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For the EHPU the biggest concern is airspace. EHPU Airspace Officer Chris Borra reported to the AGC that the Eurocontrol project "Single Sky" is not going to harmonise the lower airspace. The national Authorities will remain responsible for lower airspace regulations. An EHPU position paper on Airspace has been updated by the AGC. Environmental problems are a concern in many countries where
environmental groups and hunting organisations demand restrictions
for our sport. DHV safety officer Karl Slezak informed the AGC about the new Airworthiness regulations of the German Aviation Authorities LTF. Most of the LTF requirements are identical with the 6 year old EN standard. Some important safety points are new and are proposed to EN for implementation. EHPU chairman of the subcommittee airworthiness, Angus Pinkerton, spoke about the revision of EN926-2 (paraglider flight tests), which hopefully will cover the LTF proposals, and about the EN Parachute standard which appears to require some revision following the Swiss comparison tests. The AGC discussed the lack of safety in international competitions
which are organised by FAI/CIVL. EHPU president Charlie Jöst
thanked the EHPU members for supporting the letter to CIVL
expressing our continued concerns over safety in competitions,
which seems to have had some effect. He thanked CIVL for carrying
out sprog measuring during the Hang Gliding World Championship
in France. But Paragliding competition safety is still a major
concern. Therefore the meeting fully endorsed the following
statement from the EHPU safety and training subcommittee: The AGC decided to send a new letter to CIVL and to more closely control the votes of the EHPU member delegates for FAI/CIVL in the future, in order to promote the EHPU policy effectively within FAI/CIVL. Marion Varner explained that the French Government is applying Instructor competency requirements to visiting paragliding and hang gliding Instructors. There is therefore a French project to produce procedures for Instructor Competency recognition. The EHPU subcommittee safety and training is involved with this work. All EHPU members should send details of their Instructor training and licensing scheme so that they can be fitted into the ‘equivalence’ system.
At the end of the AGC the EHPU presidency rotated to Hungary. Next EHPU AGC will take place 19. February 2011 in Budapest.
29th October 2009 EAS Newsletter no 34 and Message of the President
23th July 2009
12th Mai 2009 CIVL letter to EHPU concerning safety at competitions
28th April 2009 EAS elects new President and Secretary General. See EAS newsletter No 32.
31st March 2009 EHPU Letter to CIVL regarding hang gliding and paragliding competitions safety
30th March 2009 European
Parliament votes to exclude aerodromes mainly used for sports
and recreational flying from common European rules!
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According to the EHPU statutes the presidency of EHPU has to be passed on from one EHPU member to the next after one year’s time. From the end of the EHPU AGM in Feb. 2009 on until the end of the next EHPU AGM, Charlie Jöst from Germany has taken on the responsibility as EHPU President. The EHPU plenary thanked Jean-Claude Benintende for his excellent work as EHPU president during the last year. |
9th February 2009
EHPU message to CIVL regarding safety and fair play in hang gliding competitions
The EHPU wishes to express its deep concern about the continuing situation in hang glider competitions relating to sprog adjustment. Lowering sprogs confers a performance advantage at the expense of pitch stability and pilots who carry out this adjustment are either unaware of, or reckless about the adverse effect upon hang glider stability. The EHPU believe that the competitors who undertake this activity are introducing unacceptable dangers into the competition and the improved performance is therefore an unfair advantage over fellow competitors. In the view of the EHPU this amounts to cheating and should not be permitted.
The EHPU is also concerned that the lowering of sprogs by international level competition pilots sets a very bad example for other pilots who might be tempted into copying this hazardous practice.
We wish to see an effective program put in place to prevent
or dissuade competition pilots from making these dangerous
modifications.
17th December 2008
1st October 2008
EHPU Safety and Training Committee Meeting
Chamonix minutes are online now. Please see internal
for details.
16th July 2008
Jean-Claude Benintende new EHPU President
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According to the EHPU statutes the presidency of EHPU has to be passed on from one EHPU member to the next after one year’s time. From the end of the EHPU AGM at 1st March 2008 on until the end of the next EHPU AGM Jean-Claude Benintende from France has taken on the responsibility as EHPU President. The EHPU plenary thanked Niels Jensen for his excellent work as EHPU president during the last year. |
14th May 2008
EAS Annual General Meeting 2008
24th April 2008
EAS is looking for a new Programme Manager
EAS is looking for a new Programme Manager starting 1st of June 2008. Please see recruitment brief for details.
