28 May 2014
Following a public consultation to deregulate all single-seat microlights in September 2013, the CAA has announced an Air Navigation Order (ANO) which enables the proposed change.
The exemption allows owners of any aeroplane that meets the criteria for a single seat microlight aeroplane to fly within the United Kingdom, without the need for the aircraft to hold a valid Permit to Fly.
The aircraft included in the scope of the ANO are any microlight aeroplane that:
– Is designed to carry one person;
– Has a maximum take-off mass of no more than:
i) 300kg for a single seat landplane (or 390kg for a single seat landplane of
which 51% was built by an amateur, or non-profit making association of
amateurs, for their own purposes and without any commercial objective, in
respect of which a Permit to Fly issued by the CAA was in force prior to
1 January 2003); or
ii) 315kg for a single seat landplane equipped with an airframe mounted total
recovery parachute system; or
iii) 330kg for a single seat amphibian or floatplane; and
– Has a stall speed or minimum steady flight speed in the landing configuration not
exceeding 35kt calibrated airspeed.
Examples of aircraft which will be eligible to be operated under the new rule include the Mini-max (pictured), according to the Light Aircraft Association.
Aircraft owners who wish to make use of the exemption, in advance of the ANO being amended, may do so by responding to the declaration form that will be sent to owners or by completing and returning the declaration in the Appendix of this IN to the Aircraft Registration Section.
The full ANO can be found <a href=’http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/InformationNotice2014091.pdf ‘ target=’_blank’>here.</a>
