Brussels, 02/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - A new European flying authorisation system making it easier for private pilots to obtain the skills needed for flying in bad weather conditions with poor visibility entered into force on Wednesday 2 April. Three new European regulations will now allow private pilots to obtain such authorisation based on their proven. Previously, they had to accumulate several hours of theoretical and practical training. The new system reduces this costly training and makes this kind of authorisation available to more pilots. Additionally, authorisation for pilots flying only the en-route part of the flight in poor visibility is available to private pilots from 2 April. The new simplified rules also apply to sailplane (glider aircraft) pilots as they include an authorisation to allow sailplane pilots to fly into clouds allowing for increased range and improved access to field landing sites. This initiative is part of an EU action plan to improve safety rules for sports aviation and promote pilot skills while reducing unnecessary regulation. (MD)