Laws & Rules

The BGA is the national governing body of sport gliding. Gliding takes place under a mix of national, European and self regulation.  The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is the EU aviation regulator. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the UK aviation safety regulator. The BGA works with the CAA to achieve mutually agreed objectives.

‘Laws and Rules’ details BGA requirements and guidance and signposts to EASA & CAA regulations.

BGA

BGA requirements and guidance have been developed in consultation with member clubs over many decades  with the aim of  meeting the practical needs of gliding clubs and their members. Objectives include clarity, effective risk management, and supporting compliance with applicable EASA and CAA regulation including ‘Rules of the Air’. Please note that the ANO remains an important document, and particularly so while gliding operations remain under national requirements.

The detail within BGA requirements and guidance is regularly reviewed and updates are promulgated through BGA news. All members of BGA clubs are subject to BGA requirements and guidance.

•    Operational Regulations
•    Managing flying risk
•    Accident reporting
•    Airworthiness
•    Competitions
•    Cross country and airspace
•    Examining and assessing pilots and instructors
•    Gliding aerobatics badge
•    Sporting badges and diplomas
•    Gliding certificate and endorsements
•    Guidance for SPL and LAPL(S) holders
•    Instructors
•    Introductory and passenger flying
•    Medical requirements
•    Radio
•    Rules of the Air

A consolidated version of the BGA requirements and guidance documents is currently being updated (26 Jan 17)

EASA & CAA

The Air Navigation Order (ANO) is an important UK legal document that forms the legal foundation for almost all areas of civil aviation that are still regulated at national level. The ANO 2016 includes the alignment, where desirable, of ANO and EASA regulatory terminology, including the replacement of ‘private’ and ‘aerial work with ‘commercial’ and ‘non commercial’ and detailed minor changes and alleviations including those relating to introductory flights, cost sharing, aerotowing, airworthiness, etc.

From the 25th August 2016, EASA aeroplanes and TMG’s are required to operate under EASA Non-Commercial Operations rules and are no longer be under the operational requirements of the ANO. EASA sailplanes, including powered sailplanes (ie self-sustaining and self-launching sailplanes) remain under the ANO operational requirements until April 2019.

The EASA regulations that currently apply in full to gliding are those relating to airworthiness and maintenance. Clearly any pilot using EASA licence privileges must comply with the associated EASA regulation.

The following links provide relevant context and detail for CAA and EASA requirements;

• The Skyway Code – a helpful summary of the legal requirements applicable to most general aviation and air sport pilots.
• Air Navigation Order (recommended CAA guidance on the ANO 2016 is available here)
• Airworthiness and maintenance
• Medical
• Operations
• Pilot licencing
• Pilot licence conversion
• Rules of the Air

Trailer Guidance

The BGA publication Trailer Guidance  aims to advice owners of the relevant Road Traffic regulations.