Fri May 17, 2019 10:02 am
#1694145
David Wood wrote:Kemble Pitts wrote:In response to the OP, I was (am still) a CRI and was enjoying doing biennials, tail-wheel differences, aerobatics ratings and the like. But then I wanted to do the 'trips around the bay' in Stampes and Tiger Moths and that required me to be an FI(A) - 'cos they are, in regulatory terms, Exercise 3 of the PPL/LAPL (air experience), given under an ATO, and so the pilot needs to be an FI(A) - QED.
Of course, you don't now have to be an FI to do the 'twice round the cathedral' flights in a Tiger Moth or a Stampe, or indeed anything else. Introductory Flights (as distinct from Ex 3 - but indistinguishable in all practical senses) can now be flown by a non-FI. A PPL will do. But you can't be paid for it.
I understand that but, it is rather more 'proper' if you are an FI. Also, the operator that I fly for is an ATO at a high profile location and so does lots of these flights, they wouldn't even look at using a non-FI. Even if they did I imagine the non-FI would look and feel pretty much a second class citizen within the team.
I did fly a season of these trips as a non-FI and it became a juggling act for the operator (that one was an RTF) to manage the 'marginal activity' question. Too much effort and I wanted to fly as many trips as were available and to do it 'properly' without having to think about 'is this now too much into a grey area'.
And its good to get a few shekels for your efforts, plus I want to be able to log the time as 'instructing' - helps to keep the rating current.