Category: Aircraft

Flying an N-reg aircraft in the UK

Posted on October 1, 2024 by - Air Law - PPL, Aircraft, Instructors, Regulation

I don’t own an N reg aircraft and I don’t hold an FAA licence, so to me these questions are a bit academic. But people do ask from time to time.

To answer the question fully requires an understanding of both UK (ANO) and USA (FAA) regulations, supplemented by legal opinion letters written by FAA lawyers on specific questions (they are rather good at this and opinions are formally recorded and available). Fortunately, Flyer David has studied all this thoroughly and his article is regarded by many as a definitive answer.

To address, briefly, the more common questions about N reg aircraft….

Can I own an N reg aircraft in the UK? Yes – but it must be formally owned by a US entity. There are companies that offer US trust arrangements.

Why might I consider owning an N reg? They may be cheaper on the market, and that is primarily because maintenance arrangements are (said to be) more flexible and cost effective.

Can I fly an N-reg in the UK on a UK licence? Yes. In fact, you MUST hold a UK licence to fly an N reg in the UK, if you are resident in the UK.

Can I fly it in the UK on an FAA licence? If you are a UK resident, No

What licence do I need to fly an N-reg outside the UK? You must hold an FAA licence.

How can I get an FAA licence? There are 2 routes.

  • Obtain a full FAA licence, in the USA, through the normal training and testing route. You must continue to hold at least an FAA class 3 medical to keep the FAA licence current.
  • Request an FAA 61.75 or ‘piggy-back’ licence, based on your UK (or other ICAO) licence. This is more cost-effective overall. It involves submitting paperwork in advance and entails a brief visit to the USA to apply. A 61.75 is valid with a UK class 2 medical (but not a LAPL medical).

How do I keep the FAA licence current? You must do a biennial flight review with an FAA authorised instructor. There are not many of these, so they may charge more than a local UK club instructor!

I’m an instructor. Can I instruct someone on an N-reg aeroplane? Yes, but only for UK ratings. There is no longer a requirement to get permission for this from the CAA / DfT.

How about ab initio training? Yes, that is also possible but you CANNOT send the student solo in an N reg, only in a UK reg.

Any other things for an instructor to be aware of? Yes, you should be familiar with FAA regulations since you are operating in accordance with both FAA and UK regulations (the more restrictive will always apply). If operating an N-reg on the basis of an FAA licence outside the UK, you must hold an FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator’s Permit – inexpensive and straightforward to obtain.

Buying an aircraft share – eyes wide open

Posted on April 16, 2024 by - Advanced, Aircraft, Tips

So you’ve got your PPL. Congratulations.  Now you want to buy an aircraft share. What do you need to think about? I’ve tried to summarise key considerations in this blog but the most important advice is to avoid an impulse buy, and get advice – your instructor may be a good starting point n how groups work, and a licensed engineer may be able to help on the technical and mechanical aspects.

Firstly the aircraft – is it what you need?

What is your ‘mission’ and is the aircraft suitable for that. Local bimbling or hour-building on your own, VFR touring with family, IFR training and flights will each set different requirements. If it doesn’t meet your needs, you’ll get frustrated. If it exceeds your requirements by a long way, you are paying for capability you don’t use.

Is it a match for your abilities? A modest step-up is a reasonable ambition, but  a big ‘step-up’ in performance or complexity may require a lot of additional training and mentored flights before you can head off on your own. The insurance company may also set a certain level of experience.

If you are considering something more exotic that a Cessna 172 or a PA 28, do your homework  – find out about handling characteristics, known issues, maintenance costs etc. See and buy before you fly. If you’re starting a group, then follow all the advice about buying an aircraft outright – pre-purchase inspection, through review of maintenance records etc.

Secondly the budget – how much can you afford to spend?

Always buy comfortably within your means. With the best will in the world, there will be unforeseen costs, even in something as routine as a 50 hour check.

