An L2 independent operator is required to be "supervised" when club operations 
are in play and they are a member of that club. Particularly when a tow is 
required it is impossible to be independent by definition. In a self-launcher 
you could argue the case but you have to live in the club environment and 
courtesy is a valuable commodity. I believe the L2 IO was conceived for self 
launching and touring motorgliders operating remotely or when official ops were 
not taking place at a home airfield.
Rob Izatt

On 02/09/2014, at 1:11 PM, Ulrich Stauss wrote:

> Mike, you are probably referring to the L1 IO rating (which in my opinion 
> should be abolished – why should anyone be responsible for my flying unless I 
> am in training).
>  
> The current MOSP says:
> “13.2 LEVEL 2 ‘UNRESTRICTED’ INDEPENDENT OPERATOR
> Unlike the Level 1 Independent Operator authority, where club responsibility 
> of independent operations is of primary importance, holders of Level 2 
> Independent Operator authority are solely responsible for all aspects of 
> their operations when operating independently. This includes airways 
> clearances, tower clearances, SAR notification and accident/incident 
> reporting.”
>  
> To my knowledge it has been like that for many years.
>  
> I agree with you that the minimum hours for instructor ratings seem low but 
> in practice it requires a lot more hours to gain the abilities and convince 
> the CFIs and L3 instructors to give you an L1 let alone L2 rating. What 
> should the minimum be in your opinion? No matter where you set that it will 
> not be enough for some and increasingly discouraging for others the higher 
> that number is.
>  
> On the rest, including independent control checks for IOs, I’m also with you 
> although I would choose less GFA-bashing words.
>  
> Ulrich
>  
> From: [email protected] 
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mike Borgelt
> Sent: Tuesday, 2 September 2014 11:07
> To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
> Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Competition licenses - the emperor has no clothes
>  
> At 11:02 AM 2/09/2014, you wrote:
> 
> 
> Let's stick to the facts please. A Level 2 Independent Operators Rating does
> that and with less bureaucracy and overregulation than "in other parts of
> the world". It is also a product of the GFA - let's acknowledge that.
> 
> 
> No, you are still under an instructor if one is present, last time I looked.
> 
> 200 hours? You can get a PPL for powered aircraft in 60 to 70 hours from 
> scratch.
> 
> You get a bi annual and a medical every two years. Apart from that you are 
> completely free to go wherever and whenever you like with as many people as 
> fit in the aircraft.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A shame really that the GPL was not based on the L2 IO rating, perhaps with
> the bar lowered a little (e.g. reducing the 200hrs requirement - the 100hrs
> for an L2 instructors rating seem to be sufficient to allow the holder to be
> responsible for OTHER peoples flying). At least we would not have the
> current inconsistencies. I cannot imagine that negotiations with CASA would
> have been any harder on that basis.
> 
> 
> I consider giving anyone an instructor's rating of any sort with 100 hours an 
> act of gross irresponsibility. I wouldn't let anyone I cared about learn to 
> fly with somebody like that.
> 
> 
> 
> It will be interesting to see whether the first GPL holder rocking up
> somewhere in Europe will be allowed to fly without more hassles than
> European license holders.
> 
> 
> Maybe EASA will find out the GPL doesn't work back home. As I said before the 
> ICAO deal is that you get the foreign licence on the fact that it is valid at 
> home in your own country.
> 
> The GFA negotiation with CASA was just a cosy deal to maintain the GFA 
> monopoly on gliding in Australia. "Umbrella" my arse, it is a boot heel.
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ulrich
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [ mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Future
> Aviation
> Sent: Tuesday, 2 September 2014 07:08
> To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.'
> Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Competition licenses - the emperor has no clothes
> 
> Hi Simon
> 
> You have raised a very valid point here! 
> 
> I have often wondered why one can have all the qualifications in the world
> but cannot operate a glider in Australia independently and without
> instructor oversight. As far as I know Australia is the only first world
> country that denies their glider pilots privileges that power pilots,
