UK Flight Rules: Okay for gliders to go IMC?

[simon]

Any IFR rated UK pilots reading this?

I am trying to resolve a debate about something somebody told me.

I was speaking with an English flight instructor who teaches soaring in Northern Ireland. He told me that it was within the regulations for a glider to descend through clouds without being on an IFR flight plan. At the time it sounded nuts to me. I mean, how can one ensure separation with other IFR traffic? But what do I know about the rules in another country.

Perhaps someone with knowledge of the local rules can clarify this. I haven't been able to.

[simon]

A little more investigation:

From the "British Gliding Association: Laws and Rules For Glider Pilots. 17th Edition, July 2010."

www.gliding.co.uk/forms/lawsandrules.pdf

6.13 No glider shall enter cloud within a radius of 5 nautical miles of a gliding site, except
from at least 200 feet from below the lowest part of the cloud.

6.14 No glider shall enter cloud unless all its occupants are wearing parachutes and have
been instructed in their use.

Hmmm. Doesn't sound very safe to me. More like, "Well, if you get hit, plan B is the parachute." What about the Bonanza pilot?

[simon]

Ah, the plot thickens (Again, it looks like I'm answering my own question, but I'll go on in case anyone is interested).

There are other qualifiers under 6.22 with regards to "Controlled Airspace". In controlled airspace, IMC is generally forbidden. Which begs the question - What this the UK's equivalent of class Echo.

[simon]

Okay, I have the answer. Basically, in the UK it is "good luck". No class Echo. Nuts for IMC.

Class G

All remaining airspace, comprising by far the largest part of the airspace below FL 195. The UK is unusual in that it has not adopted a widespread class E system of airways for most airspace lower than FL 70. Therefore for light aircraft, IFR flight in Class G airspace is relatively common. Use of a radio or transponder is not required, even in IMC.

[Climbnsink]

From what I've heard flying gliders in IMC in Europe is somewhat common and legal.   Properly equipped gliders and glider pilots who also have a Airplane IFR ratings can fly gliders IFR in the US following all the IFR rules.  Not many do. 

[Flying Pig]

Sounds great right up to the missed approach point.

[Climbnsink]

I'm guessing sarcasm.  Anyway the reason for flying IMC in gliders is to stay in thermals up through cloudbase.  Just climbing in clouds not cruising in clouds and not going into clouds for the sport of it. 

[Flying Pig]

^ Ahh, OK.  So the intent is not "IFR flight" then.  Good.  I am a low time glider pilot and could not even imagine how it would work unless you were in a motorized glider.

[simon]

the reason for flying IMC in gliders is to stay in thermals up through cloudbase

Interesting. Not being rated in gliders, before reading this I assumed it was to descend into and through a typical crappy overcast day in the UK to the airport.

Talk about spatial awareness - a circling ascent IMC. One assumes it is not too close to terra granite!

[Climbnsink]

I believe they use electric turn and bank indicators and are 'partial panel' all the time.  Benign spirals are always possible as an escape.  As many can imagine centering thermals in IMC isn't terribly efficient and probably is only worth doing in places with weak lift and low cloudbases.  Some of the distance records flown out West(Sierras) in wave were on IFR flight plans so they could utilize lift over FL18.  That takes prior permission and block altitudes and such.