At 04:33 PM 27/08/2010, you wrote:
>I think the people who operate helicopters might have a little more
political influence than glider pilots have.
Is that because Mr. D. Smith might be involved?
Dick Smith has nothing to do with it.
I was actually referring to the UK situation of crowded airspace,
lots of gliding airfields, lots of other airfields, towns you don't
want to fly over, restricted areas etc.
Helicopters cost a lot of money and there is a large industry built
up around them. The uses may range from private flying to executive
charter through medivac to SAR to the military practicing for going
to war. If there is a perceived conflict between the helicopter
industry and gliding, gliding will be the one to get the chop.
Unfair, yes but that's the way it is.
This situation also impinges on the licensing issue. Mob of glider
pilots bust airspace. Imagine the rest of industry and the media find
out they aren't even licensed.
This isn't going to go on for ever. Better to negotiate the licence
and conditions before it is imposed.
We could have done this about 8 years ago in Australia with the CASA
RPPL proposal and we wouldn't have trouble getting our team members
to be able to fly at World events. GFA in the form of Henk Meertens
and Bob Hall and Paul Middleton from RAAus went to the Minister
(outside the public consultation process) and had the proposal
eliminated for glider and RAAus pilots EVEN THOUGH THE OPTION WOULD
STILL EXIST FOR THOSE WHO WISHED, TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNDER THEIR
ORGANISATIONS WITHOUT THE RPPL.
I would argue it wasn't even any of their f***ing business if there
was the RPPL option. Thanks guys, champion bastards all three of you.
Mike
Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments since 1978
phone Int'l + 61 746 355784
fax Int'l + 61 746 358796
cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784
email: [email protected]
website: www.borgeltinstruments.com
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