Microlighters

I posted this under the regulations section with no response.

I just wanted to know - am I the only one a little concerned or are you all happy to go out and apply for your test pilot ratings (for those with sufficient hours etc) or will you be requesting someone to test fly your aircraft following maintenance?

I still havent read through the entire proposed amendments yet, so may even be some other stuff lurking.

It's posted here

http://www.awsa.co.za/sites/default/fil ... _32866.pdf

Pages 21 to 24

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Skybound®

Seeing as you are the one that picked it up take it to Misasa for us please and give us feedback here:wink

Reserving my"whadaloadakak" statement untill someone with more insight offers a more logical and learned response.

I recall a similar response when I first posted about the new then, Part 24. So unbelievable it was then, that nobody took any notice. Look where that landed us.

I have tried on a couple occasions to get said rating only to be stonewalled with the "commissioner must be satisfied that the applicant has sufficient experience" clause.... (or something along those lines). i have done maybe 30 Post MPI and other maintenance "test" flights, but that was not deemed sufficient... Was told you needed a certificate from the Test flight academy or SAAF or "similar"?

What does 62.10.3 say regarding experience?

Basically 62.10.3 refers to attending a technique course as laid out in CATS FCL 62. I have what I think is the latest Part 62 CATS (Oct 2008) My guess is that the tech spec has not been written yet. So for now the 300 hours requirement is the only bit we know so far.

Maybe what you have suggested regards the academy may be what is inserted into FCL 62.

I have all the requirements but the course is where I get stuck every time. you need a letter of recomendation or "something" from "someone" to recommend you? The hrs are new IIRC, but the "academic requirements" is same "Hu Eish I can't help you unless you have a letter from I don't know whome saying I don't know what"...

I think good intentions for the boardroom but going to drive many RECREATIONAL pilots under the radar and operate from Frikkie's farm.

Hoping I'm proved wrong or someone will make more sense of it.

skybound® wrote:I recall a similar response when I first posted about the new then, Part 24. So unbelievable it was then, that nobody took any notice. Look where that landed us.

I think you have made your point

What are we going to do about it?

I think the first step we need to:

Find out what the real motivation was for this proposed regulation.
Was it supported by our representative bodies. (To have got this far, it would have had to go past CARCOM.)

For both I guess we need to get hold of MISASA/AeCSA for comment. Are any of their committees active here?

Yes Alan Mack and a few others

Would someone be able explain, in lay terms, what an "Open" class rating is, and what privileges go with it?

Post maintenance test flying is mandatory on all big tin right?
So..... If it's in the interest of safety (and I’m sure it is), I fail to see what the big deal is?
Apart from having to pay for it, what am I missing?

bobthebuilder wrote:Would someone be able explain, in lay terms, what an "Open" class rating is, and what privileges go with it?

Means you can fly any aerie in the class without having to get that particular aerie on your license... To use Cessna as eg. open Cessna 100 class rating (as it was in old days) meant you could fly 120,140,150,152,170,172,177,180,182,185,195 without having to do convex on each. Seems the new parts refer to weight shift for eg, so if you meet the requirements (500hrs IIRC and x types) you can fly any trike if you have open rating?

bobthebuilder wrote:Post maintenance test flying is mandatory on all big tin right?
So..... If it's in the interest of safety (and I’m sure it is), I fail to see what the big deal is?
Apart from having to pay for it, what am I missing?

Depends on what they determine as maintenance. If we are talking every 25 hours, when you replace your plugs then this is beyond ridiculous. I can understand after a major rebuild etc. Also, what about the ATF, this means you have to find a test pilot every year to test fly your aircraft in order to get the ATF. This leads to the obvious person to do this would thus be the AP. Now I trust my AP to sign my plane off and inspect it etc, but I am sure as hell not going to trust him to test fly my plane.

If you look at Morning Star, we have a resident AP, and 130 aircraft, of which there are about 40 different makes and configurations. How is the AP/Test Pilot supposed to remain safely current on all of them.

Let's look at the various options

1. When you build a plane or buy a brand new plane a test pilot needs to test fly it, in order to get the proving flight authority (62.10.1.(4)(b)Initial Test Flight). From here the appropriately rated owner/pilot does the rest of the 40 hours proving flights

2. Now you want to apply for ATF, you have flown is all along, and now you need to get the test pilot to test fly the plane again?(62.10.1(4)(a) - Test Flight)

3. Any maintenance done on the plane by the owner/builder, requires another test flight (62.10.1(4)(c) Post Maintenance Test Flight)

4. Anything else done to the plane that doesn't affect the flying characteristics, i.e. installation of a new radio, intercom etc, can be tested by a suitably rated pilot (62.10.1(4)(d)