14th March 2008
EHPU Annual General Meeting 2008
The Annual General Meeting was held on 1st/2nd March 2008 in Zurich/Switzerland.
Austria and Romania new EHPU members
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Presentations of the AGM
Presentation 'Access to Airspace' from Guenter Bertram (EAS).
Presentation
'New European Regulation Proposals in Light Aviation' from
Jan Fridrich (LAACR).
Presentation
'European General Aviation Safety Team' from Jan Fridrich
(LAACR).
5th December 2007
16th October 2007
Briefing of EAS Activities - Latest EAS Newsletter
11th April 2007
First European Discussion Forum on General Aviation
22nd February 2007
Hungary and Ireland new EHPU members
Poland and Austria have expressed their intention to join the EHPU. |
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Mark Dale new EHPU General Secretary
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The EHPU AGM has elected Mark Dale from UK as new EHPU General Secretary and thanked Klaus Tänzler for his excellent work done during the last years. |
Niels Jensen new EHPU President
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According to the EHPU statutes the presidency
of EHPU has to be passed on from one EHPU member to
the next after one years time. From the end of the EHPU
AGM at 17th Feb 2007 on until the end of the next EHPU
AGM Niels Jensen from Denmark has taken on the responsibility
as EHPU The EHPU plenary thanked Martin Heywood for his excellent work as EHPU president during the last year. |
Hang Gliding and Paragliding not affected by COM 579
To a very important question concerning all hang glider and
paraglider pilots in Europe the EHPU President Martin Heywood
and EHPU General Secretary Klaus Tänzler could give a
clear answer in their annual reports for the EHPU AGM:
Will Hang Gliding and Paragliding fall under the European
Regulation?
This question has been raised during the current rule making process for the Amendment COM 579 of Regulation 1592 which deals not only with the extension of EASA competence for licensing and operation setting but also with the creation of a new framework for Leisure Aviation.
Meanwhile the rule making process is far advanced. And EASA,
European
Commission, the European Parliament and the Council have agreed:
"It would not be appropriate to subject all aircraft
to common rules, in particular aircraft that are of simple
design or operate mainly on a local basis, and those that
are home-built or particularly rare or only exist in a small
number; such aircraft should therefore remain under the regulatory
control of Member States, without any obligation under this
Regulation on other Member States to recognize these national
arrangements."
And therefore Hang Gliding and Paragliding will belong also in the future to the aircraft which are excluded from the regulation 1592 in Annex 2:
…"(g) gliders with a maximum empty mass, of no
more than 80 kg when single-seater or 100 kg when two-seater,
including those which are foot launched"…
..."(j) any other aircraft which has a maximum empty
mass, including fuel, of no more than 70 kg"…
Several other topics have been discussed in the 7th EHPU annual General Meeting, e.g. "Speed-Gliding", and the participants agreed that all in all it has been a productive atmosphere.
Future European Air Space
One of the main topics of the EHPU annual general meeting 2007 was "access to airspace for hang gliding and paragliding."
Chris Bouman, a hang glider pilot who works for Eurocontrol, presented a power point presentation made by Mr. Armit, Eurocontrol, explaining the future plans.
After a discussion of this first hand information the EHPU plenary agreed the following in addition to the EHPU airspace policy paper:
"As regards revised class E airspace (i.e. future K Airspace) outside CTR's, the EHPU strongly supports that the norm is that no 2-way communication is required except in those areas where this is necessary for demonstrable safety reasons. Given the many issues still outstanding, including health risks and the availability of suitable transponders, the EHPU does not currently see a sound basis for requiring hang gliding and paragliding to carry transponders anywhere. It is the EHPU position that existing controlled airspace, established in the past for reasons that were applicable at that time, should be subject to reconsideration, with the aim to change this airspace into uncontrolled airspace wherever this is possible. Member nations are reminded that they should constantly be aware about redundant controlled airspace and take steps locally to encourage the authorities to release this airspace as class G."
The EHPU is a member of Europe Airsports (EAS), where the efforts of all airsports are coordinated. EAS has a delegate in the two high level Eurocontrol committees which make policy and approve actions of working groups: the Airspace and Air Navigation Team (ANT) and Stakeholders Consultation Group (SCG).
A Task Force named Alpha (TFA) is tasked by the Air Navigation
Team to prepare for a harmonised European Air Space. The reasoning
behind this was the variety of Air Space classification systems
used all over the ECAC States (European Civil Aviation Conference).
