What Can be Flown without a Licence

[CTjockey]

Quite like the Revo,myself....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7B-1A_MZAA&p=4...

Not sure about the cheesy music though....

[hidetheelephants]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Technically you 'Fly' these:



although I suspect without a license you are limited to these:

It's really the underwriter that sets the requirement for licences, there is little or no guidance from the MCA(presumably they just ignore it as witchcraft; the demarcation problem dates from the 1960s, the CAA said nothing to do with us, its a boat, and the Board of Trade(as was) said nothing to do with us, its a plane); I think Hovertravel use MCA 2nd Mate tickets or better for their drivers/pilots/captains/whatevers, at least that's what they were asking for the last time they advertised. The hovercraft club have a certification scheme but it isn't statutory.

[The Lukas]

I was looking into this earlier this year, but didn't actually get that far. This thread has triggered that desire to see the lovely English countryside from another angle.

I was strongly advised (by a paragliding company near me that trains you ect) to get all the training and join the UK Paragliding Association as it's a legal backup should you need it.

[mrloudly]

CTjockey said:

Quite like the Revo,myself....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7B-1A_MZAA&p=4...

Not sure about the cheesy music though....

Did hear rumours somebody was trying to get that through the BMAA over here, my guess is it'll be a looooonnnnnggggg wait :-)

Want to retro mine with the Bionix wing, it's the mutts!

CT's Cool, do you know Oliver?

Edited by mrloudly on Thursday 21st October 20:43

[nammynake]

I would also consider paragliding. The gear is even more portable than paramotoring (no huge rotor to carry) and packs into a medium/large rucksack. As already mentioned the weather parameters are generally more restrictive than paramotoring, but both suffer from the same limitations. Also many of the ridge sites in the UK for paragliding do not permit paragliders to fly. And you can cover massive distances given the right conditions and a lot of experience (over 100 miles in the UK, much more abroad in Spain / South Africa where thermic conditions are excellent).

This is me in Tenerife last December, just after riding a thermal up to 4000 ft:

[nammynake]

The Lukas said:

I was looking into this earlier this year, but didn't actually get that far. This thread has triggered that desire to see the lovely English countryside from another angle.

I was strongly advised (by a paragliding company near me that trains you ect) to get all the training and join the UK Paragliding Association as it's a legal backup should you need it.

To get BHPA (British Hand Gliding & Paragliding) insurance you need to be qualified up to CP (Club Pilot) level. This covers yourself and others in the event of an accident. Thankfully these events are rare, but they do happen. Feel free to ask (or PM) me for advice regarding training etc.

[CTjockey]

Did hear rumours somebody was trying to get that through the BMAA over here, my guess is it'll be a looooonnnnnggggg wait :-)

Want to retro mine with the Bionix wing, it's the mutts!

CT's Cool, do you know Oliver?

Edited by mrloudly on Thursday 21st October 20:43

[/quote]

Yeah, I fear you could be right!
Met him a couple of weeks ago actually, nice guy.

[andytk]

jenkotvr said:

best of it being on £10 of unleaded! Thats it no other cost.

Not strictly true.

I looked into paragliding and paramotoring, but what put me off (apart from paraglidings horrendous safety record*) was the fact that the wings aren't cheap and you'll only get a few seasons from them before UV degradation sets in. Once they go porous thats it, new wing time.

If you divide the cost of a wing by the number of flights you might get out of it (especially in gale force Scotland) then the running costs are not great.

• As for the safety factor, it wasn't just newly minted pilots that were smashing themselves off hillsides, even the experienced guys were getting it wrong just as often. Although I appricate that the paramotors boys have a much better safety record as they can operate in calmer conditions and stay out of the death zone with their engines. (Death zone = too little height to recover a collapsed wing but high enough to cause serious injury)

Although I admit, looks like loads of fun.

Andy

[Flintstone]

IforB said:

RichB said:

IforB said:

Don't get me started on the "hour-building" nonsense!

Didn't mean to touch a nerve, sorry. The tuggies at my club tended to be youngsters building hours to move on to commercial flying. No dig intended, indeed it was meant humorously!

Edited by RichB on Wednesday 20th October 23:46

I'm only joking, but it is something that I tend to try and shy away from in case I end up in a row! If you really want to see a rant, then all that has to be mentioned is the old fashioned "I'll instruct for free" malarky. That really sends me haywire!

