USA PPL but the whole process was painless and based on my existing Australian PPL, all the FAA do is check with CASA your ratings and then issue a USA licence with the same ratings even in this post 9/11 world. It was even FREE! I tried at the same time to get a Glider Pilot rating but was knocked back as the FAA did not recognise my "Glider Ratings" as I could not show a licence or CASA rating. Frustrating to say the least when it could of been so simple if I had an Australian issued Glider Rating attached to my PPL as the Americans do for their Glider Pilots. Perhaps someone can tell me how you can get the FAA to issue a Glider Rating to an Australian Glider pilot as I will probably be back in the USA next year? Another reason to go to a "licence" system is that the current system is not understood by the public and many pilots. The public are I think more likely to believe Gliding is a legitimate safe aviation sport with qualified pilots if licences are issued, the current system strikes many I think as being way too amateurish. A licence is a publicly recognized measure of achievement but what does a Sliver C mean to the public? The GFA confuse the international gliding measures of personal achievement in a one area of gliding (soaring/cross country flight) eg the "badge" system with a proper system of general glider pilot training and international/public recognition of qualifications and ability eg a licence. Club control of the whole process is also another cause I think of a drop off in membership after solo, there are no clear goals for many pilots and the hours required to achieve higher ratings are too high eg passenger ratings. I still have trouble understanding how come I can legally fly 4-6 people all around Australia or even the world in a Cessna/Piper after 50-60 hours training but can't fly passengers in a glider or fly without "club" supervision no matter how many hours and experience I have in a glider unless I go and get an instructor to sign off on it? PPL holders take responsibility for their own flying be it in a rental or their own aircraft but we somehow can't do that for Glider pilots, if they are trained properly what's the problem or don't GFA have any confidence in their training systems or their own members? How do the recreational pilots operate? Do they need "club" supervision? As for the cost issue many raise, its really not that bad, CASA charge for licence ratings each time you get an additional one I think now but its a once off not every year and now they charge $70 (was $130 for last 12 months) for a medical every 2/3 years. Its a relatively small cost to hold a proper licence. GFA and Club fees cost more then what I pay on average to keep my PPL licence leaving aside actual flying costs. Lastly I agree with Mike re Student Unions, waste of money for me many years ago and others I know of current Uni attending age. Mark K : >At 11:19 AM 7/06/2007, you wrote: > > >In your view, what impediments is the GFA raising to prevent people > >who dislike the GFA from following the same path you've followed? > >Is there an actual problem here? > > > > - mark > > > > >It isn't quite that simple as there is no add on to a PPL.(or CPL or >ATPL) It is all a most unsatisfactory grey area that would have been >rectified by the CASA RPPL proposal which the GFA had killed when it >would not have prevented the GFA or anyone in it from operating the >way they do now. The GFA just didn't like the idea of any competition >or a clear legislative path for those who don't join. >You obviously haven't read the Part 103 NPRM either. The clear >intention(it was written by a GFA member in consultation with the >GFA) is to hand an effective monopoly to the GFA. Particularly on >training/checking which the GFA has just stated they will not do for >non members so there would be no way for people to comply with the >proposed CASA regs without being GFA members(the excuse is >insurance). Like the APF and parachute packing actually. BTW there >doesn't seem to be a resolution of that yet. > >Even the GFA mission statement makes the GFA's monopolistic intentions clear. > >To unite and protect the interests of all glider pilots and to foster >excellence in safe, accessible and enjoyable soaring" > > >I repeat: > > We still haven't seen a defence of the GFA position of "our way or no > way" when it comes to the *option* of a state issued licence to fly > gliders. > >It is historic fact that the GFA went to Minister to have the CASA >RPPL proposal killed for glider pilots even though there was no >intention of eliminating the GFA option. Whether there were people in >this country flying gliders under a CASA licence and not the GFA was >properly none of the GFA's business as lomg as the GFA option was >still available. >It was also bleeding obvious that once the CASA option available that >numbers of pilots might not want to be GFA members. They might even >want to form clubs that weren't training organisations, a requirement >that BTW the last CASA bloke I talked to found somewhat bizarre. >Obviously the GFA position was based on sheer greed and protecting >the revenue, bit like trade unions, student unions etc which we've >thankfully stopped. > >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
