Operations

Henrik Svensson

TO Operations & Flight Safety

European Gliding Union

From NCO OPS to Part-SAO

Background

AIR OPS Annex I to VIII - from 1679 pages….

Very complex – difficult to findrules for gliding!

Way forwardTo less then 20 pages…. Part-Gliding OPS

Annex I: Definitions

Annex II: Part-ARO

Annex III: Part-ORO

Annex IV: Part-CAT

Annex V: Part-SPA

Annex VI: Part-NCC

Annex VII: Part-NCO

Annex VIII: Part-SPO

Delete CAT for gliding

Delete SPO for gliding

Part-Gliding OPS

Part-Gliding OPS

• Definitions – sailplane, SLG, TMG etc.• Introductory flights• Responsibilities PIC• Documents• Passenger briefing• Weighing and CG• Instrument and equipment (required)• Min. equipment for flying• Instruments for VFR operations• Instruments for cloudflying• Seats and restraint systems• Supplemental oxygen• Survival equipment• Radio communication equipment• Navigation equipment• Transponder

Work with Part-Gliding OPS – time table

20 FebEGUCongressGraz

10 -11 MayEASA (Workshop OPS)First meeting about part-gliding OPS

OPS work in part-gliding will be a task where EASA invites experts based on nominations from EGU, Manufactures and Authorities.

15 MarsConsultation with EGU OPS working group

15 AprilConsultation with EGU members

December EASA (Workshop OPS)

Revision of the operational rules for sailplanes (RMT.0698)

The first working meeting concerning Revision of the operational rules for sailplanes (RMT.0698) was held in Cologne 10-11 May 2016

EGU was represented by Patrick Pauwels and Henrik Svensson

Jan Boettcher, EASA is Project Manager

We provided the position and concerns of EGU there we explained that one major proposal of EGU is to delete Part-CAT and Part-SPO for sailplanes and to establish AIR OPS rules of less than 20 pages, that is a simple rulebook for gliding.

After this first meeting we had a draft Regulation for AIR OPS sailplanes, a single document including annexes to this regulation.

aim for a simple solution where we think that everything concerning gliding should be normal operation!

The second working meeting was held in September. We

made some good progress in some areas, but we still need to

find a better solution regarding special operations and we are

also discussing the need for commercial operation during this

meeting.

We consider that aerotowing and aerobatics outside of air

displays are not specialised operations and we will continue

to push our statement at the next meeting in November.

We also discussed the issue about non-members taking introductory

flights and its relation to marginal effects on the total activity; this is an

area we still need to make some more progress. If all persons become a

day-member and fly an introductory flight – then it is no problem…

The third meeting was in November and here discussions

focused on which kind of operation that should be treated

as specialised operations?

Competitions flights was earlier agreed to be normal

operation

We continued the discussions about removing sailplane

towing and aerobatics from special operations, and Jan

proposed the following solution by adding information

in AMC, which in practice mean that we can carry out

sailplane towing and aerobatics as normal operation.

Workshop in December. The most important questions for the

workshop was these major topics:

Cost-shared operations – about direct cost or alternative option as direct

and annual cost etc.

Specialised operations – that sailplane towing, aerobatics etc. are normal

operations

Commercial operations – do we need a separate subpart ADD for com.

Operations?

The participants agreed that we should aim for cost-shared operations as direct and annual cost etc.

For specialised operations we all agreed that this is normal operation!

For the big question: Do we need extra regulations for commercial operations or not? We had a long discussion and we ended up that there is no difference in operation, if we fly normal operation or commercial operation, and that additional regulations do not add more safety.

Meeting no 4 was held Jan 31 – Feb 1 2017 in Cologne.

Discussions of written comments received after the workshop

and several of the comments were reviewed during the revision

of the rules and focus was now on IR. Many of the comments

had also been identified within our group.

