*Is the CAA’s recent announcement a sign of good things to come? We think so. As long as safety standards remain high, simplifying our industry’s over-complex regulatory framework can only be a positive thing. It is reassuring to see an organisation like the CAA placing such importance on facilitating greater industry transparency, communication and innovation…*

General Aviation (GA) is defined as all aviation activity that is neither commercial nor military air transport and encompasses anything from paragliders to large business jets. In the UK there are roughly 19,000 GA aircraft (accounting for around 95% of all registered civilian aircraft) and nearly 30,000 Private Pilot Licence holders, so it is no wonder that general aviation was valued at £1.4bn in 2005. Business aviation (a highly valuable sector of GA) alone generated €4.2bn GVA and accounted for 50,000 jobs in 2008. Similarly, bizav is known for greatly improving global connectivity, since 96% of possible city pairs are not served by scheduled airline. It is no wonder why, with all of this, together with the UK’s “long and pioneering history in aviation”, our GA sector is so important in terms of economics, commerce and culture.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) clearly recognises this value and has voiced its concerns that the existing regulatory framework is far too arduous, impractical and prescriptive to allow general aviation to thrive and advance. Until now, GA has been restricted by the regulation of commercial air transport, but since the two sectors serve completely different markets and functions, being treated equally has left general aviation struggling with complex and unnecessary bureaucracy. The CAA is keen to ensure that the GA regulatory framework is proportionate to the industry’s activities, deregulating where at all possible and minimising legislation where it is still required. On April 11th 2013 the CAA launched a GA Red Tape Challenge that ran for five weeks and received a promising response. Overall 330 comments were made, of which 298 were emails (almost three times more than received in any other Red Tape Challenge) and as a result there are 287 items to be reviewed.

One of the CAA’s first tasks is set up a GA Unit which they have said will be in place by April 2014. This department of the CAA will be dedicated to implementing more proportionate and effective regulation that supports and encourages a dynamic GA sector for the UK. The GA Unit is responsible for the following:

• Ensuring that the CAA understands the impact of regulation on general aviation industry
• Making the sector as transparent and efficient as possible
• Identifying opportunities where burdens and costs can be reduced
• Supporting and encouraging sector growth
• Developing a culture of transparency and openness that supports and educates the industry
• Improving communication between the CAA and the GA sector

In addition to the GA Unit, an independent panel including industry experts and professionals (Laurie Price, Julian Scarfe, Pete Stratten, Amanda Campbell, Chris Thomas and Ed Bellamy) will run initially for six months to advise on the development and delivery of the CAA’s GA Programme. The panel will be required to test, critique and measure the CAA/GA Unit’s success rate of achieving their aims. Panellists will also aid in identifying areas where there is potential for further regulation-relief as well as projects to promote industry growth, innovation, jobs and investment.

The UK Government is eager to support the CAA with the growth of a vibrant general aviation sector and, alongside other stakeholders – such as the Department of Business and the Home Office – they are keen to identify where projects may thrive in achieving this. Growth projects can include:

• Development of new technologies
• Considerations of business jet needs
• GA training and maintenance sectors
• Lessening the expense of adopting GPS approaches
• Making it easier to develop and manufacture GA aircraft

In addition to the GA Unit, Challenge Panel and governmental departments, the CAA is welcoming project proposals from external sources and says that funding is available for appropriate ventures.

The CAA’s GA Programme is a combination of the Red Tape Challenge outcomes as well as the department’s own Regulatory Approach to Recreational Aviation (RA2). The CAA has voiced a commitment to delivering culture change, deregulation and delegation in order to enhance transparency. There is a renewed pledge to work closely with relevant representative bodies such as the Light Aircraft Association, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the British Business and General Aviation Association in order to encourage the GA sector to self-regulate and take on more responsibilities ensuring safety. In addition to this, it has been said that a proactive working relationship with European bodies such as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is important to further reduce unnecessary burdens on the UK’s general aviation industry.

For more information and in-depth details please visit the CAA’s website.

Christina Hayes
Marketing Assistant