Auth to fly 12 months vs 100 hrs?

[RV4ker (RIP)]

I was under impression that the following was applicable...

If you have flown 100 hours, you need a fresh AP. Your Authority to Fly is valid for 100 hours OR 1 year whichever comes first.

However I have looked at the auth to fly and have spoken to plenty at CAA. Appears that possibly this was the intention, it is however not the case. I flew 179 hrs in my NTCA aerie last year (Auth to fly expires on Wed) and when I queried the requirement for new AP inpection I was told (and it is stated on the auth to fly) that there is no hourly limit. The Auth to fly reads as follows;

The aircfraft is servicable before each flight (assume this is done byowner/pilot) and had undergone an annual inspection during past 12 months immediately preceding any flight and is correctly certified in applicable aircraft record.

Am confused? Anyone know what correct situation is? Insurance states that as long as CAA is happy then I am covered. Based on above I would only need an AP/(MPI) annually regardless of hrs. This seems wrong to me and unsafe as I could do as many as 250hrs in a year. I know school aeries have to be done every 25hrs, but what about those not used in schools. When queried one of the responces I got was that these types were never intended to fly more than 100hrs a year. Seems a bit shortsighted if I look at some of the numbers being turned in by "social" flyers on the forum alone?

PS (for the record)
My aerie has a 50/100/150 hr maintenance schedule which I comply with regardless of what CAA and Auth to fly state, but impending regulation will not allow my AMO to do the maint which causes a problem?

PPS
Another question - Who handles the AP scheme? Even though my aerie is reg'd as light aircraft (ie not microlight) CAA refer me to MISASA for AP list to do annual inspection?

PPPS
If not relevant please delete....

[Fairy Flycatcher]

Part 24.03.2 Deals with Annual inspections. It is only required every 12months, but Section 24.03.3 states that the commissioner may prescribe additional periodic inspections, depending on the type of aircraft and its intended use.

Now Most aircraft on their Authority to Fly Part 4.3, have a time limit of 25 - 100 hours, set by CAA airworthiness. These are often overlooked by the pilots, owner, operators.

The average home-build, for instance must be inspected every 50 hours, and the average production build microight is givin 100 hours.

I don't know why your aircraft has not been given an hour requirement as well. It has traditionally been set at 100 hours minimum. Could have been an omission from their side.

I have checked all the private and school aircraft Authorities to Fly which we have here, and they all differ in some silly respects. One says you can't fly over build up areas. The other one says not over build up areas for extended periods of time, and yet another has no such restriction. They are all Aquillas so the reason for this I don't know.

Seems like there is very little consistency.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Now Most aircraft on their Authority to Fly Part 4.3, have a time limit of 25 - 100 hours, set by CAA airworthiness. These are often overlooked by the pilots, owner, operators.

The average home-build, for instance must be inspected every 50 hours, and the average production build microight is givin 100 hours.

I don't know why your aircraft has not been given an hour requirement as well. It has traditionally been set at 100 hours minimum. Could have been an omission from their side.

Ta FF.

I have 3 NTCA's and none have an hr requirement/limit on Auth to fly ? 4.3 restricts to day VMC not over build up areas for extended periods of time or open asemblies of people...

That my point exactly. Is there possibly nothing in Part 24 & 96 which governs this?

[rotorkop]

My aerie has a 50/100/150 hr maintenance schedule which I comply with regardless of what CAA and Auth to fly state,

You just answered your question. CAA are not baby sitters when it comes to hours flown, you as pilot are responsible for knowing what your engine is capable of etc. They require the annual inspection to maintain a reasonable safety margin!! :D

Regards
Rotor Kop

[RV4ker (RIP)]

RK

I disagree. This is most definitely one of CAA's functions. It is not pilot's responcibility to know anything about his engine's physical maint other than what is required to be done by suitably qualified tech(in some cases it is same person, but it is becomming the exception with the proliferation of NTCA's appearing on the register). NTCA is becomming exceptionally complex and is no longer the domain of simple (no disrespect to those who own these (I am one myself)) aircraft. There are some high performance machines that are being reg'd as NTCA and they (CAA) are not keeping abreast with these developments. Based on my auth to fly I only have to have an AP done annually to be legal which I know/feel is wrong, but is legal none he less. This was confirmed by CAA representatives, thus my question once again.

Does anybody know what the situation is? Was this an oversight or is auth to fly valid for 12 months regardless of hrs flown?

[RV4ker (RIP)]

My aerie has a 50/100/150 hr maintenance schedule which I comply with regardless of what CAA and Auth to fly state,

You just answered your question. CAA are not baby sitters when it comes to hours flown, you as pilot are responsible for knowing what your engine is capable of etc. They require the annual inspection to maintain a reasonable safety margin!! :D

Regards
Rotor Kop

The manual was written by yours truly and I err'd on side of caution. Base doc's were from USA where liability law has dictated that "thou shalt maintain regarless of condition". I used a certified aerie's limits and recommendations, but experimental (NTCA) category is exactly that experimental. Who is to say an engine can not go 300hrs between services and 3000(or more) hrs between O/H's and should not be maintained on condition? Is the auth to fly trying to accomodate this or is it oversight?

[skybound®]

Part 24.03.2 Deals with Annual inspections. It is only required every 12months, but Section 24.03.3 states that the commissioner may prescribe additional periodic inspections, depending on the type of aircraft and its intended use.

So then I would understand that if it is not on the ATF, then the commissioner has not set an additional periodic inspection.

[FAWGie]

JCVB

If the aircraft is registered fro private use only and NOT for remuneration, then the ATF will specify an annual inspection (Irrespective of hours flow). Obviously you still nedd to comply with the engine hour inspections and airframe inspections as per the owner's manuals, etc...etc....

If the same aircraft has been registered for training or where remuneration might be involved, then an annual inspection endorsed in the log book must be done every 25 hours..... (Irrespective of whether it is school or privately owned)

[skybound®]

Obviously you still nedd to comply with the engine hour inspections and airframe inspections as per the owner's manuals, etc...etc....

It would appear to be fair - but how far does that extend? Would that not mean then that if you don't change your spark plugs at 25 hours as specified in the engine manual that then your ATF is not valid?

[Fairy Flycatcher]

I just heard something very interesting this week. For a couple of months I have questioned why the new Authority to Fly application refers to LS1 and not Part 24, as Part 24 has been written in through exemption.

It now apears that Part 24 has been written in incorrectly, and therefore we are still bound by the old LS 1 document, which I can't get my hands on, as CAA publications say it is out of print and they dont' have a copy

Confusion rules

At the moment we are not required to stick to Part 24, but no-one can tell us what the requirements are of the old LS 1 document

Don't you just love living in Africa?

For the most part, I think I would prefer my aircraft to be looked ager by myself and my skygod than some of the AME's I have seen lurking around. Be dilligent in choosing your AP and find out as much as you can about your aircraft. No one but yourself will look after you. And I am pretty sure that this confusion will last for a good decade or so. For the last 7 years that I have been activily involved in microlighting, no one has had a clue what really goes on, and people swop positions at CAA so rapidly, I don't think they know either.