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airfieldmanual:1._key_messages

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1. Key Messages

1.1 Purpose of this Manual

The primary focus of the SGC Board, instructors and members is one of safety on the ground and in the air.

The purpose of this Airfield Operations Manual is to give you sufficient knowledge and understanding of our site facilities and operational practices & procedures to ensure that you can fly safely at our club and help you to do your part in running a safe, efficient airfield operation.

This information is consistent with the BGA Laws and Rules in particular Managing Flying Risk and is, in effect, the application of the BGA L&R and Safety Management System to our activities here at Portmoak.

This online version of the manual is definitive, and should be read along with supporting reference material available there and on the BGA website.

The information in this manual will be updated as necessary; the version on the SGC website will be the up-to-date version. The manual also refers to the BGA L&R and guidance as mentioned above, and this BGA website information is also updated on a continual basis.

1.2 Requirements of Members and Visitors

The following sets out the regulations, guidance and advice that pilots, members and visitors should be reasonably familiar with and comply with to the best extent possible.

1.2.1 Qualified Pilots (Bronze C plus CCE, LAPL(S) or SPL) including visiting pilots

1.2.1.1 Regulations and Guidance


1) The UK Government has announced that the UK will withdraw from EASA at the end of 2020. The subsequent impact of this on the various regulations, etc. is unknown at the time of writing, in Nov 2020
2) The ANO are applicable to non-EASA gliders, i.e. those remaining under UK national regulation.
3) The CAA RotA have several exemptions from SERA plus other national regulations.
4) The UK ANO & RotA are combined into the CAA document CAP 393. This is a complex document; the CAA Skyway code and the BGA’s L&R plus other guidance on the BGA website are more accessible.

1.2.1.2 Licencing/Qualifications/Logbook

  • From 8th October 2021 all qualified glider pilots will be required to hold an EASA Sailplane Pilots Licence (SPL) 1). Pilots under training or direct supervision do not need a SPL or LAPL(S).
  • Up-to-date flying logbook

1.2.2 New Members & Student Pilots (not yet Qualified Pilots)

  • Up-to-date flying logbook
  • Up-to-date flying and ground training records
  • Portmoak Airfield Operations Manual (this document)
  • The regulations and information listed in 1.2.1.1 on an “as-needed” basis

1.2.3 Medicals

  • All solo pilots and PIC’s must have a valid medical or medical declaration appropriate for their flying privileges and their licence/certificate – with a copy provided to the office
  • At present, self-certification or possession of a driving licence is all that is required for solo flying or flying with another qualified pilot

1.2.4 Currency

  • All solo pilots and PIC’s must follow the currency and privileges requirements detailed in Currency and Privileges.

1.2.5 Private Owners

  • A current Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC)
  • A current Annual inspection
  • A Self-Declared Maintenance Programme (SDMP) for the glider
  • Appropriate and valid insurance

1.2.6 Non-Flying Club Members

  • Relevant parts of this Portmoak Airfield Operations Manual for ground operations

Start | Contents | 2. Safety on the Airfield and in the Air


1) The BGA will facilitate the issue of/conversion to the SPL – refer BGA licence conversion
airfieldmanual/1._key_messages.1612282198.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/02/02 16:09 by sallyw