We all accepted to delete – Flight Crew Member as we have only PIC.But the term ‘crew member’ should stay (if a pilot conducts e.g. a proficiency check with an instructor on board, then the instructor is the PIC and the pilot is not a passenger, but still a crew member).

We agreed on a definition: Crew-member means a person

assigned by an operator to perform duties onboard the sailplane

under the authority of the PIC.

Regarding documents, manuals and information to be carried; All documents can be at the aerodrome or operating site when:

-carry out aerobatics; or

-remain within the sight of the aerodrome or

operating

It is also ok with digital copies of all documents!

Use of operating sites? It is ok according to def. for PIC to decide

Regarding TMG – IFR and night?

Can TMGs be used for IFR operation? - It is very clear the almost no TMGs is certified for this of today and it is not probably that it will be in the future…

Night flying with TMGs? - We agreed that we have no approved TMGs for night operation.

Still we have problems to place cloud flying in the right box as ICAO only refer to VFR or IFR.

It can also be of interest to have some information/ definition of a powered sailplane and TMG, it could be presented in GM

Proposed GM

Powered sailplanes are divided in two groups, self-sustaining and self-launching

sailplanes, whereby self-launching sailplanes are divided again in two subcategories.

The design of self-sustaining sailplane is usually based on the design of a non-powered

sailplane. It is not capable of taking off under its own power but of performing a climb

and to bridge the distance to the next updraft. The engine and/or propeller is

retractable in the most cases. Landings are performed without using an engine.

A self-launchable sailplane is capable of taking off under its own power. Self-

launchable sailplanes divide in a category of sailplanes where the design in usually

based on the design of a non-powered sailplane, the engine and/or propeller is usually

retractable, the endurance is limited, and landings are performed without using an

engine.

The other subcategory of self-launchable sailplanes is usually designed for having the

engine running during all phases of flight, capable of taxiing with the wing level and

having an endurance of several hours. A common term for this subcategory is touring

motor glider (TMG).

The outcome so far can be summarised as follows

Commercial operations: Agreement that no dedicated set of rules is necessary

Declaration: Several attendees made it clear that for commercial operations a

declaration is needed to ensure an oversight, other attendees proposed to delete the rules as regards the declaration. Decision: A declaration is required for commercial operations.

Specialised operations: The meeting agreed that towing, aerobatic and

competition flights are not seen as specialised operations, and worked on justification for the explanatory note of the Opinion.

PEDs: The majority of the attendees made it clear that in their opinion the ‘precautionary rules’ as regards the use of PEDs should be deleted. No final decision made.

No extensive additional requirements for commercial operations: EASA

decided not to introduce additional requirements for commercial

operations, except for requiring a declaration (see below). The main

reasons are:

using a risk-based approach, no indication could be identified that a

commercial flight with a pilot and one passenger is more riskier than

the same flight, but non-commercial; and

such additional requirements would mean an unnecessary administrative

burden and an overregulation.

Text from draft opinion/explanatory Note

Declaration (SAO.400): At present there are only very few

commercial operations with sailplanes conducted within the Union.

However, to enable the competent authority obtaining an overview on

these commercial operations, EASA decided to require a declaration to

be provided by the operator of such operations. This decision was made

in agreement with the opinion of the majority of competent authorities,

and was accepted also by the stakeholders

Text from draft opinion/explanatory Note

Cost-sharing (paragraph (d) of SAO.400): In Regulation (EU) No

965/2012, cost-shared operations by private individuals are permitted

under the condition that only the direct costs are shared. The majority of

external experts expressed that:

annual costs should also be shared; and

an equal share between the pilot and the passenger should be

prescribed.

Since a similar proposal was made by EASA for balloons, which during the Commission comitology process was not accepted, EASA decided not to follow the proposal of the majority of the external experts. Instead, as for other aircraft it is only required to share the direct costs.

