European License

At 18:48 19 March 2006, Mike Schumann wrote:
Is a medical required in Europe for flying gliders
(it's not in the US).

Yes, even in the UK. Only came in fairly recently though.
We used to be able to self-certify for solo flying,
but not for instructing. Now we either need a JAA medical,
or a counter signature from one's own doctor as per
the NPPL scheme.

Derek Copeland

In article , Asbjorn Hojmark wrote:
On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:46:29 GMT, "Mike Schumann"
wrote:

Is a medical required in Europe for flying gliders (it's not in the US).

Yes.

NO in Switzrerland
and I hope it remains so.

You see Europe is not just one country!

W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.).
Remove "ic" to reply.

"nyffeler" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Asbjorn Hojmark wrote:

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:46:29 GMT, "Mike Schumann"
wrote:

Is a medical required in Europe for flying gliders (it's not in the US).

Yes.

NO in Switzerland
and I hope it remains so.

You see Europe is not just one country!

And long may it remain so!

Switzerland is not part of the EU, as 77.3% of its
population sensibly voted not to join in a referendum
held in 2001. And that was before EASA was set up!
Maybe it will become the only European country where
one can actually fly gliders before too long. Do they
accept BGA gliding certificates and UK NPPL medicals?
If they do, I shall be going there for my holidays.

Derek Copeland

At 15:54 20 March 2006, Nyffeler wrote:
In article , Asbjorn Hojmark wrote:
On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:46:29 GMT, 'Mike Schumann'
wrote:

Is a medical required in Europe for flying gliders
(it's not in the US).

Yes.

NO in Switzrerland
and I hope it remains so.

You see Europe is not just one country!

Derek Copeland wrote:

Switzerland is not part of the EU, as 77.3% of its
population sensibly voted not to join in a referendum
held in 2001. And that was before EASA was set up!

Do you really believe that 77.3% of the population cares the least bit
about EASA? Or does even know what it is?

Maybe it will become the only European country where
one can actually fly gliders before too long.

Bull****.

Do they
accept BGA gliding certificates and UK NPPL medicals?

Yes. The regulation used to be on the FOCA internet page
http://www.aviation.admin.ch/ , but it seems that is has been removed.
Give them a call or write them an e-mail, they are usually very friendly
and happy to help. (As long as you're not writing such bull**** as above...)

Stefan

Chris Reed wrote:
In the UK there is no licence.

Turn up at a gliding club (locations via www.gliding.co.uk), show your
licence and log book, take whatever check rides the instructor of the
day requires, and then fly whatever he/she is happy with you flying.

It's sensible to telephone in advance to discover local peculiarities -
for example, I believe that the Midland Gliding Club (Long Mynd) is
winch only during weekdays, so you might only be able to fly dual if
your previous experience is aeerotow only. Small clubs might have one or
more aircraft out of service, which could mean little chance of flying
that day, etc.

So the answer, if in doubt, is to go to a big UK club, one that
operates 365 days per year and has aero-tows as well as wire launches.
Ring them up first to see what deals are on offer for non-members.
Bring your gliding logbook and any pilot licences with you.

The largest UK gliding organisation is Lasham Gliding Society (a
consortium of several clubs and many private owners) between London and
Southampton, but others include the historic London Gliding Club at
Dunstable Downs, Husbands Bosworth in the Midlands and the Bristol Club
at Nympsfield. In the North, the Yorkshire club at Sutton Bank and in
Scotland the Scottish Gliding Union at Portmoak. Apologies to any
large organisations that I have left out! The BGA web site has all the
details, see www.gliding.co.uk

Ian Strachan
Lasham Gliding Centre
Hampshire, UK