In most groups, you will pay a lump sum for your share, a fixed monthly charge to cover fixed costs like hangarage, insurance and annual maintenance, and an hourly rate which typically covers oil, fuel and the 50 hours maintenance checks. But some groups have different arrangements which may be more or less advantageous to a frequent or infrequent user.

Ask how the group funds upgrades and replacements. An inevitable big cost is the periodic engine replacement. Current regulations allow you to run an engine past TBO hours and calendar life, subject to annual checks, but the older an engine gets, the more likely that something can go wrong. A well-run group will put aside money from the hourly rate to contribute to an ‘engine fund’, and may have a fund to replace old tech with new. If that is not the case, I would shy away from an aircraft with a very high hours engine.

If you are the rookie pilot, the insurers may increase the premium and a group may expect you to cover the difference.

Thirdly the group – what is the group ethos? Sharing with like-minded people is important to avoid friction and disappointment later.

What is their attitude to upgrades and non-essential repairs? Are they a group who want to fly as cheaply as possible, and if that means a  scruffy aeroplane, so be it. At the other extreme, are groups owning a cherished asset to be handled with kid gloves. A happy medium is a group which wants their investment to maintain value and are they willing to upgrade things periodically. If your ambitions and skills are different to the others, you may have different views on non-essential repairs, upgrades and investments.

Understand how much  the other group members fly. For you, the ideal might be members who don’t fly much but always pay their bills. On the other hand, several frequent users might impact your plans, and a fair booking system will be essential.

Some groups are highly social, which means potentially you have a buddies with whom to share the cost and pleasure of flying. Does that matter to you? Do they have a preferred instructor for training and checkouts, or better still an instructor who is a group member?

 Fourthly, where is it based?

An aircraft close to home will get flown more than one which is an hour’s drive away. Is the airfield suitable for your kind of flying – do you need access out of hours, the ability to land at night and in all weather? What landing fees are you going to be paying?

Fifthly, understand the group rules

There are many things to consider here…… the group’s currency rules? How are decisions made? Does the group hold regular meetings? What paperwork and log-book keeping do you need to do? How are bookings made? Is there a fair use policy to ensure 1 or 2 people don’t hog the aircraft? Can you sell your share to anyone you choose, or does the group set the sale price and vet potential new members? Who manages the money and maintenance?

Many groups use a first-come first served online booking system but have some proviso to ensure fair use and allow members to take the aircraft away for longer trips.

 

 

LSA’s in Europe (again)

Posted on July 31, 2022 by - Advanced, Aircraft, Official documents, Tips

It’s the middle of summer, with travel plans made or indeed already flown.  I’m returning to the question of permits for UK registered factory built LSA’s (i.e. UK Permit aircraft), which cannot be operated freely in EU members states without specific permissions. Below is a list of the permission requirements and processes for different countries:

SWEDEN – apply at  https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/Forms/Aviation/Airworthiness/Application-for-permission-to-fly-within-Swedish-airspace-with-foreign-registered-aircraft-which-has-not-an-approved-ICAO-CoA-or-EASA-Permit-to-fly1/

IRELAND – fill out form 138C: https://www.iaa.ie/docs/default-source/publications/forms/airworthiness-application-forms/awsd-f-138c-rev-2.pdf?sfvrsn=c4ab0df3_20  with copies of Certificate of Registration, UK CAA flight permit, permit conditions (form 18B and the Datasheet). Send to  arc@iaa.ie  If o response, contact Ruth Bagnell, Aeronautical Inspector, Tel.: + 353 1 603 1463, Mob: + 353 87 279 8054, Ruth.BAGNELL@iaa.ie . There is no fee and the permit was for 12 months.

