SAHPA licence really necessary?

[Turbonator]

OK I know this must be some sort of legal requirement in South Africa, but being a good bay for 11 years now I’m stating to question this due to various observations I’ve made.

SAHPA governs this sport on our behalf, and they make sure that we are standing on the right side of the fence. SAHPA also engage into negotiations that directly impacts our ability (or lack thereof) to actually fly, weather it being in controlled airspace or not. Over the past few years, however, I’ve become somewhat lazy to renew my license.

Let’s first and foremost agree that you probably do not know who’s licensed and who’s not when you’re standing on the ridge with other pilots. You therefor make assumptions that everything is hunky dory, unless you’re the super paranoid type. The same applies to people using the road to travel on. You normally do not question other drivers about their currency, do you? No one really plays ‘police’ , just like active policing being absent to a very large degree on our roads. It is therefore quite easy to just ‘rock up’ at a site and fly with no questions asked.

I also noticed a statement from SAHPA that ‘the pilot wasn’t licensed’ relating to a fatality at Loin’s Head in 2020. I’m now wondering why SAHPA is making this statement (as opposed to condolences etc), as I cannot see the outcome being any different had he being current with his licence. Yes I know you will try to tell me that through SAHPA one is forced to prove proficiency in order to renew one’s license, but doing so every year with... uh say 5 flights with an instructor really in my view doesn’t prove your ability to soar from Loin’s Head with a speed wing, does it?

Lastly, I’ve heard some say the SAHPA really only is a farce, that doesn’t really look after its members. There is for instance some kitty to help underprivileged pilots (or wanna be pilots) that simply isn’t being used. Instead, SAHPA may opt to use funds to protect themselves against legal matters arising from tandem operations. This is just ‘hear-say’, but if it’s utter nonsense, but does this rumour exist?

So, was any rouge pilot recently identified by any authority flying unlicensed, and served with some kind of sentence? Do authorities really care of have any manpower to actually enforce some kind of action against rouge pilots?

[Roger]

Interesting question. Unfortunately not anywhere close to any politics that may be playing out at SAHPA so will keep my answer close to the generic ones.

You can do almost anything without a licence, from flying a commercial RPAS to a fixed wing aircraft. You may get away with it time after time, but as soon as anything goes pear shaped, it will change your life in a big way. Have an accident for instance, and you may find insurance and medical aid repudiating your claims. Injure anyone else or cause 3rd party damage to property, and once again you could find yourself in the cold and even on the end of a massive claim against you or your estate.

As far as policing, there was reliance on club structures through the local club safety officer to assist with ensuring all members flying their club sites were licenced and even had to sign off your annual licence renewal. Has this changed? Many club run sites, landowners were always assured that only licenced individuals would make use of that site.

[WikusS]

Hi, if you fly unlicensed and is involved in an incident or accident that requires medical evacuation etc you will not be covered by insurance. SAHPA membership includes insurance. Radio licensing also included. If a helicopter has to lift you off a mountain because you have broken limbs the cost is astronomical. You will be liable if not insured.
The certification and renewal process is not so tedious compared to the risk if you had to be involved in an unfortunate event.

Hoping this clarifies the matter.

[Kortbroek]

Paragliders don't fly with a SAHPA license. It is a class of NPL issued by the CAA. SAHPA membership is a requirement to get trained or get licensed by the CAA though.

As mentioned above, you don't technically need a license to fly any aircraft, until you get caught out...