The Today’s Pilot office has just received news from the British Microlight Aircraft Association concerning the hiring of microlights.
According to Guy Gratton, the BMAA’s Chief Technical Officer, “Since the start of microlighting, once a pilot has obtained his or her microlight pilot license, it has been necessary to own, or part own, an aeroplane to fly – hiring has been illegal.
“From today the BMAA has negotiated with the CAA permission for microlight aeroplanes to be hired. This is inevitably subject to some controls, the main being:
– Slightly enhanced maintenance requirements
– No passenger carrying
– All hiring to be within a club
– Hiring is to be restricted to ‘Type Approved’ microlights, which is the same category of aeroplane that may be used for commercial flying instruction. At present there at 65 type approved microlights
“This is a huge breakthrough, which we hope will do much to allow many microlight pilots to fly different types, or to continue flying when they could not afford to operate their own aircraft. It also opens up commercial hiring opportunities both to existing clubs, and other organisations, such as light aviation clubs or commercially run airfields.
“BMAA does hope that the restriction preventing passenger carrying during hire can be lifted in the not too distant future, and this aspiration has been accepted by the CAA as a reasonable objective, although no time scale has been set.”
Anybody interested in microlighting might like to check out the May issue of Today’s Pilot – on sale on April 1 – in which we have a number of special microlight featured to coincide with the Microlight Trade Fair at Popham.
Cheers
Steve
Steve Bridgewater
Today’s Pilot Editorial
By: BigJohn - 18th March 2003 at 12:20
I know an engineer chap who is taking a Quicksilver over America this summer – 45,000 hours P1 and hundreds of types and he chooses to fly at 35 – 40 mph in celebration of the 100 years of aviation! A man who knows what its all about I suppose… wonder if it comes with an ice box for the Bud ..hmm..
:rolleyes:
By: wysiwyg - 18th March 2003 at 09:03
…and the fridge is faster than the Quicksilver!
By: BigJohn - 18th March 2003 at 08:48
Ahh the hen pecked husband – a bloke in our clubhouse was once heard to make excuses to the wife.. I am on my way home now love, I am not at the airfield love etc etc… someone commented that he would not make a proper aviator — and he was right too.
Keep smiling:p
By: wysiwyg - 17th March 2003 at 22:21
I did buy for £2000 (a Quicksilver MX2) but the wife made me sell it and buy her a new fridge, dish washer and washing machine instead! Still miss it though.
By: BigJohn - 17th March 2003 at 14:51
The BMAA Council, or rather two members of it, are working on a proposal for the powers that be regarding the deregulation of sub 300kg single seater aircraft.
A sub committee formed by a previous BMAA Council failed to rearlise this issue but the current council is pushing and pushing hard..
Dunno if it will bring prices down though matey but I feel sure it will promote innovation in the same way as it has other forms of aviation.
You can currently buy from £2000 – thats pretty damn cheap aviation if you ask me 😎
Cheers!
By: wysiwyg - 14th March 2003 at 19:11
I had forgotten about that. There was talk a couple of years ago about getting sub 200kg microlights deregulated. What’s happening?
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th March 2003 at 13:57
That’s great news – now if only we can get single seat microlights deregulated we could have some really cheap flying opportunities.
Seagull
By: geedee - 14th March 2003 at 11:55
Top banana !
looks like I’m going to be moving back to the UK in Oct this year and as Popham is only around 20 miles from home, I’ll be straight up to Airbourne for my license…I know they already do part ownership on their fleet of microlights…
Looks like I’ll be getting my license to leave the ground after all !
Thanks for the info
By: futurshox - 14th March 2003 at 08:05
How very civilized 🙂
By: Simmer - 13th March 2003 at 20:44
This is going to bring leisure flying into the reach of a great deal more people. An excellent development. 😀
By: wysiwyg - 13th March 2003 at 19:48
A very significant breakthrough. Well done BMAA.
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March 13, 2003 at 2:42 pm