FRANCE – Step 1….. Go to https://redevances.dcs.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/index.php/laissez-passer-permit-to-fly.html/ and select “Validation d’un certificat étranger – MTOW < 5,7. create an account and reply to the confirmation email. Then pay 50 euros online. Take a screenshot of the payment page in case the pdf receipt by email gets lost (it takes several hours). Step 2….. Download, complete and save form LP6. Google “France form LP6” to find it. Step 3…. Send form by email to dsac-nav-bf@aviation-civile.gouv.fr , with relevant aircraft documentation –  “Airworthiness document issued by the State of registry, along with the associated validity certificate and/or operating limitations =  UK Permit, the EASA form 18B and the aircraft Datasheet). Include the receipt for payment. The permit arrives in a few working days. Mine was valid until 7 days before permit expiry, so it’s a once per year exercise.

BELGIUM – go to https://mobilit.belgium.be/en/Temporary_permission_to_fly and download the application form. Fee 108 euros.

NETHERLANDS – use form ILT.231 here . When I applied, permission was refused because my aircraft is not one of the categories covered by the tick boxes on the form. The Dutch allow microlights into their airspace and also amateur built aircraft – both on the basis of the ECAC agreement- but not factory built permit aircraft. We have taken this up with the NL branch of AOPA who are addressing it with the Dutch NAA but there has been no progress.

GERMANY – apply here https://www.lba.de/EN/Operations/EntryPermissions/Restricted_Authorisation.html?nn=2099536. No fee, max 180 days. Two working days notice are required.

 

 

Popular myths & little known facts

Posted on November 8, 2021 by - Air Law - PPL, Aircraft, Chat, Flight Performance and Planning - PPL, IMC rating, Instructors, Regulation, Tips

In my conversations with students during training and PPL holders during rating re-validation, some interesting myths emerge. So let’s put the record straight on a number of air law and licensing questions.

  1. It’s OK to fly outside the W&B (weight and balance) envelope as long as you have checked it’s safe, e.g. by a test take-off on a long runway. FALSE.

The PiC is legally required to assure himself that he is operating within W&B limits. And how would you know it’s safe other than by operating within the limits given in the POH? The manufacturer has worked these things out.

TIP –  It is so easy to calculate W&B, either on paper, spreadsheet or in an app like Skydemon. Consider making a handful of standard calculations – e.g. myself, flight bag + full fuel; myself, flight bag, wife + 90 litres fuel (= MTOM) – to which you can refer.

  1. The bi-annual instructional flight (the ‘1 hour with instructor’) must be done in the last 3 months of rating validity. FALSE.

You can do it any time during the last year of validity. However, the instructor or examiner can only sign your rating revalidation if you have met all the criteria (12 hours, 6 hrs PiC, 12 take-offs etc etc), so you might need to get the signature a bit later.

TIPS – get your 1 hour done early and don’t wait till winter, when the weather can prevent you flying. if you’ve met all the re- validation requirements early in the year, you can get the rating signed off and preserve the dates. There is no fixed agenda for the bi-annual instruction flight. From a ‘duty of care’ standpoint, most instructors will want to revise stalls, steep turns and a PFL, but in principle the instruction can cover anything. Find something that’s useful for you, such crossing CAS, short field techniques, bad weather circuits, night flying, even some instrument flight. The choice is yours and it’s not a test. You can ask the instructor to teach or demo something, or perform the manoeuvre yourself.  

  1. If I forget to get my rating re- validated by signature, I can always ask an examiner or any instructor to back-date it. FALSE.

The signature must be made before rating expiry date. And if it’s an instructor signing, ONLY the instructor who did your 1 hour of instruction is entitled to sign (don’t ask me why) although ANY examiner can do so.

TIPS – enter your revalidation dates in your diary – at least one month ahead of time. Get the signature at the time of the instructional flight, if at all possible.

  1. In order to accumulate IFR hours towards a CB-IR, I can record all my flights in VMC as IFR. FALSE.

You can only fly IFR (even in VMC) if you are qualified to fly IFR, i.e. hold either an IR or (IR(R) (the UK IMC rating).

  1. I can fly a 3-axis microlight on a PPL(A) and the hours count towards the 12 hours required for SEP re-validation. TRUE.