> parachutists, balloonists or other aviators rightly take for granted. 
> 
> Over the years I have discussed this issue with several GFA officials but I
> have never been given any reason as to why the current state of affairs
> exists. Gliding operations based on instructor oversight has now been
> standard GFA procedure for many decades. Therefore it is quite
> understandable that allowing a competent and responsible glider pilot to
> operate without oversight has become a bit too foreign to even contemplate. 
> 
> I'm the first to acknowledge that not everyone aspires to independent
> operations (or even a licence) and I understand that they can continue to
> fly as usual. However, I firmly believe that denying suitably qualified
> glider pilots the right to operate without interference by others is partly
> to blame for our current woes. 
> When our newcomers realise that they will always be treated as second class
> aviators we can't blame them when they vote with their feet. 
> 
> Isn't it time that suitably qualified glider pilots are treated just like
> glider pilots in other parts of the world? As long as our current system
> denies responsibly acting glider pilots fully independent operations many of
> them will find less restrictive and more rewarding aviation activities - far
> too many, if you ask me. 
> 
> Simon, can you (and other members of this newsgroup) let me in on your
> thinking, please? 
> 
> Kind regards
>  
> Bernard 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [ mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Simon
> Hackett
> Sent: Monday, 1 September 2014 2:39 PM
> To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
> Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Competition licenses - the emperor has no clothes
> 
> Just want to call out one other thing from the thread that I have just had
> confirmed separately.
> 
> The Australian CASA Glider Pilot License doesn't allow a pilot to fly a
> Glider in Australia.
> 
> SRSLY?
> 
> Its 2014. Why can't we live in a place where the GFA issues (or authorises)
> Glider Pilot Licenses for Australian glider pilots to fly Australian Gliders
> with (including ... in Australia)? 
> 
> I'm not bothered about an underlying requirement to be a GFA member in good
> standing (or to be separately authorised by CASA) if that floats the GFA's
> boat. 
> 
> Rather, I'm talking about the crazy notion that the outcome of doing
> everything right in the GFA system isn't an outcome where one can be a pilot
> licensed to fly a glider with a license to fly a glider called a Glider
> Pilot License - and where such a thing now exists but it doesn't actually
> work in the country of issue.
> 
> I actually *have* a US glider license of precisely that form (a US pilots
> license with 'Glider' as an endorsement on it). I don't see that cramping
> the style of glider pilots in the USA. Quite the opposite, actually. 
> 
> I'm not really interested in how we got precisely here.
> 
> I'm interested in what possible reason the GFA would have, today, to *not*
> to support the notion of a Glider Pilot License as something routinely
> issued to Australians to let them fly gliders in Australia - and for that to
> be the thing that people get issued with routinely (when, for instance, they
> achieve Silver C standard). 
> 
> Is there actually a valid reason for this state of affairs (as opposed to
> 'thats just not how we roll, son...') why this isn't the case - or why it
> shouldn't become the case? 
> 
> In other words, if I have a CASA issued Glider Pilot License, what,
> precisely, makes it unable to be sufficient to be permitted to fly a glider
> here (assuming one has a valid and current flight review)? 
> 
> I apologise for not having (yet) dug up the shiny new 1st September-onward
> regulations that govern the Glider Pilot License (and as already noted, CASA
> haven't yet actually published the application form on their web site
> either). But do those legally engaged regulations actually say that you
> can't use a Glider Pilot License to... fly a glider with?  
> 
> Coming at this cold, honestly, this reads like a Monty Python script :)
> 
> Regards,
> Simon
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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
> Borgelt Instruments - design & manufacture of quality soaring instrumentation 
> since 1978
> www.borgeltinstruments.com
> tel:   07 4635 5784     overseas: int+61-7-4635 5784
> mob: 042835 5784                 :  int+61-42835 5784
> P O Box 4607, Toowoomba East, QLD 4350, Australia
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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

Reply via email to