Peter wrote:
UL is VFR-only which avoids a huge pile of political/regulatory issues simply because ATC can always refuse entry into CAS (“the air which belongs to professional pilots”) without giving a reason
Actually in France ULM are prohibited in AIP for big airports landing and transits (some require PPR phone call), that have solved load of ATC, Industry, professional complaints (issue was rather RT proficiency than who owns/pays for CAS) and opened door for more deregulation as sport/associative activity, the funny bit is that ULMs tend to have more owners scene and touring flyers than pilots who fly certified as majority flies Aeroclub fleet 
Peter wrote:
… can always refuse entry into CAS (“the air which belongs to professional pilots”) without giving a reason
That may be a political angle in the UK, but it is not in Scandinavia.
Perhaps not in Scandivania but everywhere else in Europe and not just the UK Aviation politics is quite similar across Europe.
UL is VFR-only which avoids a huge pile of political/regulatory issues simply because ATC can always refuse entry into CAS (“the air which belongs to professional pilots”) without giving a reason
Well, what they just did in Norway was to close all of it, uncontrolled airspace included. Airspace is airspace seems to be the rule here, and “we” (Avinor, with help from LT) rule it all with no exceptions whatsoever. This kind of suck right now, but in “peace time” it’s good, because airspace is still just airspace, no matter which label is used.
Taking longer to learn to fly. I was thinking about stick and rudder skills. Take off and landing skills. There seems to make no difference in learning time if the aircraft is difficult to control (like a microlight vs C-172). Yet, a pilot with C-172 experience only will have real difficulties controlling an Atec Faeta (for instance) while a pilot with Faeta experience only would have no problems whatsoever controlling a C-172.
Peter wrote:
Perhaps not in Scandivania but everywhere else in Europe and not just the UK Aviation politics is quite similar across Europe.
In Poland and in Czechia there is no problem getting CAS transit in a UL. Slovakia is likely similar, from second hand knowledge.
You can in the UK too; no problem. I was referring to the political quid pro quo which runs through aviation [de]regulation. One sees this at the other end too: any deregulation of the IR is painfully slow and this is mainly because of the airspace one gets access to. With a VFR-only aircraft category, you can score a victory because the regulator knows that access can always be denied.
Badly worded (if they really meant that Microlight/UL hours should be credited):
A microlight/UL by definition is exactly not the same “Category and Class as the Part-FCL aircrafts”. German ULs are not even “aircrafts” according to German regulation but “air sports equipment”
This wording would help all the people flying historic and rare aircrafts that are Annex I because they are not mainstream (e.g. most warbirds). If a national regulator, however, wants to exclude microlight/UL hrs, based on this wording they have any right to do so.
It’s now included as a “hard regulation”
See here, or https://www.europe-air-sports.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/EAS-Newsletter-Jan-2021-v3.pdf.
local copy
The EC Regulation 2020/2193 is a 16 page document which you find under the following
link in all EU languages
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32020R2193&from=EN
The main para is found in Annex I of the Regulation and reads as follows:
(c) in point FCL.035(a), the following point (4) is added:
(4) All hours flown in aeroplanes or TMGs that are subject to a decision of a Member State
taken in accordance with points (a) or (c) of Article 2(8) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139
or that fall within the scope of Annex I to that Regulation shall be credited in full
towards fulfilling the flight time requirements of point FCL.140.A(a)(1) and point
FCL.740.A(b)(1)(ii) of this Annex, provided that the following conditions are met:
(i) the aeroplane or TMG concerned is of the same category and class as the Part-FCL
aircraft in respect of which the hours flown are to be credited;
This means that all hours flown with national licences in aircraft, aeroplanes, sailplanes
and balloons have to be counted by the authorities to validate privileges and ratings of an
EASA LAPL, SPL, BPL or PPL
Got confirmation from LT today that all hours flown in an UL also counts for currency, same as flying an EASA aircraft. However, the 1 h with an instructor must be done in an EASA aircraft.
