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When I got involved in soaring in 1967
motorgliding was considered such an oddity that it
was not mentioned in polite company! The
prevailing philosophy back then seemed to be that
if you wanted to fly an aircraft with an engine
you were encouraged to go fly an airplane, because
sailplanes were reserved for the purest form of
flight. Forty years later the purists still exist,
but I've heard that nearly 70% of all gliders
built today are equipped with some type of engine,
whether it be self-launcher or sustainer, so the
concept seems to have taken root. The machines
have matured with the concept, and we now have a
wide variety of motorgliders to choose from, that
span the field from trainers to high performance
sailplanes. In this article, I will address some
of the certification issues, both for motorgliders
and pilots, and provide answers to some of the
most frequently asked questions fielded along the
way.
Let's begin by
defining a motorglider. First, in FAA terminology,
all sailplanes are "gliders" and what we often
refer to as "motorgliders" still fall into the
Glider aircraft category. Further, the FAA term
for a motorglider is a "Powered Glider" as
described in Advisory Circular (AC) 21.17-2a. This
AC states three requirements for certification as
a powered glider. First, it must be either single
or two-place (no double back seats allowed). Next,
it is limited to a maximum gross weight of 850 kg
or 1874 lbs. Finally, it must have a weight/span
loading maximum of .62 lbs/square foot. This last
requirement is to preclude designs that are
essentially lightweight powered airplanes from
qualifying as motorgliders. In addition to the AC
21.17-2a requirements, FAR 91.205 lists the
required engine instrumentation. As a point of
note, "pure" gliders have no instrument
requirements, (because they are not airplanes)
other than that included on their individual Type
Data Certification Sheets.
OK, now that we know
what a motorglider is, what qualifications does it
take to fly one? The first requirement is having a
glider rating type on your Pilot certificate.
Remember, regardless of type, and whether it is
equipped with a fixed, forward mounted engine,
such as the Ximango, Grob109, Dimona, or Katana
Extreme, or a retractable engine and propeller
such as the DG-400/500/800, or even a combination
of both as found in the Stemme S-10, they are all
gliders in the eyes of the FAA. The next requirement is to
be trained and qualified for Self-Launching. The
FAA recognizes three launch methodologies, and you
must be qualified for whatever method you utilize.
The three are Ground Launch, (winch, auto tow,
bungee) Aero Tow, and Self-Launch. With regard to
the latter, pilots of "Powered Gliders" must
comply with FAR 63.31(j) (1) (iii), which states:
No person may act as pilot in command of a
glider - using self-launch procedures, unless
that person has satisfactorily accomplished ground
and flight training on self-launch procedures and
operations, and has received an endorsement from
an authorized instructor who certifies in that
pilot's logbook that the pilot has been found
proficient in self-launch procedures and
operations.
Note,
regardless of the launch method, to be legal the
pilot must be trained and receive a log book
endorsement, somewhat analogous to the "Tailwheel
Endorsement" required for pilots who fly tail
dragger airplanes.
To determine
exactly what constitutes the training required by
FAR 61.31; one must digest AC 61-94, and also
understand that decrees from the FAA are issued at
different levels, from Orders, to Regulations, to
Advisory Circulars. We Pilots are usually most
familiar with regulations, which are directive in
nature, but often incomplete. That's where
Advisory Circulars come in, to amplify
Regulations, but they are only suggestive and
permissive in nature. As the introduction to AC
61-94 indicates: This AC provides
recommendations, but not the only means, that may
be used by glider pilots who desire to transition
into gliders or sailplanes with Self-Launching
capability. The AC recommends two different
syllabi, essentially one for glider pilots that
also have SEL ratings, and another for those who
do not. As you might imagine, the latter is more
extensive. This AC is also the source for
describing the qualifications of the CFI who can
conduct the training. In short, these include
holding a commercial SEL rating, being a CFIG, and
having a Self-Launch Endorsement. In order to
accomplish the items suggested in either syllabus,
I conduct one thorough briefing and 3-5 flight
hours with most students. The average student
could complete all the requirements in one good
day of training, but I suggest two to make the
experience more enjoyable. Note that the hours
indicated by the AC are merely suggestions, and
that the guidance is a recommendation. However, I
would find it difficult to safely train the
typical pilot in much less time than the above.
While we're in the midst of AC 61-94, we will also
find the famous "Grandfather Clause" that exempts
the requirements for a Self-Launch Endorsement
based on prior experience. It states that: A
pilot who holds at least a Private Pilot
Certificate with a Glider Rating and can show by
logbook entry that he/she has had at least 5 hours
of PIC experience in a Motorglider before January
1, 1985, will be considered to have met the
guidelines of this AC.
