As many as 10 postings over night are enough reason to put fellow subscribers to this list in the picture about my recent discussions with GFA executives on the subject of an internationally recognised licence.
To start with let me say that I raised the issue during question time at the last two GFA AGMs. On both occasions the current GFA president assured me that the matter is high on the GFA list of priorities but that CASA lawyers are reluctant to address the matter. Daryl has promised feedback from a recent meeting with CASA and I expect to hear from him any day now. The GFA president has rightly called it an embarrassment that Australian glider pilots have to undergo check flights before they can fly or compete overseas. This indicates to me that the GFA is fully aware that Australia is one of very few countries in the world where the authorities refuse to recognise glider pilot's skills and qualifications. The problem is that only CASA can issue internationally recognised licenses. The executive knows that the Parachute Federation of Australia has a licence system which allows their members to exercise their privileges overseas. I'm not sure whether other Australian rec aviation bodies have also come to an arrangement with CASA. In any case, the GFA is currently in negotiations with CASA and therefore we should hold fire for now and not jump the gun. I'm quietly confident that the president will resolve the matter in friendly discussions with the regulator. As soon as he informs me of the outcome of his recent meeting (and provided he has no objections) I will let you know. Kind regards to all Bernard Eckey -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mark King Sent: Tuesday, 10 November 2009 8:23 PM To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.' Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Glider pilot licence Could not agree more with below, it's a increasingly international world, many pilots want to experience flying overseas, it was dead easy to get my Aussie PPL recognized by the USA FAA and have a USA PPL issued at no cost and no flight test based on my Aussie qualifications. When I tried the same with my glider ratings, forget it they said as they don't recognize them. Why is there such resistance by the GFA to having an internationally recognized glider licence (ICAO) as many other countries do including the USA? My preference would be to have CASA administer Glider licences the same as occurs in the USA and many other countries and as far as I can see with no more hassle or cost then through the GFA system, probably less in fact. Might even raise the standard of flying and also make some sense to potential glider pilots who at the moment have trouble understanding how it all is supposed to work. Regards Mark -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of stephenk Sent: Tuesday, 10 November 2009 7:36 PM To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Glider pilot licence Interesting reading Chris, but don't get your hopes up. The particular document seems to be one Britishers take on the EASA and how it may ultimately affect UK glider pilots. From what I can see EASA is shaping up to be an EU licensing body and the poms want to get into that. Unfortunately they (BGA), like us (GFA) in aus, don't have a recognised (ICAO) gliding license to start with. Although the BGA seem to recognise this limitation and are moving slowly in the right direction. However, they won't be allowed in to play until the UK FAA issues ICAO compliant licenses for glider pilots. About 2005/6 the Germans, who have an ICAO license (including gliders) dropped their special endorsement for motor gliders, basically uprated them to PPLs (of 2000kg MTOW I think). Part of the alignment of licensing which has been happening. As it currently is, ICAO signatories recognise each others licensing (more or less) and are getting closer in qualifications. Flying other countries aircraft is only a small trauma to arrange, rather than a major one. But notionally the EASA harmonisation would make even this a total non issue. The French are pretty good at recognising UK glider pilots cos so many UK pilots head over there, being next door so to speak. But other countries (eg Germany) just won't have a bar of non ICAO licensed pilots. I got a French recognition on my licence a couple of years ago and it basically said I could fly whatever my Aussie license said I could fly (but not for money). If CASA allowed a glider endorsement on the normal license I would have been immediately able to fly French gliders with a paperwork excercise only. Sadly, there is no real need for CASA to do anything about making a gliding (or sporting) license generally available, so while GFA members are happy to fly in Australia there is no problem, but soon as we go overseas, it's almost impossible to fly foreign aircraft (legally). Regards SWK Christopher Mc Donnell wrote: > As this has been a long running issue I thought there may be interest > in what is now happening in Europe. > > http://timothyallen.co.uk/Solo2Silver/Solo2Silver/Assets/Docs/New%20Glider%2 0Pilot%20licence%20on%20its%20way.pdf > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
