The Ultralight Scene

Flight standards division of the Department of Aviation are to be commended on their attitude towards this sport in Australia – we now lead the world again in this area. On 2nd January the Executive of the AUF had a very important meeting with the DOA (Flight Standards) in Canberra. The Chairman was Mr. Alan Rainbird, the Deputy Secretary. and four other Senior Officers.

Great strides were made towards the interim ANO 95. 25 and barring unforeseen barriers, we should see this as Law in the early months of 1985. One of the biggest steps taken was to remove the Maximum Empty Weight definition so that a single-place aircraft will now be defined as having a Maximum Take-off Weight not exceeding 290 kilos, including the pilot weight of 90 kilos plus fuel and other loose articles. A two-place machine will have a Maximum Take-off Weight not exceeding 400 kilos, allowing for two pilots of 90 kg each and fuel etc.

A staging system for compliance with the airworthiness requirements is under consideration at the moment and the AUF is now waiting for the final draft to come from Canberra.

Don’t forget that under the new ANO 95. 10 Issue 2

Anyone flying any ultralight is required to be a financial member of the AUF so- before you go flying next make sure you are a member. For further information contact your Australian Ultralight Federation Area Rep:

NSW: Paul Scrymgour, 41 Tallawalla Rd, Valentine 2280, (02) 46 8706

SA: Roger Duance, 22 Southern St, Menindie 5081, (08) 255 1622

ACT: Bob Carveth, 31 Burnie Ct, Lyons 2606, (062) 43 6579

WA: Rod Ashton, 33 Boronia Av, Nedlands 6009, (09) 386 5023

QLD: Graham Kevin, Suncoast Ultralight, (071) 47 5447

NT: Kelvin Hutchinson, PO Boxx41937, Casuarina 5792, (089) 27 2278

VIC: Kim Shearm, 1434 Dandenong Rd, Oakleigh 3166, (03) 569 9164

TAS: Brian Harris, 1 Ambleside Pl, Devonport 7310, (004) 27 8039

George Markey

AIR NAVIGATION ORDER

PART 95

SECTION 95. 10

Issue 2

1 – APPLICABILITY This Section of the Air Navigation Orders applies to single-place aeroplanes having an empty weight not in excess of 115 kilograms and a wing loading at empty weight not in excess of 11 kilograms per square metre used solely in private operations for recreational purposes.

2-DEFINITIONS In this Section: ‘Aeroplane’ means a power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft deriving its lift in flight chiefly from aerodynamic reactions on surfaces remaining fixed under given conditions of flight.

‘Authorised person’ means a person included in a class of persons appointed under regulation 9 of the Air Navigation Regulations.

‘Empty weight wing loading” means the empty weight of the aeroplane in kilograms divided by the wing area in square metres.

‘Federation’ means the Australian Ultralight Federation.

‘Empty weight’ means the weight of the aeroplane, including all items of fixed equipment, unusable fuel and undrainable oil but excluding recovery or personnel parachutes, floats and all other items of disposable load.

‘Operations manual means a standard manual approved by the First Assistant Secretary (Flight Standards) of the Department of Aviation containing the procedures and instructions necessary to ensure the safe operation of aeroplanes to which this Section applies.

‘Public road’ means a street, road, lane, thoroughfare or place open to, or used by, the public for passage of vehicles.

4 – CONDITIONS 4. 1 An aeroplane to which this Section applies shall not be operated except by a person who is a member of and subject to the rules, regulations and directions contained in the operations manual of the Federation.

4. 2 Except with the permission in writing of a Regional Director, Assistant Regional Director (Flight Standards) or Superintendent (Flying Operations) of the Department of Aviation and in accordance with any conditions specified in the permit to minimise hazard to other aircraft or to persons or property on the ground or water, an aeroplane to which this Section applies shall not be flown:

(a) at a height in excess of 500 feet above ground level;

(b) within eight kilometres from a Government or licenced aerodrome;

(c) within controlled airspace;

(d) within a prohibited or restricted area:

(e) at a height lower than 300 feet above ground level within a horizontal distance of 100 metres from:

(i) a public road; (*) persons other than those persons directly associated with the operation of the aeroplane or, during the take-off phase, persons situated behind the point at which the aeroplane commences its take-off run relative to the intended direction of flight; and

(iii) watercraft except those watercraft directly associated with the operation of the aeroplane

(i) from or land at any place unless it is located at least 500 metres from the perimeter of any city, town or populous area;

(g) over private property which is not the property of the pilot at a height lower than 300 feet above ground level unless the flight takes place over the property of a person or persons who have given permission in writing for flights below 300 feet above ground level to take place;

(h) within 100 metres horizontally from or at any height over a dwelling except with the permission of the occupier;

(i) over any body of water at a distance greater than 150 metres from the shoreline unless the pilot is equipped with flotation equipment which is capable of ensuring that the aeroplane will remain afloat should it be forced to alight on the water;

(j) notwithstanding the provisions of sub-paragraph

(1) above, over water at a distance from land greater than 18 kilometres; or

(k) at any regatta, race meeting or public gathering.

4. 3 An aeroplane to which this Section applies shall not be flown:

(a) at night;

(b) over a city, town or populous area:

(c) in circumstances where the flight visibility is less than 5000 metres or the aeroplane’s distance from cloud is less than 600 metres horizontally or 500 feet vertically:

(d) in acrobatic manoeuvres:

(e) if the fuel capacity of the aeroplane has been increased over that provided by the manufacturer at the time of construction.

4. 4 Upon the request of an authorised person the owner or operator of an aeroplane to which this Section applies shall furnish satisfactory evidence that the aeroplane meets the requirements of this Section. ”

4. 5 An authorised person shall, at all reasonable times, have access to any aeroplane to which this Section applies for the purpose of inspecting the aeroplane to determine that it meets the requirements of this Section.

4. 6 Where it is proposed to fly an aeroplane to which this Section applies in circumstances other than those specified in paragraph 4. 2 of this Section the person actually operating the aeroplane or his agent shall submit a written application specifying the details of the proposed operation to the Regional Director not less than twenty-eight days prior to the proposed flight.

NOTE: Attention is directed to the fact that the exemption granted by this Section does not confer on an operator of any aeroplane to which this Section applies any rights as against the owner or occupier of any land on or over which the operations are conducted, or prejudice in any way the rights and remedies which a person may have in respect of any injury to persons or damage to property caused directly or indirectly by the Aeroplane.