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Skywings news stories published in 2017 are displayed below.
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To search by post date, please enter the month and year numerically as mm-yyyy (eg. 03-2016).
There are 52 news stories for 2017 in our database.
Displaying page 5 out of 7
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The BHPA-affiliated British Human Powered Flying Club will run its annual Icarus Cup competition at Lasham from July 15th - 23rd. Competition entries for this year already include previous winners Team Airglow (pictured), John Edgley's Aerocycle and Clive Barford's Betterfly, now run by Ian Round.
An Imperial College team is said to be rebuilding the 2013 Bath University entry, and a French team from Bordeaux have also entered.
The BHPFC hopes to be able to announce a new series of prizes from new private donors for the first three aircraft to compete a 1.5km triangle in the UK. The accent on triangle flights is intended to encourage teams to shoot for the remaining Kremer Sport prize from 1959, and to stimulate the interest of young people in human-powered flight.
Posted: 13 June 2017
By: Paul Dancey
On April 26th the CAA published an Exemption, with immediate effect, which allows paratrikes to fly without the need for a pilot's licence. This is the fruit of detailed behind-the-scenes work between the BHPA and the CAA's GA unit in the face of clear opposition from the BMAA.
The Exemption (from pre-existing Air Law) applies to solo aircraft only which weigh less than 70kg (or 75kg if the aircraft is equipped with an emergency parachute) and have a stall speed below 20kts. The Exemption has been issued for 12 months and will be carefully monitored.
In response to this, and as a temporary measure, BHPA Exec has agreed that any BHPA member who holds a BHPA Power rating can now fly a paratrike and is insured under the BHPA master policy. Over the summer FSC will consider whether further training will be required to fly a paratrike. At some date in the future pilots may be required demonstrate experience, or to undertake training, in flying with wheels.
The FSC is also working with the few schools that could legally teach pilots to fly a paratrike to generate a syllabus for the discipline. Note that until this work has been completed and published, instructors who could not previously teach pilots to fly paratrikes are not yet authorised or covered by BHPA insurance to give such instruction. It is hoped that this situation will be rectified very quickly. The full wording of the CAA Exemption can be found on the CAA website, or search for ORS4 No.1224.
Posted: 13 June 2017
By: Paul Dancey
As the result of an investigation into a recent fatal paramotor incident the BHPA's Flying & Safety Committee has issued a Safety Notice for the Jojowings Instinct S paraglider which was found to be displaying an out of date certification placard indicating that the glider was rated to AFNOR 'Standard'.
However, since certification in 2005, the manufacturer has extended the weight range and added risers fitted with a trimmer system. Both the extended weight range and the addition of the trimmers render the certification invalid.
As part of the investigation, flight testing carried out by an independent EN paraglider test centre showed the glider to exhibit extremely dynamic responses to both symmetric and asymmetric collapses when flown with the trimmers set to 'fast'. In the opinion of the test centre such responses would receive at least an EN D under the current EN certification system.
The BHPA recommends that the Jojowings Instinct paraglider should not be flown with the trimmers set in the 'fast' position unless the pilot is confident that they have the necessary skills to recover the glider should a collapse occur. The BHPA recommendation for flying EN D class gliders is as follows:
"For pilots who have been flying for many years, fly more than 200 hours a year, often in strong thermic conditions, and are masters of the various SIV skills."
A copy of the BHPA safety notice can be downloaded on the Safety Notices page, and a copy of the full report is available on the Formal Investigations page of this website.
Posted: 23 May 2017
By: Paul Dancey
Four months after setting a world record time to climb to 3,000m (see Skywings, February), the FAI has ratified two further records for the electric-powered Extra 330LE aeroplane.
Two flights were made in Germany on March 23rd, at different weights, to secure speed-over-3km records of 337.5km/h (500-1000kg class) and 342.86km/h (1000-1750kg class).
Siemens, the company behind the electric-power technology, described the records as a technical milestone. In 1922 a 440hp Curtiss V12 engine was needed to push the world air speed record only just beyond that figure to 359.72km/h. The Curtiss weighed 314kg; the Siemens motor weighs just 50kg.
