Richard Acland Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 As our club secretary I have just had an e mail from one of our members. He was flying his Gangster on our field yesterday when a Grob 109 powered glider made a very low head height approach to the field he was in. He had to take avoiding action with the model as it was so low. He thinks that they were practicing an emergency landing as they then powered away. Do I report this to the CAA. Our nearest airfield is Staverton in Gloucestershire. It may have come from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 As far as I'm aware all near misses with full sized aviation has to be reported ,I am ready to be corrected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 As per Andy Symon's advice in a previous thread the BMFA have a reporting web page which takes you throught the procedure and provides advice on whether a report is necessary. https://reporting.bmfa.uk/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Absolutely! The new regulations governing model flying are not there to give full size aviation a 'free pass'. We are all subject to the same law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 The appropriate CAA reporting page is here: https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Make-a-report-or-complaint/Report-a-potential-breach-of-aviation-law/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Acland Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 Thanks for the replies. I will take the appropriate action. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu knowles Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Personaly, I'd let it pass.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 4 hours ago, Mike T said: Absolutely! The new regulations governing model flying are not there to give full size aviation a 'free pass'. We are all subject to the same law. Richard’s club member was right to avoid. He has to, mere property vs life. And the full size can come low, (into OUR airspace) unless the field has a Notam. Because it’s shared space where we operate. And even with a Notam, you still get out of the way. Full size bloke might be thick, ignorant, and arrogant to do low passes on a known flying field. But if you hit him, you will still be asked why did you not just stuff the toy into the ground. No justice in this world. Any wire guided surface to air jobbies going on EBay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Full size bloke may have been carrying out perfectly legitimate field selection and approach training. By highlighting the situation - which he may have been unaware of if your member got well out of the way promptly - it gives the opportunity for your operation to be publicised within the full size world and makes a repeat less likely. And it's a legal requirement for us to do so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) I've spent many hours instructing in Grob 109Bs, in the gliding world they are used to train pilots in field landing techniques and at most clubs an annual 'field landing check' for all pilots that fly across country (including instructors) is recommended practise. Another use for Grob 109s is to train pilots for the private pilots license (PPL), the group is TMG (Touring Motor Glider) where PA-28s/Cessna 172 are SEP(L) (Single Engine Piston (Land plane)). A bi-annual license renewal flight with an instructor will generally include at least one PFL (Practise Forced Landing). The legislation (which is quite difficult to find nowadays due to EASA input) is what was known as Rule 5 of the Air Navigation Order or the '500 ft rule'. The current wording on exemptions for low flying is: b) practising forced landings if it is not flown closer than 150 metres (500 feet) to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure The 500 ft is treated as a hemisphere 'bubble'. Often I would have to say to a trainee that they selected a good field but we couldn't approach in to it because of the presence of people or buildings. Long low level fly pasts of fields are often done to inspect it closely for stones etc and/or showing the trainee that there was an unseen hazard (electric fence etc). All very legal. It's a demonstration of poor airmanship though if the G109 flew a low approach to the field with a person and model clearly in sight, I would expect that the flyer was not easily seen for some reason. Edited August 21, 2021 by Gary Binnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 12 hours ago, stu knowles said: Personaly, I'd let it pass.... But if the full size pilot has already made a near miss report, then the CAA will want to know why the model pilots hadn't filed a report. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 dammed if you do(report it) or dammed if you don't. UK 2021 ken anderson...ne..1......reporting dept 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Sorry Ken but I don’t agree with this attitude. We need to demonstrate that we are a responsible part of the aviation community and we have a responsibility to report any incident which may have resulted in endangering another airspace user. It isn’t about apportioning blame (although flagrant transgressions may of course result in prosecutions) but more about addressing future situations that could end badly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 yes, I agree with what you saying Martin....i'm giving my reply/opinion to Richard telling (him )what i posted above..... ? ken anderson...ne..1..replies to threads dept. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Glad we’re singing from the same song sheet then Ken - I read it as a comment… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 my reply was to his question... Do I report this to the CAA. he asked the forum,where i replied he had been told yes and no......i said...."dammed if you do(report it) or dammed if you don't.", it was my reply to him stating after he had made it public (on the forum)... not me having any "attitude".... just me joining in as we our encouraged to do,and Richard enquiring. ken anderson...ne..1..replies dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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