Introductory Flights

Only just caught up with this thread but some clubs in Germany seem to differentiate an introductory flight to a sight seeing flight. The introductory flight is normally carried out by a qualified Flight Instructor; in the plane is usually only the instructor and the potential student ( I opted for such a flight when deciding whether to go for my PPL) and the time can then be logged as P/UT by the student, should he wish to progress with his PPL.

Casual sight seeing flights are sold whereby all seats (W&B permitting) can be filled; additionally, the pilot doesn’t have to be an FI, he or she just needs to fulfil certain criteria such as 100 hours post PPL, 90 days currency in type, min 12 hours over last year plus at least one 1 hour session with an FI to ensure his flying standards are suitable – these guidelines were approved by the local Bezirksregierung, as far as I remember.

I recall the share of sight seeing trips v chartering from club members (including flight instruction) was about 3% : 97%

There is an interesting twist on the “introductory flights” also called “trial lessons” in the UK:

To do the flight for a prospective PPL student the RHS has to be an FI, with the CPL exam passes.

To do the flight for a prospective LAPL student, the RHS has to be an FI but doesn’t need the CPL exam passes.

Now, how can anyone categorise the customer who turns up for this flight?

Peter wrote:

There is an interesting twist on the “introductory flights” also called “trial lessons” in the UK:

Introductory flights and trial lessons are different things. You describe trial lessons. For an introductory flight, the PIC is in the left seat and doesn’t need an FI — a LAPL suffices. No instruction is given.

From here

Airborne_Again wrote:

It does allow “introductory flights” which are revenue flights.

It does allow “introductory flights” which are revenue flights.

Is that in all of EASA-land?

I’ve never heard of such flights in the UK.

Peter wrote:

Is that in all of EASA-land?

Absolutely!

Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (the air ops regulation):

Article 2 (Definitions), para. 9:

‘introductory flight’ means any operation against remuneration or other valuable consideration consisting of an air tour of short duration for the purpose of attracting new trainees or new members, performed either by a training organisation referred to in Article 10a of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/20111 or by an organisation created with the aim of promoting aerial sport or leisure aviation;

Article 6 (Derogations), para. 4a:

By way of derogation from Article 5(1) and (6), the following operations with other-than-complex motor-powered aeroplanes and helicopters may be conducted in accordance with Annex VII [part-NCO]:
[…]
(c) 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 referred to in Article 10a of 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.

(Item (a) of this paragraph is the derogation for cost-sharing flights.)

NCO.GEN.103 Introductory flights:
Introductory flights referred to in Article 6(4a)(c) of this Regulation when conducted in accordance with this Annex, shall:
(a) start and end at the same aerodrome or operating site, except for sailplanes;
(b) be operated under VFR by day;
(c) be overseen by a nominated person responsible for their safety; and
(d) comply with any other conditions stipulated by the competent authority

Posts merged into a previous thread which basically contains the answers.

Introductory flights enable a PPL to be the pilot, whereas a Trial Lesson needs an FI (with CPL exam passes, unless, presumably the Trial Lesson is towards the LAPL ).

I can see some “politics” involved. An ATO isn’t going to let a PPL do this unless there is a queue at the door and they are totally short of FIs.

Peter wrote:

I can see some “politics” involved.

I have given up. I was operating Air Experience flights, 30 minutes round the block, and the customers loved it. Got people up in the air, got me a bit more flying, and I liked meeting different folks who all loved the experience. Gave them a photo of the day, a Certificate, they loved it.

Then came the clubs Instructors after me.

I was labelled a chancer, a fraud, dangerous, my leaflets were torn off the walls on the club (despite me having to be a full member, pay my fees, and conform to all club rules). Had a chat to the club owner who sided with his instructors, no surprise there, then they dipped me to the CAA. I was actually doing nothing wrong or illegal according to the CAA but the club two weeks ago officially banned me from conducting the flights.

What a wasted opportunity due to small minded, fried old scroat instructors who think I am damaging their ’’patch’’. So much wrong information out there about the process, meanwhile I know of clubs sending up new PPL’s with the public, no training, no skill set, just take them for a flight. Good old UK in full swing..quite sad actually. Sorry meant to add guess what the club are now running themselves! 30 minute Introductory flights….

What is an Air Experience flight?

It sems like an Introductory Flight needs an ATO and the ATO needs to appoint some kind of supervisor.

Other than that, any PPL can take people up for free, or under the cost sharing rules, nothing to do with any club or school, with AIUI unrestricted advertising of the activity. Obviously the schools in the area will hate you because you are taking money out of their pockets, but this was always the case. As I well know, schools tend to push PPLs out of the way as soon as it becomes apparent there is no more revenue to be extracted out of them.