31 August 2021
Maybe I’ve been sniffing too much avgas, or had too much sun, but rather than using this column to prod those who are in need of a good prodding, I’m going to use it to celebrate what could well be an exciting new era for General Aviation.
Don’t worry, I’ve not gone too soft, the CAA still needs to sort out the absolute mess that is shared services (you wouldn’t believe the number of licensing issues that remain unresolved and that are costing people money). It still needs to sort out its customer portal and Cellma (while writing a quick ‘how not to get things this badly wrong in future’ training course – one they might’ve shared with NATS before it delivered its new ‘Internet Briefing System’ (IBS) – and the DfT still needs to do the right thing by General Aviation and actually work towards improving our lot in the UK rather than just talking about it. We still need less controlled airspace (have you seen how long it took the CAA to come up with, erm, nothing useful on the Cotswold reclassification?), and more airfields (or at the very least to keep the ones we have safe from developers)… but no, this column is going to be upbeat and positive.
I’m talking about the new legislation that will enable 600kg microlights. Oi, crusty dinosaur people, stop rolling your eyes just because you don’t like the word ‘microlight’, put your prejudice to one side for a second and just look at what we’ve got.
“…great news for UK buyers who should have a wider choice of much more capable aircraft”
Airworthiness requirements that are much more aligned with other national authorities, notably Germany and the Czech Republic (France has gone all Citroën suspension on us and is ploughing its own slightly different furrow). I’m told that while they are not perfect matches, they are close enough to significantly reduce the burden on manufacturers so that selling into different markets will be easier. Great news for UK manufacturers who should see a smoother export path, and great news for UK buyers who should have a wider choice of much more capable aircraft, and great news for people flying those existing microlights who will be able to make use of the higher weight limits (yes, I know this will not apply to everything, yes, I know it’s not automatic and yes, I know the manufacturers will have to work to seek approvals, but it’s a positive thing, no?).
Then, just at the right time the BMAA has appointed Rob Hughes as its new CEO. I’ve got a lot of time for the incumbent, Geoff Weighell, and I sincerely hope that he is able to fully enjoy his well-earned retirement, but I’m absolutely convinced that Rob is the right person for the job at this critical and exciting time.
But it’s not all super expensive sleek and fast machines (of the type that 19-year-old Zara Rutherford is currently using to fly around the world), there’s lots of potential elsewhere. At the recent Microlight Trade Fair I spent a few minutes sitting in an Pee-Bee, a nano-light weightshift trike with an 80cc engine and a price around £10k. Clearly it’s the wrong machine to be using if you want to fly yourself and your family to Le Touquet for lunch, but for low cost pure aviation fun in the silky smooth air of a summer’s evening, or the crisp unlimited visibility you often get during the winter, it’s got to be hard to beat (yes, after all these years of avoiding them, I think I really will have to give the whole weightshift thing a go).
But even if that’s not your thing, there’s something in the new regs that just might be… how about a single-seater? Yup, 600kg aeroplanes with a (flapped) stall speed of 45kt or less could well bring a new range of factory or kit-built microlights within range. It’s tough to justify a single-seater as your only aircraft, but the costs really start to look interesting if you perhaps share between a group like-minded group of pilots or hangar friends (this has got to make the possibility of getting the SPA Panther approved in the UK a bit closer?).
Finally, there’s the PMD, the Pilot Medical Declaration. At launch a few years ago it was a thing of simple beauty. It may have fallen victim to some unintended consequences (or perhaps legal concerns if you share my slightly cynical hat), but it remains a valid option for many, many pilots, removing the stress and expense of full medicals (it’s not, however, an excuse to give up looking after your health). I know you have to have an account on the CAA’s Customer Portal, I know you need to make the declaration online, I know doing so is pretty much guaranteed to raise stress levels and blood pressure to dangerous levels, but once done it’s good until you’re 70 (at which point you make another declaration), so very much worth taking the long view if it sorts your kind of flying.
Put the challenges to one side, embrace the joy, embrace the freedom and maybe indulge in a few minutes of reflection. Find the kind of flying that works for you (from both a fun and budget point of view) kick back, enjoy and be safe.
