Owners of Beagle Pup aircraft operated purely for private purposes will be able to move their aeroplanes to European Aviation Safety Agency Permits to Fly, thanks to an initiative supported by the Light Aircraft Association. The move will allow owners more freedom in managing the continued airworthiness of their aircraft.
The new initiative gives Pup owners greater parity with owners of Annex II CAA / LAA Permit Bulldog aircraft and offers rules more in keeping with an aircraft that is long out of production.
Following discussions with the LAA about the way forward for another type, the Gardan Horizon, EASA has reconsidered its policy on ‘orphan’ non-EASA aircraft. Early in February it announced that in future any EASA aircraft with a Restricted Certificate of Airworthiness issued under an SAS (Specific Airworthiness Specification) rather than an active type certificate, including the Horizon, will be allowed to transition to an EASA Permit to Fly if the owner so chooses. The list of affected types – all orphan types with minimal realistic product support – includes the Beagle Pup. For others see https://easa.europa.eu/document-library/specific-airworthiness-specifications
The LAA’s role with these aircraft will be to act as facilitator for the initial issue of the Permit to Fly, making use of the Association’s extensive network of inspectors to carry out the necessary sign-off for annual checks and for maintenance carried out throughout the year.
The only significant difference between the arrangements for an aircraft with a permanent EASA Permit to Fly and those for a regular LAA Permit to Fly is that ant modifications must be approved through EASA rather than through LAA Engineering.
The LAA scheme is only available to G- registered aircraft and those that are ‘genuinely UK-based’. “We feel this is really good news and look forward to welcoming Pup owners into the LAA fold this season” says Francis Donaldson, Chief Engineer of the Light Aircraft Association.
