EHPU - European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union

Europe Air Sports 25th General Meeting was held in Copenhagen on March 23th and 24th 2013. Among the 50 participates was 3 former EAS Presidents and a former general secretary to talk about the history and development of EAS from 1988 to 2013. It was a good meeting and EAS is taking good care of hang gliding and paragliding interest in regard to EU legislation and EASA. As soon as official minutes are sent out, it will be sent out to EHPU members. But here is a shot summery of items regarding hang gliding and paragliding.

New proposal in EASA for mandatory reporting for occurrences are at the moment including hang gliders and paragliders together with other annex II plains except model plains. Occurrences are not serious incidents, which will be listed later in the EASA document and must be reported to NAAs and EASA.

Peter Bombay was guest speaker at the meeting and is the deputy head of Aviation Directorate in the European Commission in EU. He was not against removing some of the annex II plains from mandatory reporting of occurrences. The proposal is still being discussed and EAS is working for that HG/PG together with other specific annex II plains will be removed from the final proposal.

Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) are also being followed by EAS and may affect our pilots. At the moment work is only moving alone slowly and it will take several years before EASA regulations are ready. It is the EAS opinion that RPAS must fly safely without limitations for other airspace users or demand for our pilots to carry more instruments.

At the following link you can get more information about what EASA is working on at the moment in General Aviation Safety Strategy and draft roadmap for regulation of general aviation: www.europe-air-sports.org/activities/

NAA and NAC are changing in several countries to allowing NAC or federation to do more of the governing for the NAA. This may be seen as some of the positive effects of SERA and the international financial crisis... EAS of cause supports this development and are happy for the NACs and federations, whom has good cooperation with their NAA and are allowed to assume more responsibility for the daily operation of GA flying on a national level.

EAS’s economics is good, but 2 NACs has terminated their membership do to financial problems and one NAC has asked for reduced fee. EAS has a good liquidity and has annual expenditure of about € 170.000. With the current level of activities and expected income, the budget showed a acceptable positive surplus to be brought forward. The EAS annual fee was therefore set to the same level as it has been for the last several years. EHPU’s annually fee to EAS is € 9.230 for the amount of 30.-100.000 members.

Please read more about EAS activities 2012/2013 in EAS newsletters at this link: www.europe-air-sports.org/activities/newsletter/

28th February

EAS Newsletter February 2013

27th February

Recognition of pilot qualifications

EHPU AGM agreed to recommend the following statement to member associations of EHPU:
“The member associations of the EHPU agree that the only qualifications that (subject to national law) they recognise and accept are those issued by Government Ministries, the FAI, National Aero Clubs and National Associations.”
Please note that some countries may demand additional qualifications. Please visit the national hang gliding and paragliding federation for further information on national rules. Just click on the national flag of member links here.

7th February 2013

EHPU letter to CIVL

29th January 2013

EAS - General Aviation Safety Strategy

Europe Air Sports is pleased to report good progress on the General Aviation Safety Strategy. Readers will remember that this strategy, endorsed by EASA's Management Board, seeks to review the regulatory regime for the light end of aviation in order to make it more appropriate for recreational flying activities.

In the past weeks EAS representatives have been in close dialogue with the European Institutions in order to help implementing the strategy. As part of this process EAS has just uploaded various new documents its website. These include a Roadmap by the Commission, a living document informing about the next steps, and EAS' submission in response to the strategy.

These documents can be viewed here.

17th December 2012

EAS Newsletter December 2012

28th September 2012

Meeting minutes of safety meeting between CIVL and EHPU in St. André

28th September 2012

EAS Newsletter September 2012

3rd September 2012

EAS Newsletter August 2012

2nd May 2012

EAS Newsletter April 2012

Spain and Asociación de Vuelo Libre Española AVLE has become a member of the EHPU

The European family in EHPU has just become one country richer as Spain is entering as 18th member.
Asociación de Vuelo Libre Española AVLE was formed one year ago to create a unified Spanish association, independent from the NAC. At the moment Spain has seventeen regional federations who deal with all air sports disciplines. The AVLE has about 500 members already and they believe that there are about 4.000 Spanish HG/PG pilots in total.

At the Annual General Meeting of EHPU on 11th of February 2012 in Dublin, the AVLE was offered membership on the basis that they currently appear to be the major representative body in Spain and that no other body has ever come forward from Spain to be a member of the EHPU.
The EHPU members hope that the membership will support AVLE to unify the Spanish pilots and get positive benefits of cooperation with the other 17 European members, who represent over 100.000 pilots together.

The 18 EHPU members are now: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

24th Feb 2012

EHPU letter to FAI/CIVL concerning Serial Class

EHPU letter to CIVL CIVL statement

16th Feb 2012

EHPU letter to Romanian authority

EHPU letter concerning regulation of Hang Gliding and Paragliding in Romania

6th December 2010

EHPU concerns about Paragliding Competition safety cited in Cross Country magazine

see article 1 and article 2

23rd September 2010

Italian new law for sport flight

The President of The Italian Republic has subscribed the new law concerning the sport flight in Italy .

These are the most important new points of the law:

1) From next November 21 in Italy only free flight (not motorized microlight or ultralight) can fly VFR with vertical limit FL 195 in free “G” spaces (outside clouds ATZ CTR & C.) about 5900 meters if space is free.
2) Free flight can fly over cities, roads, railways & C. (before it was formally prohibited) at the flight level that allows to gain a safe landing.
3) For the first time in Italy is officially ruled the flight in thermals: the first pilot that enter the thermal decides the left or right turn; the other pilots must turn the same way; pilots inside thermals have right of way on pilots outside thermals; pilots in thermals must give right of way to other pilots that rise more in the same thermal;
4) Any free flight license of any European country is automatically recognized in Italy.
5) In Italy the medical requirements are more strict than before.

It was a hard work for FIVL and being inside EHPU was important to convince Italian authorities. This is a good news for EHPU too! Of course a good news for any European pilot.

26th March 2010

Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA)

29th October 2009

EAS Newsletter no 34 and Message of the President

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!

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.

14th May 2008

EAS Annual General Meeting 2008

Meeting Minutes

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.

16th October 2007

Briefing of EAS Activities - Latest EAS Newsletter

EAS Newsletter No 27

11th April 2007

First European Discussion Forum on General Aviation

See here for Information

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?

EHPU AGM 2007

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."

EHPU AGM 2007

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.

EHPU AGM 2007

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."

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).

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.

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.

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.

27th April 2005

Lobbying on national level

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

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

Support the role of the volunteer, elected Board and its technical officers

Manage the internal process of analysing and responding to regulatory developments and initiating policy and position papers

Source all information relevant to developments in civil aviation regulation in Europe, assimilate, analyse and disseminate summaries

Manage the EAS programmes in co-ordination with its wide network of air sport organisations, technical experts and interested parties

Develop and maintain wide knowledge-based network of contacts in aviation

Conduct research into specific aviation regulatory areas.

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

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.

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).