Posted: 9 May 2017
By: Paul Dancey
On 11th April it was reported that top hang glider pilot Luke Nicol had flown 206km on a second-hand Ozone Zeno paraglider, from Garway Hill, Herefordshire to near Duxford in Cambridgeshire in company with Mark Watts.
It turns out that this was no flash in the pan - Luke went on to fly 130km from Devils Dyke to Broadstairs on April 14th with Mark, Catherine Turner and Roger Turner, 171km from South Cerney to near Exeter on April 18th with Mark and Jim Mallinson, and a 105km triangle from South Cerney on April 19th with Hugh Miller, who had already flown 158km from Garway Hill to near Biggleswade on the 11th.
As a result of all this epic flying, on April 20th Luke led the paragliding XC League with 946 points from Graham Steel (930), Richard Osborne (768), Hugh Miller (633) and Mark Watts (617). We're not sure yet if this is a temporary aberration on Luke's part or if he really has crossed over for good.
Posted: 9 May 2017
By: Paul Dancey
In late March the CAA asked for views on its draft guidance that sets out how their redesigned airspace change process will work. The new process was developed following consultation with the aviation industry, local communities and airspace users.
All parties are now urged to have their say on the draft guidance. It outlines seven stages of the new process for permanent changes to UK airspace, from initial objectives to post-implementation review. It explains what a sponsor of an airspace change (the airport or other body requesting it) must complete at each stage; the stakeholders they must engage at each stage and the CAA's expectations of that engagement.
It also explains how the CAA will assess any proposed change before making a decision. The new approach is designed to make sure future decisions about airspace changes are fair, transparent, evidence-based and proportionate. You can view - and comment - on the proposed guidance on the CAA website. The deadline for responses is June 30th.
Posted: 9 May 2017
By: Paul Dancey
On Thursday March 9th, two paramotors were identified crossing the Air Traffic Zone at Cotswold Airport (Kemble), half a mile from the airfield. Undetected by radar, the paramotors had entered the Kemble Air Traffic Zone and temporary Class D Airspace. Nearby RAF Brize Norton were notified and a Royal Flight was delayed. A Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) was submitted to the CAA and a report made to Gloucestershire Police.
All pilots, powered or otherwise, are reminded of the need to check for permanent controlled airspace and NOTAMed temporary airspace when planning flights. Kemble may not be a commercial transport hub but it is a busy airport handling diverse air traffic from 450kg microlights to Boeing 747s, etc, protected by an ATZ four miles in diameter extending to 2000ft agl.
Advance warning of temporary airspace restrictions across the UK is provided by the NOTAM system. Whether you load the correct up-to-date chart into your navigation instrument or access the very useful and accurate http://notaminfo.com, it is imperative that all pilots are aware of all permanent and temporary airspace restrictions and prohibitions on their likely route or routes. Advance warning of Red Arrows routes and displays, and of impending Royal Flights, can also be accessed by phoning 0500 354802 or 020 8750 3939.
Posted: 9 May 2017
By: Paul Dancey
We are pleased to announce that in respect of wheeled undercarriage for paramotors (paratrikes), our work with the CAA has borne fruit.
On 26th April 2017 the CAA published an exemption which allows paratrikes to fly without the need for a pilot's licence. This applies to aircraft which weigh less than 70kg (or 75kg if the aircraft is equipped with an emergency parachute recovery system) and have a stall speed below 20kts. The exemption only applies to aircraft flown solo.
For the full wording of the exemption please visit the CAA website.
In response to this and as a temporary measure, BHPA Exec has decided that any BHPA member who holds a power rating can now fly a paratrike and is insured under the BHPA master policy.
Over the summer, FSC will be considering whether further training will be required to fly a paratrike and may, at some date in the future, require pilots to undertake training, or demonstrate experience, in flying with an undercarriage.
FSC are rapidly working with the few schools that could already legally teach pilots to fly a paratrike to generate a syllabus for teaching this discipline. Until this work has been completed and published, instructors who could not previously teach pilots to fly paratrikes are not yet authorised or covered by the insurance to give such instruction. This is something that we hope to have in place very quickly.
Posted: 29 April 2017
By: Paul Dancey
last updated: 29 March 2025
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