Europe Airsports Technical Officer Airspace Günter Bertram
is member of TFA. He is in good contact with EHPU and reported
recently:
"Currently airspace classification is still an important
issue. Above FL 195 the airspace is now mainly class C, harmonised
according to the wishes of the EU.
This slide shows the progress made with harmonisation
of the airspace above flight level FL195
Below FL 195 the classification is left to national regulators.
Here a major step forward was done without much hassle in
the spring of last year, by introducing the ICAO classification
in all of the ECAC states. ICAO uses the letters from A -
G to name the different air space categories. In use are mainly
air space C, D, E and G. This will be probably true for some
years to come."
Quotes from the Eurocontrol ASM Workshop on the Future Simplification
of Airspace Classifications in ECAC Airspace indicate what
Günter has reported:
"Asked if it is National Authorities which would decide
upon changes to the classification of airspace (..below FL
195..), Mr. Armit agreed that this is a State responsibility
but EUROCONTROL would provide guidance material."
Günter Bertram closed his report with a warning:
"Any air space infringement is bad for our reputation
as pilots. An accident due to a violation would probably lead
to more restrictions."
16th January 2007
Annual General Meeting of EHPU in Annecy/France on 17th February 2007
See internal for details.
20th December 2006
Video of Hang Gliding and Paragliding
New on ehpu.org: Have a look at our Video of Hang Gliding and Paragliding "Flying like a Bird". This video has been presented in the lobby at the first EUROCONTROL Sporting & Recreational Aviation Conference in Brussels (see below) to provide basic information about Hang Gliding and Paragliding. Other videos have been shown during the presentation of Klaus Tänzler (see here for presentation and videos).
12th December 2006
Europe Airsports Newsletter No. 25
EHPU is a member of Europe Airsports, the umbrella organisation
of all the different airsports in Europe. This
Newsletter shows a status report.
8th December 2006
Eurocontrol Sporting and Recreational Aviation Conference
EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation and EUROPE AIR SPORTS (EAS), the association of the European National Aero Clubs and European Air Sports Unions, held the 1st Sporting & Recreational Aviation Conference at the EUROCONTROL HQ in Brussels on Friday 1st December 2006. See Europe Airsports Newsletter for more information.
See
here for presentations and videos
EHPU General Secretary Klaus Tänzler explained the needs
and concerns of Hang Gliding and Paragliding. His motivational
powerpoint presentation (with video clips) has been well received.
Beside the hang glider (from EHPU Airspace
Expert Chris Bouman) informed a video presentation in the
Eurocontrol lobby about Hang Gliding and Paragliding.
1st November 2006
Newsletter IAOPA
This link shows an extraction of the IAOPA Newsletter concerning EASA policy: IAOPA Newsletter 11/06.
21st July 2006
Newsletter Europe Airsports
This newsletter shows the current activities of Europe Airsports. EHPU is a member of Europe Airsports. Especially the items NPA 06/2006 on safety regulation of aerodromes, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and the Eurocontrol matters are currently being worked on by EHPU. Newsletter 07/06.
On 25/26 March 2006 the General Meeting of EAS was held in Cologne. Here you find the EAS Newsletter with general information on the meeting matters.
24th February 2006
EHPU Annual General Meeting
EHPUs annual General Meeting has been held in Thalwil / Zurich on 18th February. The Presidents and Secretary Generals of 13 Hang Gliding and Paragliding Federations were present. The Czech federation LAA has been welcomed as new member. Europe Airsports President Sir John Allison visited the EHPU meeting and held a very well received speech. You find his speech here. Roland Stuck, President of the European Gliding Union (EGU), has been invited too in order to advance the coordination of the policies between gliding, hang gliding and paragliding. You find his presentation here.
standing from left: Sergio Calabresi
(I), Scott Torkelsen (DK), Daniel Riner (CH), Chris Bouman
(NL), Angus Pinkerton (UK),
Yves Borreman (B), Jurij Franko (SLO), Niels Jensen (DK),
Jean-Claude Benintende (F), Chris Borra (NL), Miroslav Fejt
(CR), António Fernandes (P), Karel Vejchodsky (CR),
Hans-Peter Fallesen (S), Marion Varner (F),
sitting from left: Luigi de Stefanis (I), Pietro Bacchi (I),
Charlie Jöst (D), Hanspeter Denzler (CH), Martin Heywood
(UK), Klaus Tänzler (D), Andreia Lopes (P)
9th January 2006
EAS report
Europe Airsports report on last year's activities just came out, see here. EHPU supports the work of Europe Airsports as a paying member.
