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Deregulation history


alan_k

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It got me thinking about the deregulation of paramotoring from Normans post about the PMC development and PCOM. Brilliant work Norman, it's got to be the way to go.

Anyway the story I was told is from late 1995. One of the instructors who put together the BMAA training syllabus was in contact with the CAA at the time. Through various disscussions a visit to the airfield by the CAA was arranged.

When the day came it was like something out of a movie, the cars rolled up and out stepped a gaggle of dark suits. They were shown around and introduced to various bits of paramotoring kit. One of the CAA suits said incredulously '... and you FLY this, illegally?'

I was led to believe that the decision to deregulate was at least partly because of the huge choice of wing and motor combinations. The CAA felt that this would create too much work.

Safe flying,

Alan

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Alan,

Interesting when you look at the history isn't it. I had a series of really interesting and productive conversations with the CAA's then 'Manager Flight Operations GA' about the way paramotoring was going and from where it had come. He used to be the CEO of the BMAA so was a mine of quality information.

The management and administration of many aspects of GA, Microlights, parachuting, gliding and the like is beyond the resources of the CAA. They concentrate on the core operations which are mainly commercial in nature and delegate some authority and responsibility (in varying measure) to outside agencies like the BGA, BHPA and the BMAA. If they do a acceptable job their powers and responsibilities increase. At least that is how I have come to understand it.

As far as I am aware the PMC does not want to become the body responsible in the UK for paramotoring, that sounds like loads of time wearing a suit and tie and watching other people fly. I reckon we just want to do the best job of creating an exciting corner of the sport that we can. Australia, Oman (Tip to Tip) then the Andes is my personal horizon. :lol:

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As far as I am aware the PMC does not want to become the body responsible in the UK for paramotoring, that sounds like loads of time wearing a suit and tie and watching other people fly.

I'm starting to feel really, really uncomfortable about all this. The bare bones of the proposal makes sense but then I read in a sticky post...

We are in the closing stages of developing a comprehensive syllabus for PPG, an intense and demanding but hugely enjoyable Instructors course, and a system of achievement awards that will challenge you should you wish to follow that route. Our first instructors course PMC-AFI/FI 01/09 kicks off in the first quarter of 2009 and it is already half full.

Whose proven standards will this course be based on and what validity will it hold? If this club wishes to set its sights on creating so-called instructor ratings then perhaps this is something that comes with time when its newly created internal system has shown the movement that it has something tangible to offer. Norman, Is this a Paramotor Club or an Administration Club? :wink:

Despite the deep issues that exist between the Paramotor Club and a large part of the UK paramotoring scene I felt that it was important to support the independents from the occasional monster that I occasionally view the BHPA as. Now it seems that the Paramotor Club is showing undertones of trying to become that monster.

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Ian,

Re read the post made by Norman, where it fully explains that we have a board of very respected and expereanced pilots in place. The head man, has been a BMAA Instuctor and a BHPA Instructor, and the rest of the team make up the longest standing independant instructors in our sport. (cant see what more we could do there.)

The sport has no proven system that works, thats what we are creating. Worry not, INDEPENDANT is what this is about, remaining outside of the regulated side of aviation is our Prioity 1.

Also, no one will force you to join this club, If you like the product (what we have to offer in terms of insurance and other member benefits to be announced, join it, if not.. don't.)

SW :D

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Norman

As far as I am aware the PMC does not want to become the body responsible in the UK for paramotoring, that sounds like loads of time wearing a suit and tie and watching other people fly.

I'm starting to feel really, really uncomfortable about all this. The bare bones of the proposal makes sense but then I read in a sticky post...

Interesting, the response I got from our two Panel Examiners (you would instantly recognise their names) was, "Fantastic, we have wanted something just like this in the Independant sector for years - it is a major step ahead!" Incidently, the same gents will be generating, steering and running the first course themselves. Between them they have many, many years of paramotor instruction behind them, BMAA and BHPA and have completed their training as instructors as well.

Don't worry Ian, I am not trying to whistle up a course from my imagination and foist it on anyone, the Core Instructor Skills Module is something you would recognise from other aviation based FI courses - the skills being imparted/developed are general to the teaching of virtually anything. It exceeds the GA fixed wing instructor skills course segment in its covering of the subject because of the nature of PPG instruction - potentially no dual etc. Our guys need strong skills in that department.

Q/ If you would prefer there to be an Independant paramotoring sector, who do you think should create the framework, put the guys together and write then develop the course? Is there anyone out there doing it - hello!.......hello? No, I don't think there is at the moment. Another organisation working on this can only sharpen the other players game and up the standards.

We are in the closing stages of developing a comprehensive syllabus for PPG, an intense and demanding but hugely enjoyable Instructors course, and a system of achievement awards that will challenge you should you wish to follow that route. Our first instructors course PMC-AFI/FI 01/09 kicks off in the first quarter of 2009 and it is already half full.

Whose proven standards will this course be based on and what validity will it hold? If this club wishes to set its sights on creating so-called instructor ratings then perhaps this is something that comes with time when its newly created internal system has shown the movement that it has something tangible to offer. Norman, Is this a Paramotor Club or an Administration Club? :wink:

:lol: Instructors and a training system are central to creating a safety culture and operating ethos. You cannot 'send your pilots somewhere else' to train. We will train our instructors to a very high standard, monitor and revalidate them every eighteen months. They will (and are) the backbone of the Cub.

'Validity' is a highly subjective thing, the BHPA course has, 'validity' because they and everone else sees it as such. If the CAA were to generate a qualification they would certainly approach the industry for their input (all sectors) and assign the construction of the course to 'someone'. That someone would be in all probabllity be the largest, longest established and most respected body in UK paramotoring with the strongest administration arm.

THAT qualification would be 'valid'. Until that time arrives there is nothing currently being used as standard in the Independant sector. In some cases, simply nothing being used as a syllabus bar a fag packet.

Our 'PPG1' syllabus is written, it will be developed by the wise until it is about as sound as it can be.

Despite the deep issues that exist between the Paramotor Club and a large part of the UK paramotoring scene I felt that it was important to support the independents from the occasional monster that I occasionally view the BHPA as. Now it seems that the Paramotor Club is showing undertones of trying to become that monster.

I (and Simon) don't see the BHPA as a monster at all. There is much to admire about the organisation and some of the people within it. They have a fantastic knowledge base and have done the communtiy a great service in bringing PPG to this point. They are primarily a paragliding based organisation though and the wash over from that does cloud the PPG water a little.

I have been talking to the BHPA Chief Technical Officer about the other issues. The diferences and divisions that may have existed at one time, both philosophically and practically are diluting. The BHPA has reassed the whole basis on which it trains and 'validates' its pilots across to PPG to the point where an independant pilot with proven experience can fly with the BHPA. I will not quote my BHPA contact above directly as that would be poor manners but he said roughly the following,

"...as long as a PMC pilot is up to solo standard he can fly his paramotor with us after an series of written exams covering Air Law, flight theory ect..."

Not definitive I agree, but a statment like this would have been unthinkable even eight months ago I understand.

Ian, How can you talk about 'validation' when the system that we are introducing will exceed the standards that the BHPA currently requires? Our sytem is designed to paramotoring, developed by some of the most experienced paramotor instructors that exist in the UK and despite having my wonky hand in it will be scrutinised, hashed and developed until frankly nothing better exists in the UK. Why - because that's the way we all want it to be.

The PMC a Monster? Now where did you get that idea from? :shock:

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