Licencing
Pilot Licensing
Ireland is one of the few countries, the UK is the other, in Europe where Licenses are not required for flying gliders. In fact the IAA has filed an exception with ICAO exempting Gliding from licencing. Gliding has been self-regulated since it started. While there are no "Official" Licenses, standard similar to those used for PPLs and Gliding Licenses in other countries are applied.
Bronze C
The nearest equivalent to a Gliding PPL is the Bronze C. This is a certificate which is only issued after a pilot completes a long course of Dual and solo flying and successfully completes a General Flight Test. The syllabus and standards are comparable with a power PPL and comply with, or even exceed, the ICAO Gldier Pilot Licence standards.
Even when qualified with a Bronze C, a glider pilot, even if they own the glider, still requires approval and a briefing from a Duty Instructor to fly from a gliding club. Clubs generally apply strict currency rules and require even the most experienced pilots to take check flights if they are not current. This is quite different from Power flying where a PPL holder can fly their own aircraft without any approval.
Cross Country endorsement
Before a pilot can attempt cross country flights, where there is a real risk of having to land-out, a pilot must gain a cross-country endorsement. This consist of dual training in field selection and practice field landings. In most countries this is done in motor gliders but can be done in ordinary gliders.
Silver C
A pilot gains a Silver C when:
- completes a 50k flight
- completes 5 hour flight
- achieves a height gain of 1000m
A Silver C holder can flying without a briefing but is still subject to the approval of the Duty Instructor.
Gold and Diamond Badges
These are awarded on advanced achievements such as 300k, 500k flights or 3000m and 5000m height gains.
Instructor Ratings
The IGSA has three levels of Instructor Ratings
- Air Experience Instructor (AEI) who can instruct new students on trial lessons
- Class II Instructor - can perform all trainingaprt from 1st solos and 1st cross-country flights.
- Class I Instructor - senior instructors who can send students on their 1st solos and 1st cross-country flights
In addition there is a Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) rating who manages the instructors and an Examiner rating who can grant or renew instructor ratings.
The IGSA Operational regulations sets out the standards appropriate to each rating.
Forms
Forms for apply for Bronze C, Silver, Gold, Diamond and others can be found on the forms page.
The Future
Legislation has been processed in Europe which enables EASA to implement a Gliding Licensing across Europe. Ireland will be included. By 2012 it is expected that the three year transition will commence whereby all Glider Pilots will have a SPL (Sailplane Pilot Licence) or LAPL(S) (Light Aircraft Pilot Licence - Sailplane) of some form as a replacement for the Bronze C as the primary qualification. The legislation granting EASA powers to manage Licensing became European Law in the Spring of 2008. At present the process of developing the Implementing Rules and Acceptable Means of Compliance and guidance material is under way.
The principal difference between an SPL and an LAPL is the medical standards; the SPL will require full ICAO compliant Class 2 medicals while the LAPL requirements may be satisfied by GP endorsed or extended validity Class 2 medicals. No decisions have been reached but the decision to allow GP endorsed medicals has been left to the National Authorities. The final outcome should be known in 2011.
It is hoped that there will be a Light Aircraft Pilots License (LAPL) that will be valid throughout Europe. It will be similar in many ways to the Bronze C in training requirements and flight tests. It may also have less stringent medical standards than the existing JAR FCL PPL that are more appropriate to sports aviation. No final outcome yet as the proposals are still being developed.