Even if you
qualify by virtue of the Grandfather Clause, your
insurance carrier may require a Self-Launch
Endorsement, along with a cockpit check conducted
by a Self-Launch Endorsed CFIG, in your particular
glider.
Now for some
FAQ's:
Q: Can I
fly a Motorglider if I hold a Private Pilot SEL
Rating? A: No, you must have a Glider Rating, and a
Self-Launch Endorsement.
Q: What if
I promise to never shut off the engine-doesn't
that make it an airplane? A: No, it's still a
Glider, and the above remains true.
Q: I
recently purchased a self launching motorglider.
It's inconvenient for me to obtain a Self-Launch
sign off for a few months. Will I be in violation
of the FARs if I fly the glider without operating
the engine? A: "Interpretation" is the keyword
here. It is unclear how the
local divisions of the FAA will interpret FAR
63.31(j) (1) (iii), which states, "No person may
act as pilot in command of a glider using
self-launch procedures, unless that person has
satisfactorily accomplished ground and flight
training on self-launch procedures and operations,
and has received an endorsement from an authorized
instructor who certifies in that pilot's logbook
that the pilot has been found proficient in
self-launch procedures and operations." Some at
the FAA have said that no self launch sign off is
needed as long as self launch procedures are not
used. But regardless of the FAA
interpretation, many insurance carriers will
require the self-launch signoff for their
insurance to apply.
Q: Do I
need a Medical Certificate to fly a
motorglider? A: No, it's still a
glider, and medical certificates are not required
to fly gliders.
Q: Do I
need a Self-Launch Endorsement to fly my
sustainer-equipped glider?
A: No. It cannot
self-launch therefore the endorsement is not
required. Be sure to obtain the proper endorsement
for the type of launch being utilized if so
required by the FAA.
Q: With a
long enough runway, my sustainer-equipped glider
can self-launch. Does that
require me
to have a Self-Launch Endorsement?
A: This is
a gray area. My intuition (and familiarity with
FAA protocol) tells me if you are
self-launching a Self-Launch Endorsement would be
required, regardless of the manufacturer's
description of the glider's capability as a
sustainer. I would also check with my insurance
carrier. They will likely require the Self-Launch
Endorsement if you can get it off the ground by
this means.
Q: Do I
need a Self-Launch Endorsement to fly my
Experimental Self-Launcher?
A: Yes- the
waiver for the Experimental Aircraft found in FAR
61.31 (k) (iii) does not apply.
Q: Do I
need a Self-Launch Endorsement just to fly solo,
not carrying passengers? A: Yes- Training
complete and endorsement in the logbook before
solo.
Q: Can I
train for Self-Launching in a Ximango or Grob 109,
and then legally fly my
DG-800?
They seem quite different, and require
considerably different skill sets to operate,
especially with regard to engine
operations.
A: Yes! The
introduction to AC 61-94 explains the FAA's
assumption that since all
motorgliders exhibit essentially the same
handling characteristics, the training conducted
in one type is good for qualifying a pilot for
any. Such a conclusion minimizes the considerable
difference between most fixed engine trainers and
high performance retractable-engine
Self-Launchers. My recommendation is to train in
the type of motorglider most similar to that you
intend to fly.
Q: Can I
use my Ximango or Grob 109 tail dragger to update
my Tailwheel currency?
A: Nice
try-but no. The requirements for currency found in
FAR61.57 (a) (1) (ii) specifically require
that takeoffs and landings be performed in a
tailwheel-equipped airplane, not
aircraft.
Q: Do I
need a Self-Launch Endorsement for my Europa,
Moneri or Sinus? A: Maybe- The key
here is the Certificate of Airworthiness. If it
says Glider, then yes a Self-Launch Endorsement is
needed, but if it says airplane or E-LSA, then no.
A small equipment change, such as long wings vs.
short wings, or a feathering prop vs. fixed pitch
prop, can alter the Certification Category. In all
cases, the aircraft Category and Pilot
certification must match.
By this
time, I hope you feel more informed about
motorglider certification issues. The
independence, freedom, and convenience
motorgliders offer make it well worth the small
additional investment in training required to
operate them safely and legally. Feel free to
contact the Auxiliary Powered Sailplane
Association (ASA), an affiliate of the SSA, for
more information. Their website is http://mysite.verizon.net/engreenwell/ASA/index.html |