Text from draft opinion/explanatory Note

Specialised operations

During the substantial discussion on this subject it became clear that

sailplane towing, competition and aerobatic flights should not be

considered as specialised operations due to the following reasons:

sailplane towing is a very common launch method, indeed the only launch methodat some clubs. It is in no way unusual or a specialised operation;

competition flights are a normal part of operations. This holds for both, formalcompetitions and regularly with informal competitive flying between cross countrypilots. It can be concluded that extra risk assessments and checklists would bring nosafety benefit.

aerobatic flights are common in instructional and other flying, and are consideredan acknowledged method of improving handling skills of pilots. This holdsparticularly, since the range of attitudes routinely adopted by sailplanes is muchwider than for other general aviation aircraft. Simple aerobatics may well occur in aflight without them having been planned in advance. Therefore, requiring a formalrisk assessments and extra checklists would be a problem.

Text from draft opinion/explanatory Note

In summary, introducing additional requirements to treat such

operations as other than normal operations would be disproportionate

and of no benefit, and merely would lead to an extra bureaucratic

overhead. Following this approach EASA decided to assign sailplane

towing, competition and aerobatic flights as normal operations.

Therefore, the list of specialised operations for sailplanes, provided in

the AMC/GM, contains the following flights:

parachute operations;

aerial advertising flights, i.e. banner towing with powered sailplanes;

news media flights, television and movie flights; and

flying display.

Text from draft opinion/explanatory Note

The structure of the draft new rules for sailplanes is as

follows:

1.Cover Regulation

2.Annex I (Part-DEF) –Definitions

3.Annex II (Part-SAO) –Sailplane air operations

— Article 1 ‘Subject matter and scope’

— Article 2 ‘Definitions’

— Article 3 ‘Air operations’

— Article 4 ‘Derogations’

— Article 5 ‘Entry into force’

Cover Regulation

Annex I (Part-DEF) — Definitions

In addition to Article 2 of the act,

Annex I contains numerous definitions

related to sailplane operations which

are used in Annex II.

Annex II (Part-SAO) — Sailplane air

operations

Part-SAO contains the rules to be followed by all operators conducting non-commercial as well as commercial sailplane operations. The rules of this Part have been mainly extracted from Part-NCO of Regulation (EU) No 965/2012.

Other text has been amended and simplified

Part-SAO is further subdivided into the following five subparts:

— Subpart GEN ‘General requirements’: It contains the basic organisation

and operating requirements,

— Subpart OP ‘Operating procedures’: It contains all basic rules as regards

operating procedures.

— Subpart POL ‘Performance and operating limitations’: This short section

contains rules concerning operating limitations, weighing and

performance in general.

— Subpart IDE ‘Instruments, data and equipment’: It contains rules on

instruments and equipment in general

— Subpart DEC ‘Declaration’: This short section contains rules on the

declaration for commercial operations.

Finally, the appendix to Part-SAO contains the form for a declaration.

End of February: to decide on the need for Meeting 5 on 29-30 March 2017

February/March: further drafting by EASA March/April (probably a 3-weeks period): final review by the experts April – June: EASA-internal review, processing

June: publication of Opinion

Next steps/meetings

26.4.2016 16.11. – 23.12.2016 30.6.2017 2018/Q2 2018/Q2

Regulation to apply from 8 April 2019

EASA is of the opinion that the simple structure of Part-SAO meets

the needs of stakeholders. This especially holds, since Part-SAO

contains 12 typed pages only. Sailplane pilots and operators are

expected to be able to handle such concise regulatory framework,

which does not compromise safety, easier than the present rules.

Text from draft opinion/explanatory Note

Glider safety and statistics

statistics from NAAs regarding number of fatal accidents, accidents and

incidents.

This data lack production data now, so no references about number of

accidents per launches etc.

The data is then presented in a matrix they call Sailplane risk portfolio,

where safety issues are addressed and key risk areas (outcomes) are

presented. This will eventually lead to safety promotion actions for the

priority safety issues.

Glider CAG – CAG means Collaborative Analysis Group.

There will be no glider CAG – instead EGU support EASA

The need of collecting data?