New order of 17 February 2025

News item

After a long gestation, the DGAC has just published the OPS order on the conditions for using motorised ultralight aircraft (microlights).

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Regulations3 min read

After a long gestation, the DGAC has just published the OPS order on the conditions for using motorised ultralight aircraft (microlights).

One of the DGAC’s objectives was to bring the reference texts, which have existed for more than thirty years, into line, and the other is to distinguish flights operated on a non-profit basis from flights carried out for remuneration.

Following several microlight accidents during commercial activities carrying paying passengers, the BEA had issued, since 2016, a series of recommendations on commercial microlight operations.

These recommendations led the DGAC to study a draft order on the use of microlights, taking care to remain within a pragmatic framework that respects the specific features of the declaration-based system and of the responsibility of the pilot and operator that are unique to French microlight flying.

This draft order was prepared following work carried out under the DGAC’s leadership between 2021 and 2024, in consultation with FFPLUM and other bodies representing aviation activities. It aims to respond to these BEA recommendations by supplementing the rules currently applicable to microlight operators with new requirements for introductory flights and for specific activities carried out for remuneration.

This order can be broken down into 4 main parts:

General provisions applicable to all microlights (cancels and replaces the microlight part of the order of 24 July 1991 and amends the order of 23 September 1998 on pilots and equipment, bringing these provisions together in a single new order.
“VLOs” (local flights for remuneration) carried out for remuneration by operators (companies).
“VLDs” (introductory flights) carried out by organisations (clubs) set up to promote sport and recreational aviation, offering introductory flights on a marginal basis (less than 8% of annual flying hours, excluding training and open days).
“Specific Activities” (AP) carried out in microlights.

Many of the measures in this order are already implemented by organisations offering paid flights, and they will simply carry on applying them. It also seemed important to continue to allow clubs for which introductory flights are a marginal activity (less than 8% of flying hours) to carry on offering them, with simplified procedures that are less restrictive than those applicable to local flights for remuneration regarding risk management and the drawing up of an activity manual.

All these provisions still fall within the declaratory system specific to French microlighting, distinguishing precisely what applies to: the Pilot, the Machine and the Operator.

As regards the medical aspect, a simple medical certificate of no contraindication signed by a general practitioner will be required for pilots carrying out flights for remuneration with passengers from the age of 40 for VLOs and 60 for VLDs. Initially, the DGAC wanted to impose the class 2 aeronautical medical certificate.

In summary, what to remember about this order:

Very few changes to the conditions of use of microlights for private and recreational use, or for training.
New provisions regulating microlight activities carried out for remuneration, and more particularly when carrying a paying passenger (VLO, VLD and AP).

The order takes effect on 1^st July 2025 for the first part, applicable to microlighting in general, and on 1^st April 2026 for introductory flights (VLO and VLD) and specific activities (AP).

FFPLUM, with the DGAC’s contribution, will communicate fuller information in the coming days, with a detailed practical guide, as well as supporting documents and measures to support pilots to make it easier to implement. We have also planned several events, starting with the FFPLUM General Assembly on 22 March 2025, as well as webinars and materials presenting the text and its impact on practice.

In addition, as part of its delegation, a specific agreement currently being formalised between FFPLUM and the DGAC will make it possible to offer affiliated clubs and schools and pilots simplified practical procedures, in order to maintain safe access to microlighting.