BUT….. in order to do so, you must first undergo differences training (by a microlight instructor) and get this signed off in your log-book. AND… for SEP re-validation, the 1 hour with an instructor must be in a SEP, not in a micro-light.

  1. If I hold SEP and TMG ratings, I can re- validate both with 12 hours etc flight time in the last 12 months, on both or either class. TRUE.

The hours are in effect inter-changeable. BUT… be careful. If your TMG and SEP ratings have different expiry dates, you must accumulate the hours and get the signatures while both are still valid.  If either of them expires, you must take a test (an LPC) on the expired class.

  1. If I enter controlled airspace by accident by less than 0.5 nm, or less than 100 feet, it won’t be recorded as an infringement. FALSE

Entering CAS without clearance, by any distance or height – however small – is an infringement and you can expect the CAA to take some kind of action against you. Airspace infringements are what are called ‘strict liability offences’, i.e. intent is irrelevant. All the authority has to do is to show – on the balance of probabilities – that you infringed. Evidence includes their radar and your transponder mode C output. Arguing that your transponder is inaccurate won’t wash, unless can get an engineer’s report to prove the mis-calibration.

TIPS – Why fly that close to CAS and risk it? Apply the Take 2 Rule – remain 2 nm away from and at least 200 ft (I prefer 300 ft) below CAS.  Do a transponder calibration check before flight: set your altimeter to 1013 and check it agrees with the transponder FL display.

  1. I am allowed 45 days leeway to fly after my medical expires. FALSE.

You can do the medical 45 days before expiry and preserve the dates, but you cannot fly after it has expired. However……

TIP –  a Class 2 medical lapses into a LAPL medical on expiry. So depending on what you are doing, you might be able to fly on LAPL privileges after the Class 2 expiry date. But LAPL privileges will also expire eventually and LAPL privileges carry further restrictions (aircraft weight, number of passengers, no night or instrument flight etc).

  1. If in my bi-annual instruction flight, I fly quite badly, the instructor can refuse to sign-off the flight in my logbook. FALSE.

He / she must sign it. But they may make an annotation ‘Further training recommended’, and they will discuss with you what additional training is needed. You would be well-advised to pay heed!

TIP – use the instructional flight to practice something you wouldn’t normally do and as an opportunity to get some (almost free) advice. Consider booking the instructor for a couple of hours so that you have time for a thorough briefing and for subsequent discussion.

  1. A listening squawk entitles me to enter Controlled Airspace. FALSE.

A Listening squawk merely signifies that you are listening on a particular frequency. You are not getting a service nor a clearance. You might reasonably expect ATC to warn you if you get too close to CAS, but that’s not guaranteed (if they are very busy, for example).

TIP – make sure you have set the corresponding frequency and have the radio volume turned up enough. Listen out in case they call you up, either by call-sign or by ‘aircraft in the vicinity of …..’

The silent killer

Posted on August 14, 2019 by - Aircraft, Human Performance - PPL, News, Tips

The AAIB today published a special bulletin on the tragic crash of the Piper Malibu in which footballer Emiliano Sala and his pilot died. Sala’s toxicology revealed very high (potentially fatal) levels of carboxy-haemoglobin in the blood. The AAIB concluded that the pilot very likely suffered the same and are investigating how the CO (carbon monoxide) could have entered the cabin. The implication is that the loss of control was due to CO incapacitation.

CO is the silent killer – it is colourless and odourless. Low levels of CO cause drowsiness, headache and nausea; higher levels impair concentration and flying ability; very high levels cause unconsciousness, heart attack and death.

A leaking exhaust and/or defective cabin heater shroud round the exhaust can be the cause of CO entering the cockpit.  Our club aircraft all carry a CO detector. The simple spot detectors cost a few ££ and turn black within minutes when CO is present.  They have a limited life-span and their replacement is scheduled in a diary.

