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PA46 Malibu N264DB missing in the English Channel

Easy to find him if you lookup the FAA airmen database.
He is listed as having a foreign based private license for single engine land (no IR).

His license is based on a U.K. licence which number starts with GBR.FCL.PP

Any idea whether the .PP implies a commercial licence ?

Thanks

LFPN, LFLI, LFPZ

TimR wrote:

Can a PPL do parachute operations?

Yes under some circumstances. That is part of the same derogation that applies to introductory flights, glider towing etc:

EU Regulation 965/2012, Article 6 (4a):

By way of derogation from Article 5(1) and (6), the following operations with other-than complex motor-powered aeroplanes and helicopters, balloons and with sailplanes may be conducted in accordance with Annex VII:
…..
introductory flights, parachute dropping, sailplane towing or aerobatic flights performed either by a training organisation having its principal place of business in a Member State and approved in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, or by an organisation created with the aim of promoting aerial sport or leisure aviation, on the condition that the aircraft is operated by the organisation on the basis of ownership or dry lease, that the flight does not generate profits distributed outside of the organisation, and that whenever non-members of the organisation are involved, such flights represent only a marginal activity of the organisation

Last Edited by Airborne_Again at 23 Jan 14:51
ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

Regarding the audio, is there any reason to believe this was done in the air, rather than on the ground?

The “falling apart” comment to me, sounds more like he’s refering to the state of the aircraft, rather than an event in progress, particularly given that he seems to yawn after that. That doesn’t sound like someone who is scared.

The “get someone to look for me if you don’t hear from me after 1.5 hours” comment, sounds like the time from take off to landing, rather than mid flight to landing.

And he’s unlikely to get much of a phone signal across the water at 5,000ft.

In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, I’m inclined to think this phone call was made while on the ground, before take off.

EIWT Weston, Ireland

Salim wrote:

Easy to find him if you lookup the FAA airmen database.
He is listed as having a foreign based private license for single engine land (no IR).

His license is based on a U.K. licence which number starts with GBR.FCL.PP

Any idea whether the .PP implies a commercial licence ?

Thanks


FAA 61.75 Piggy Back PPL validation based on a foreign license is always granted initially as PPL-only, even if your original license is ATPL.

Salim wrote:

Any idea whether the .PP implies a commercial licence

PP = PPL,
CP = CPL,
AT = ATPL

Biggin Hill

Salim wrote:

Any idea whether the .PP implies a commercial licence ?

My UK license has the same GBR.FCL.PP and I do not have a CPL. I think PP = private pilot and GBR.FCL.CP would imply commercial pilot.

EGSX

Single Engine Piston CAT ops are vfr day only

From what I have seen, AOC conditions vary. For A-to-A AOC e.g. pleasure flights you can get an AOC for a C172 and I have known one such. For A-to-B AOC you always needed two engines, and even a totally shagged Seneca would do (yes I have known a lot more than one such; one IR instructor and 170A examiner I flew with operated them; do a google on G-OMAR ). Recently single engine was allowed for A-to-B charter if it was a turbine, with some requirements which I know nothing about in specific cases (but probably requiring flight under IFR, which is the general case for passenger transport, plus stuff like getting a deconfliction service for all Class G flight in the UK).

But this wasn’t an AOC flight, for numerous reasons.

FAA 61.75 Piggy Back PPL validation based on a foreign license is always granted initially as PPL-only, even if your original license is ATPL.

There is, or used to be, a “piggyback FAA CPL”, but it excluded passenger carriage. I vaguely recall it being usable for ferrying.

The paradropping scene has traditionally had a high % of “interesting” characters in it. The operating requirements for revenue optimisation tend to ensure that.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Given the above information it is not unrealistic to imagine the PIC did not have an IR. There is a chance he had an EASA IR not included on the FAA ticket but that would prevent him from filing an IFR flight plan for a flight departing from France (if abiding the law).

Given the weather on the night and trying to get as high as possible without entering class A ….potentially this was a VMC into IMC case?

EGSX

Peter wrote:

The paradropping scene has traditionally had a high % of “interesting” characters in it. The operating requirements for revenue optimisation tend to ensure that.

My wife used to skydive (has ~800 jumps in her logbook), she told me that jump ships have to be in poor enough condition that the skydivers don’t want to land with it but not quite so poor that the pilot also wants to abandon it, too… skydive pilots are also renowned for “hot dogging”, one particular C182 jumpship she knew had a bunch of defects caused by it being routinely aerobatted, and it ended up being crashed by a pilot who was showing off (which killed everyone on board).

Now not all skydive operations will be like this of course, but it’s probably not rare either. All the skydive jump pilots I’ve met have had a pretty high risk tolerance.

Last Edited by alioth at 23 Jan 15:58
Andreas IOM

TimR wrote:

According to this source the pilot was a Dave Ibbotson. The article continues to say “Mr Ibbotson, who worked as a gas engineer based in Crowle, is believed to have had extensive experience carrying parachute enthusiasts on flights from private airfields”

I googled that name as soon as I saw it. The first few links contain mundane administrative stuff (meeting minutes etc) which suggest the named person is a pilot connected with parachute dropping.

EGLM & EGTN
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