9th January 2006
Good relationship between EAS and EASA
Europe Airsports Consultant Rudolf Schuegraf is in close
contact with EHPU General Secretary Klaus Tänzler in
order to keep EHPU well informed about all legislation activities
in Europe. Rudolf reports from EAS/EASA Workshop Part M
04/05.11.2005 in Cologne:
"One major lesson I learned from the workshop was that
EASA
and its officials dealing with the content and conduct of
the workshop were acting as partners. They showed a strong
interest in improving the relationship to the recreational
and airsports aviation community. During the two years time
since EASA was officially established as Aviation Agency
of the EU the original staff experienced a steep learning
curve which resulted in a better and more complete understanding
of the airsports system in the 25 member states. It is now
acknowledged that
EAS is representing the expertise in that field of aviation,
the EAS advice is well accepted."
This Workshop Part M dealt with matters of no concern for
hang gliding and paragliding. EASA shows no intention to
deal with our affairs now or in the future.
20th October 2005
News from Brussels
An important issue is the redesign of European airspace. Restructuring of upper-airspace has been decided upon. Lower airspace issues finally resulted in a decision of Eurocontrol to recommend not to define a common Lower Airspace Level for the member-States. Regulation of lower airspace is left to the National Authorities. This is a satisfactory result – however, national developments should be monitored carefully by our Members!
Another issue of great concern was the regulation for charging air navigation services where an intended coverage of VFR traffic would impact our community. The issue is suspended at European level, also by pressures from EAS, but again National regulators can impose unsatisfactory rules.
21st September 2005
Next Annual General Meeting of EHPU in Thalwil/Zurich on 18th of February 2006
See internal for details.
18th August 2005
EHPU European Safety and Training Committee Meeting on 27th/28th August
This year the ESTC Meeting will be held on the Wasserkuppe in Germany, a historical site for aviation. Current issues of safety and training matters will be discussed. Here you find the agenda.
9th June 2005
EU Sports Consultation Conference on 14/15 June in Brussels
The EU is interested to identify areas in which an EU action could present an added value in promoting the social function of sport in relation to initiatives already developed by sporting organisations and Member States. One of the questions to be addressed: How can sport contribute to social cohesion in Europe?
The European Commission has convoked this Consultation Conference as part of its efforts to consult with all major stakeholders on the present and future interplay between the EU and sport – how best to match expectations. During two days, representatives of the European sport movement, including Olympic and non-Olympic sports, big and small organisations, elite and mass sports, academics and NGOs active in the field of sport, have the opportunity to make their voice heard and to share their different experiences and perceptions. In coordination with FAI - who formally represents sports matters with the EU - it is agreed that a Europe Air Sports delegation will attend the Sports Conference, since two important issues have a potential impact on regulatory matters where Europe Air Sports represents the air sports community.
Lobbying on national level
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Lobbying on European level has to be accompanied
by lobbying on national level. This article shows an example of national lobbying in the UK where the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association has joined the “GA Alliance” together with other national airsports organisations. Now the Under Secretary of State has met with GA Alliance members and so connections on ministerial level have been established. |
27th April 2005
Annual General Meeting of Europe Airsports (EAS)
At the EAS meeting in Friedrichshafen at 23. April 2005 the president Sir John Allison gave an impressive description of EAS in his presidents report. It is worth reading!
The board election brought new board members: Frank Peter Doerner (Germany) a lawyer specialized in European Law and Aviation Law, Marcel Felten (Luxemburg) former TO Airspace and Jean Paul De Looff (France). The re-elected Louis Berger (Belgium) continues to hold good connections to the European Commission and European Parliament.
The EAS president offered to the FAI, the European Unions (such as EHPU) and the national Aero Clubs to send for each an observer to the bureau meetings. The EMF (European Microlight Federation), the EGU (European Gliding Union) and the EHPU agreed to send Roland Stuck as their observer.
The aero modellers have not yet founded an European Union but are considering the foundation. The EPU (European Parachuting Union) is not an EAS member because of money reasons but has been represented in this EAS meeting.
