CAA Consultation - Post Brexit GA Challenge

[MadamBreakneck]

Microlighting is, and always has been, non-EASA but we are technically part of GA, so this consultation may be of interest.
"This consultation is an opportunity for you to help us achieve our ambition of making the UK a great place to fly with a flourishing GA sector. Successfully delivering our objectives will only be possible if we work collaboratively. The CAA would therefore like to understand:

• how we can help the GA community (and its associated businesses and industries) to flourish after leaving EASA,and to identifyits specific priorities;
• how we can engage with and work more efficiently, constructively and collaboratively with the GA communities in delivering our objectives;
• the priorities of those who are not part of the GA community when considering the future of General Aviation in the UK."

The claim is that they want to simplify and reduce regulation (remember the GA Red Tape Challege a few years back?). There's time till 18th December to get responses in and I'd suggest anybody responding also sends a copy to Geoff Weighell so he can include your thoughts in any BMAA response.

Maybe someone would put this up on other microlight-related soshal meedja.

Link: https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?appid=11&mode=detail&id=9832

Thoughts, chaps?

 

[MadamBreakneck]

Hmm.
Being discussed [here] with more interest than from us lot.

 

[Mike Calvert]

Strikes me from my minimal interaction with the CAA (only through their website) that they excel at wild over complication of anything they touch, have a website design languishing about two decades behind the rest of the world, start with a high assumption that you already know the relevant legislation and terminology - in short, they are an obscure, remote and faceless organisation that doesn't seem terribly approachable...

 

[MadamBreakneck]

Hi Mike
I do agree, the CAA can seem rather remote - that came a couple of decades back when the government instructed them (in my words) to stop being so helpful and to earn their keep. Anyway, are you going to translate that observation into a submission to the consultation? (Not sure whether that needs a smiley )
As with the previous GA Red Tape Challenge, introduced, you may recall, by the present Transport Secretary - himself a GA pilot - if we don't respond we won't get change.

In the CAA's defence (WOT?!) they define the term GA thus: (takes deep breath)
"General Aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation as ‘All civil aviation operations other than scheduled air services and non-scheduled air transport operations for remuneration or hire’. For the purposes of this consultation ‘GA’means the use of GA aircraft for private flying consisting of personal transport, training, recreational and sporting activity (including skydiving). GA non-complex aircraft are in scope including microlights, amateur-built and historic aircraft (including ex-military), balloons, airships, paramotors, gliders, rotorcraft, piston twin and singles up to 5,700kg maximum take-off weight and single pilot helicopters up to 3,175kg."
That's a broad scope and we only need to be aware of the rules etc that apply to our own flying.

Maybe we should start a "What does this mean" thread into Student Questions section; what do you think? They say there are no stupid questions in aviation, just the ones that aren't asked.

 

[Mike Calvert]

I've responded to the consultation, and yes, the priority was the simplification and clarification areas, as well as the paperwork surround really minor mods, like a camera mounting point.