Pilot-Owner Maintenance Part-M Light simplifies existing maintenance rules and offers a less prescriptive and burdensome approach to maintenance than the previous Part M requirements. It also provides more maintenance privileges for pilots and owners. BGA pilot-owner maintenance seminars provide helpful guidance to help pilot-owner to become familiar with the requirements,…

BGA inspectors form an important part of club and private owner aircraft maintenance support. Maintenance standards are a crucially important part of safety management.  The requirements for becoming a BGA inspector are essentially unchanged from the past. The mix of experience available within a gliding environment coupled with self-study can…

BGA inspectors form an important part of club and private owner aircraft maintenance support. Maintenance standards are a crucially important part of safety management.  The requirements for becoming a BGA inspector are essentially unchanged from the past. The mix of experience available within a gliding environment coupled with self-study can…

Changes in legislation have meant the BGA has been required to modify the ARC template used in our airworthiness system. This new template must be used for all ARCs issued on or after 01 September 2023. As always, we advise inspectors to download the documents from our website each time…

An inspection to verify correct connection and adjustment of a critical part following maintenance is known as an independent inspection. In non-Part 21 aircraft parlance, this is also known as a duplicate inspection. A BGA AMP ‘Independent / Duplicate Inspections of Critical Tasks’ has been published.

AVGAS is a gasoline containing tetra-ethyl lead (TEL), which gives it a high octane number. This allows the fuel to be used in engines with higher compression ratios without detonating, which can damage the structure of the combustion chamber. The EU has put the additive Tetraethyllead (TEL) on the REACH…

Club technical officers and tug masters have been reminded that both UK Part-ML (for certified aircraft) and BCAR A3-7 (for Permit to Fly aircraft) include requirements for owners, operators, and organisations managing aircraft to review and assess both mandatory and recommended instructions for continuing airworthiness within the Aircraft Maintenance Programme…

UK continuing airworthiness regulation requires BGA inspectors to hold a UK Part-66 licence with the correct category to certify a release to service for Part-21 sailplanes, powered sailplanes, TMGs and aeroplanes. Guidance in published on this BGA webpage. The BGA is in discussion with the CAA regarding the content of…

The BGA Form 276 that provides the checklist for ARC renewal has been updated. In addition, the BGA Airworthiness & Maintenance Publication (AMP) describing Part 21 aircraft ARC renewal has been updated. Owners and inspectors are encouraged to make themselves aware of the detail. Both documents can be viewed here.

EASA has approved the life extension Service Bulletin No. BE-064/50-3/2022 for SZD-50-3 for Puchacz airframes. The service life extension is from 6750 hours to 12000 hours. The intention is that these airframes will not necessarily have to go back to Poland for this work to be done. The Service Bulletin…