For the EHPU it makes sense to agree that the EGU president Roland represents the Unions in the EAS board during the next year, because the EGU has the same intentions in Airspace matters as the EHPU. There is a close and friendly relationship between the EHPU and the EGU. While hang gliding and paragliding is exempted from EU regulations on licensing, airworthiness and maintenance - gliding is not. As a result the EGU has to deal with much more urgent European regulation problems than the EHPU.
During the EAS meeting the representatives for powered flying and gliding expressed their concern about the EASA opinion on maintenance and the unwillingness of EASA to take on board the EAS proposals. (We are exempted from this regulation.) Knowing that the European Commission tends to accept EASA opinions the EAS meeting agreed a strategy to tackle the problem.
The EMF presented their wish to propose to EASA a new definition of microlights which is currently described in Annex II of EC Regulation N.1592/2002. The EMF wishes to raise the maximum take off mass to 600 kg. As changes of Annex II will also affect other airsports the EAS has tasked a working group with the creation of a new Annex II draft. It should then be proposed to the European governing bodies by the EAS.
21st April 2005
Annual report on EAS activities
The report of the Secretary General of Europe Airsports gives an overview about the efforts taken last year.
19th April 2005
Rudi Schuegraf - new EAS Program Manager
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The European Airsports organisations
such as the EHPU coordinate their efforts within Europe
Airsports (EAS). Europe Airsports has hired a Program manager with the financial help of EHPU in order to further professionalize their work in particular towards the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Aviation Authority (EASA). The duties of the manager are
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| The EAS Board has decided that, as from June 2005, the duties of the Programme Manager will be taken over by Mr. Rudolf Schuegraf. The former Starfighter and PPL-A pilot has worked as Secretary General for the German Aero Club for several years. Since 1991 he has worked voluntarily for the EAS as a member of task forces of several European Authority bodies where he gained a great deal of experience and insight. | |
12th April 2005
European Charging Scheme for Air Navigation Services
This new Commission
regulation draft is based on a proposal made by Eurocontrol.
The good news is in article 9:
"Member States shall exempt from charges: a) flights
performed by aircraft of which the maximum take-off weight
authorisied is less than two metric tons."
But still it is only a draft.
11th April 2005
Report from the Eurocontrol General Aviation Day
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During the General Aviation
Day of Eurocontrol in Brussels at 8. April 2005 the
Europe Airsports President Sir John Allison adressed
the conference on behalf of the national Aero Clubs
and the Airsports Unions like the EHPU. You can find
his speech here. EHPU has been represented by EHPU Secretary General Klaus Tänzler, who attended the conference together with the EHPU Airspace specialist Chris Bouman (a Dutch hang glider pilot, who works for Eurocontrol) and Hanspeter Denzler from the Swiss Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (SHV). The General Aviaton Day brought clarification that for the time being Eurocontrol will not propose regulation for the Airspace below FL 195 if the European Commission accepts this which is likely. That means the national regulations will stay for the airspace used by us during the next years. But work for below FL195 will continue through Eurocontrol working arrangements, such as the Task Force A, which will need continued attention, as this will be an important basis of what states will do without regulation in place, and of course a basis for any future regulation. |
Another concern of aisports pilots is that in the future also VFR airspace users might be charged for using airspace by control service providers. Up to now only IFR airspace users have to finance control services which are provided also to VFR airspace users. Eurocontrol stated that it is up to the states to make exemptions from the charging but it is a request of the European Commission that cross subsidies must be made transparent. Here you find some of the presentations made on: Mode S, Charging Policy, Airspace Classification. |
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6th April 2005
General Aviation Day of Eurocontrol on 8 April 2005
The yearly General Aviation Day is an important meeting to get an update on developments that could affect General Aviation. The majority of participants and subjects will be on issues more related to motorised General Aviation (IFR and VFR), but it is also the adequate forum for the European Airsports organisations to make their points. Therefore EHPU will attend the meeting. One of the issues at hand: We want to avoid fees for using certain airspaces. A Charging Scheme for Air Navigation Services has been drafted already by Eurocontrol and there is an Exemption Table relating to the Charges.
31st March 2005
EASA Fees and Charges regulation
The implications of this new regulation will be discussed at the General Meeting of Europe Airsports in Friedrichshafen on 23 April, where delegates of the EHPU and other Airsports Organisations will be present. EHPU seeks to avoid EASA fees and charges for our sport.
New Fees and Charges regulation (pdf).