More sophisticated detectors, similar to domestic ones, are also available.

The AAIB report is a reminder of the importance of monitoring for carbon monoxide. How do you monitor CO in the cockpit?

Glider pilots

Posted on August 4, 2019 by - Aircraft, Tips

Being a ‘lapsed’ glider pilot, I was asked to talk to a gliding instructor who is thinking of getting a PPL. The good news is, as holder of an EASA glider pilots licence, he gets 10 hours credit on the training. Our conversation got me thinking about the differences which we would need to address.

 

 

 

Some good things about glider pilots:

  • They know how to fly
  • Their look-out is generally better than power pilots. They have a lot of canopy to look through, and when thermalling, they fly in close proximity to other gliders, so really need to be vigilant. These days of course they rely on FLARM, as well.
  • They use the rudder in turns – the long wing-span of gliders means that adverse yaw from the ailerons is significant. Any turn needs to be made with a combination of aileron and rudder. This is something which lazy power pilots tend to forget rather quickly during or after training!
  • Every glider flight potentially ends in a forced landing into a field, so they are generally good at picking fields, assessing the wind and making a safe glide approach into the chosen field.
  • These days we both use GPS to navigate.

Some things where a glider pilot will need to adapt:

  • A glider pilot may feel claustrophobic in the cockpit of a Cessna 152 – peering through letter box sized windows. To manage the blind-spots, power pilots used a structured lookout method before entering a manoeuvre, be that a turn, climb or descent.
  • Glider pilots feel comfortable flying very close to other gliders – this is not something we encourage in power flying!
  • Effects of controls – a glider pilot may be surprised by the effect of power and flaps on pitch attitude.
  • Taxi-ing – this is not something a glider pilot does.
  • If not in lift, a glider is always descending, so glider pilots are not used to flying straight and level and maintaining a constant altitude.
  • Climbing and descending – power pilots have a greater range of options to learn: Vx and Vy climbs, powered and glide descents.
  • Stall recovery – though we demonstrate stall recovery without power, in principle every stall recovery uses power in order to minimise the height loss.
  • Glider pilots regulate their approach to land by varying the air-brake (spoiler) setting. In power flying, we set approach or landing flaps and then leave them alone, and control the approach angle with the throttle. Air-brake and throttle are interchangeable in this respect and also in their direction of use. For example, getting low on approach? Push forward to close the air brakes or apply more power from the throttle.
  • Go-around and touch and go – these are not options available to the glider pilot!
  • PFL’s – with a glide ratio of 9:1 the Cessna 152 has all the gliding attributes of a brick, compared with a training glider (25:1) or a modern competition glider (55:1). Only the Horsa WW2 assault glider (think of Operation Market Garden) at 5: 1 glides worse than a Cessna!
  • Cross country technique – although glider pilots plan a route via way-points, they rarely go in a straight line, as they will deviate to top up altitude in thermals and avoid areas of excessive sink. Power pilots are not supposed to feature -crawl and should plan as close to straight lines as possible. They use simple techniques for regaining track promptly when off track.
  • Controlled airspace – glider pilots tend to avoid it, apart from the odd class D transit. For power pilots, CAS is a fact of life. Careful planning and maintenance of heading, altitude and position are paramount in order to avoid infringing. Transits of class D are often flown and the RT for this needs practice to maximise the chance of getting the clearance needed. .
  • RT – glider pilots will use the radio, but probably not to the extent that a power pilot does on a typical cross country flight – so phraseology and practice will be important.
  • Radio nav aids (VOR, ADF) are not something a glider pilot will use but are part of the flying training syllabus.
  • Take-off and landing performance – gliders launch swiftly from the winch or aerotow and are capable of landing in relatively short fields. For powered aircraft, calculating the required runway length for take-off and landing are important consideration for all flights.
  • Weight and balance calculations for a powered aircraft are more involved than for gliders – there are consideration of fuel, passenger, luggage etc.