XC Flying as a LAT

The rules around flying XC without a Pilot or Advanced Pilot rating were clarified recently by the BHPA following a number of issues with claims for 3rd party liability by CP rated pilots. The new rules state that:-

"If a member who does not hold, at least, a Pilot rating, flies cross-country, then (subject to the two exceptions) he or she will be operating in breach of Rule 9 of the Rules of the BHPA and will not be indemnified by the BHPA’s public liability insurance policy."

The definition of a cross country flight is therefore crucial and the BHPA have defined this as not a "local" flight where local is defined, for hill soaring as:-

"a local flight will involve following a ridge line with the intention of landing back at one of the site’s landing fields, top or bottom. With the exception of the very few well known long ridge runs, the pilot will remain within sight of one of the landing fields associated with the take-off used."

The BHPA go on to say that they will take a "very narrow view" if a flight is in question and deem it not to be local. They will not tolerate fanciful interpretations of the rules such as "at 6000 feet I can see the landing field still from 20km away therefore Im still local".

The two exceptions mentioned above are:-

BHPA sanctioned events where the organisers have defined route and given a thorough briefing - the BCC for instance
If a senior coach or instructor is satisfied in the ability of a CP to perform a defined cross country flight, has briefed the pilot and filled in a form detailing the flight which is then transmitted to the BHPA. This is not intended to be a normal procedure and should only be used in exceptional circumstances.

The Pilot exam is accessible to all CP rated pilots and it is the expectation of the club and the BHPA that all pilots will work towards achieving the rating within a season or two of completing their training. The award of a Pilot rating removes any ambiguity about what is considered local or XC and ensures that your BHPA insurance is fully in place.

The full BHPA document regarding XC flying can be found here.

Club coaches are also available to assist LAT pilots on launch and to work towards achieving a Pilot rating. For any coach related issues either contact one of the coaches directly or the chief coach, Neil Russell (Contact Form or on our Telegram groups).