Nice to see I'm not the only one. That and pay-to-fly will have me at piss boiling temperature in about a third of a second.

[dudleybloke]

do motor-gliders need a licence?

[SystemParanoia]

dudleybloke said:

do motor-gliders need a licence?

FLPHG's are like ppg s in that they dont need a licence

[croyde]

SystemParanoia said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXm3r-2-iWU

these guys did it... eventually went really bloomin high... scary high considering it was their first time flying.


what laws have they broken?

That bit when the guy is up high made me feel sick.

[Eric Mc]

dudleybloke said:

do motor-gliders need a licence?

What type of motor gliders? Aircraft like Grobs abd Fourniers are regiistered just like ordinary light aircraft. In fact, all "normal" gliders are now on the normal civil register.

[AnotherClarkey]

Eric Mc said:

dudleybloke said:

do motor-gliders need a licence?

What type of motor gliders? Aircraft like Grobs abd Fourniers are regiistered just like ordinary light aircraft. In fact, all "normal" gliders are now on the normal civil register.

All non foot-launched motor gliders require a licence except 'sustainers' like a Discus Turbo. These are are not capable of taking off under power but have a very small retractable engine that can sustain a steady cruise to make it back home if things go bad.

Edited by AnotherClarkey on Saturday 23 October 10:29

[john_p]

Eric Mc said:

dudleybloke said:

do motor-gliders need a licence?

What type of motor gliders? Aircraft like Grobs abd Fourniers are regiistered just like ordinary light aircraft. In fact, all "normal" gliders are now on the normal civil register.

Self-launching motor gliders (SLMG) are licenced slightly differently to single-engine piston aircraft (152/172 etc) but the procedure to add the additional rating to a PPL(SEP) is quite simple.

So to fly something like a Falke or Dimona you'd need a SLMG licence - and the same for a self-launching glider like a Ventus 2cxm - but for a self-sustaining glider (powerful enough to stay airborne, but not to launch) you could use the engine without any licencing

[dudleybloke]

Eric Mc said:

dudleybloke said:

do motor-gliders need a licence?

What type of motor gliders? Aircraft like Grobs abd Fourniers are regiistered just like ordinary light aircraft. In fact, all "normal" gliders are now on the normal civil register.

i was thinking venture/vidgilant type of thing.
i was quite fond of the venture back in the day.

[RichB]

Having just looked, the Venture & Vigilant are the RAF names given to the Slingsby Motor Falke and Grob, and yes they are both SLMG and require licences as previously described.

Edited by RichB on Sunday 24th October 21:09

[dudleybloke]

RichB said:

Having just looked, the Venture & Vigilant are the RAF names given to the Slingsby Motor Falke Grob, and yes they are both SLMG and require licences as previously described.

hope i dont get picked up on ANPR then!

[eharding]

dudleybloke said:

RichB said:

Having just looked, the Venture & Vigilant are the RAF names given to the Slingsby Motor Falke Grob, and yes they are both SLMG and require licences as previously described.

hope i dont get picked up on ANPR then!

General Aviation in the UK has a completely voluntary ANPR system, which is generally capable of recording most aircraft movements, and publishing photographs of aircraft and crews, together with times, dates and locations.

They generally have bobble hats, high visibility jackets, notebooks, and more often than not long lenses the Daily Mail could only dream about. They are a force to be reckoned with, and your only real hope in defeating them is that their mums will get worried they've been out too long, and summon them home.

[mrloudly]

eharding said:

dudleybloke said:

RichB said:

Having just looked, the Venture & Vigilant are the RAF names given to the Slingsby Motor Falke Grob, and yes they are both SLMG and require licences as previously described.

hope i dont get picked up on ANPR then!

General Aviation in the UK has a completely voluntary ANPR system, which is generally capable of recording most aircraft movements, and publishing photographs of aircraft and crews, together with times, dates and locations.

They generally have bobble hats, high visibility jackets, notebooks, and more often than not long lenses the Daily Mail could only dream about. They are a force to be reckoned with, and your only real hope in defeating them is that their mums will get worried they've been out too long, and summon them home.

I built Europa G-BVUV. Soon after I registered the kit with the PFA (LAA) I had two people arrive un-announced at my house asking if they could see the work in progress. They weren't interested in the kit or indeed work taking place, they just wanted it in their book.... One had driven from Bristol to Northampton to "Spot" it... fking wierd....

Andy M

Edited by mrloudly on Monday 25th October 07:46