GA Event, Duxford 28 March 2015

[Richard Mole]

The DTI with the CAA hosted this event and a large audience, about 300 we were told, seemed mostly to enjoy and to be impressed by the quality of the many presentations. There was every reason to come away feeling that GA would be in better shape in the years to come as the Regulatory framework is loosened to better match the activity here in the UK and more generally in EASA land. We were told that a very good start has been made but so much more remains to be done. Yep, I'll buy that.

There was a free lunch laid on - or was there? I think I heard it stated that the GA group in the CAA had an annual budget of about £4m and that they looked after a fleet of about 18k aircraft. If my sums are right that amounts to almost £1 per working day per aircraft. I'm glad that the government has reduced the requirement for 6% rate of return on the CAA budget down to 3.5% although I think it verging on the obscene that a routine annual profit is still demanded from the activities of a safety agency. Nevertheless, the CAA will clearly seek to recoup their GA costs from the GA fleet. My guess is that the costs of operating Permit aircraft will rise accordingly (despite the GA contribution through fuel duty that not all airspace users must pay).

[SteveHutt]

Hi Richard,

Have a read of this:
CAA GA Success Measures
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/224/CAA%20GA% ... 20v1.0.pdf

Steve

[Richard Mole]

Hello Steve,

thanks for the link. I think you were drawing my attention to this:

'Establish rational, fair principles for CAA fees & charges to the GA sector:
Produce a rational and proportionate fees & charges model- Facilitated by the Fees & Charges review to be
included in the 2017/2018 financial year.'

It certainly needs to be done in as transparent a manner as feasible. I would offer to help in 2017 et seq provided I can get the MITE completed and flying first. Its swallowing all my time at present, even after more years than I care to count (its known as the 'Might not' in the household). But there is a chance of coming up for air by 2017.

It was good to see such professionalism from the CAA and indeed from FASVIG.