BGA Concession AUW

I was looking for some numbers for the Pegasus and came across a BGA document that listed max gross weights for many gliders. The chart had two different max gross weights, one from the manual and one titled "BGA Concession - non-aero-batic" which was, IIRC, 3% higher. I've never heard of this term before. I know that max gross weights have some safety margin built in but what is this 3% and how did BGA arrive at it?

What I've noticed with my Kestrel is that there is a MTOW (Dry) of 990 lbs and MAUW of 1040 lbs.

Then, there's the BGA Concession of 1020 lbs (Dry). It's the 3% above my MTOW (Dry) but does NOT exceed my MAUW.

It seems the concession is for dry weight only. My Kestrel, out of the factory, had a very narrow pilot weight band. I think the concession was to allow heavier pilots. (The Dry max weight was also increased during production, originally 960 lbs).

BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the glider?


On 5/1/2015 8:23 AM, C-FFKQ (42) wrote:
What I've noticed with my Kestrel is that there is a MTOW (Dry) of 990 lbs and MAUW of 1040 lbs.

Then, there's the BGA Concession of 1020 lbs (Dry). It's the 3% above my MTOW (Dry) but does NOT exceed my MAUW.

It seems the concession is for dry weight only. My Kestrel, out of the factory, had a very narrow pilot weight band. I think the concession was to allow heavier pilots. (The Dry max weight was also increased during production, originally 960 lbs).

--
Dan Marotta

At 14:32 01 May 2015, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?


In a word, yes.
Just to add to your angst the only legal requirement on glider flying in
the UK is that you must be over 14 years of age. You do not legally need a
medical or any form of licence to fly or instruct. Funny old world.

On Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 12:45:05 PM UTC+3, Don Johnstone wrote:
At 14:32 01 May 2015, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?


In a word, yes.
Just to add to your angst the only legal requirement on glider flying in
the UK is that you must be over 14 years of age. You do not legally need a
medical or any form of licence to fly or instruct. Funny old world.

You don't have to belong to a club and do what the CFI says if you want to continue flying? The club doesn't have to be affiliated to the BGA? The BGA doesn't have to approve the CFI?

On Friday, May 1, 2015 at 5:32:14 PM UTC+3, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?*

Light aircraft routinely have different max all up weights listed in the manual depending on how you intend to operate them on any particular flight.

It would of course be better if glider manufacturers assisted in the same way but, in the absence of that, 3% seems like a rather conservative increase for non-aerobatic flight!

In New Zealand, it is routine to grant agricultural operators waivers to operate at a whopping 30% over the manufacturer's specified max all up weight, with the proviso that the excess weight can be dumped in five seconds or so.

At 11:27 02 May 2015, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 12:45:05 PM UTC+3, Don Johnstone wrote:
At 14:32 01 May 2015, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?


In a word, yes.
Just to add to your angst the only legal requirement on glider flying
in
the UK is that you must be over 14 years of age. You do not legally
need
a
medical or any form of licence to fly or instruct. Funny old world.

You don't have to belong to a club and do what the CFI says if you want
to
continue flying? The club doesn't have to be affiliated to the BGA? The
BGA
doesn't have to approve the CFI?

Correct on all counts except the last one. Legally that is. There have been
from time to time clubs which were not affiliated to the BGA who operated
quite legally with instructors and pilots who had no "official"
qualifications. Such clubs have legally appointed a CFI without reference
to the BGA so I suppose even your last count is correct.
The position on AUW occurred because, prior to EASA there was no LEGAL
requirement for registration of gliders.

No angst here, just the irony of "our way is better" or "the grass is
always greener"...

Fly safe, ground your aircraft if the radios don't work, and I'll enjoy
steering the tug and being steered by the glider.

Cheers!

On 5/2/2015 3:40 AM, Don Johnstone wrote:
At 14:32 01 May 2015, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?

In a word, yes.
Just to add to your angst the only legal requirement on glider flying in
the UK is that you must be over 14 years of age. You do not legally need a
medical or any form of licence to fly or instruct. Funny old world.


--
Dan Marotta

On Friday, May 1, 2015 at 10:32:14 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?*

We'd all benefit from keeping UK/USA discussions about soaring civil. There may be room for change and improvement on both sides of the pond and comments that discourage open discussion are harmful to the sport.

Please vent somewhere else.

On 3/05/2015 02:04, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, May 1, 2015 at 10:32:14 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
BGA trumps the manufacturer on max dry weight of the glider, yet US
pilots are crazy, stupid, and unsafe for steering the tug with the
glider?

We'd all benefit from keeping UK/USA discussions about soaring civil. There may be room for change and improvement on both sides of the pond and comments that discourage open discussion are harmful to the sport.

Please vent somewhere else.

Rubbish! Poms thrive on near-abuse so get stuck into them. They give
as good as they get and enjoy it. The US's mealy-mouthed weasel words
style gets a bit irritating after a while. Don't change, Dan and Don.

GC