OFCOM Charging for Aeronautical VHF frequencies

John Brady · Post by **John Brady** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:35 am

Ofcom have just launched their consultation on charging for VHF frquencies. An AFIS or A/G frequency will cost £2600 per year discounted in the West and Scotland.

It is our view that this will reduce the safety of GA with no possibility of improving the efficiency of spectrum use because of the international nature of frequency allocation. We have a team to work on this and we will be back to you in the New Year so please do not respond yet.

John Brady

G.Dawes · Post by **G.Dawes** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:07 pm

Well well now we know what they really want. This is not about any availabilty of frequencies or safety it is TAX. For their organisation is all about raising money to pay itself and the treasury.
It is another Quango set up to provide jobs for the great and good with fat salaries to match. They are not responsible to us as voters and they still work along the lines of we make rules( LAWS) with penalties and don't give a toss along as they get the money.
The CAA is another Quango but of a different style but still gives fat salaries to the appointed Good and Great, ref the new chairperson.
That was a job for the boys, sorry girls if anything.
I would predict that the proposed range of charges will soon become more extensive and larger fees!!!!!!The CAA must be up in arms over this as it is NATS who will get hammered and then pass on their increased costs as user charges. Who will pay in the end?

Any party who promised to cull the all pervasive Quangos of all ilk , would get my vote

MikeGodsell · Post by **MikeGodsell** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 5:45 pm

Hello John
They are trying it on again! Presumably they have completely ignored the responses to their first attempt.
This needs a concerted response from LAA, CAA, AOPA, NATS, and all of us. Will wait for your lead before firing both barrels at the ***!!! ...

Kelvin Denize · Post by **Kelvin Denize** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm

They will keep trying and using your tax money to fund the attempts until they win.

So, to fight them we need to finiance both our side of the argument and also theirs.

Enjoy it while you can....

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:54 pm

I understand that the EASA regulations are not intended to increase safety, but merely to have a pan European set of rules.
[Not to mention their re-inventing the wheel, nor the beurocrats making sure their departments and pensions are bullet proof]. Meanwhile the CAA becomes a cipher, unable to prevent the rot.

OfCom are clearly jealous of EASA's power and are now relentlessly upping their Gov. backed sabotage of facilities affecting U.K. flying - but also sailors & boaters should watch out ! Again 'safety' is not one part of OfCom's remit.

A couple of years ago I forecast that we'd soon be forced to rely on non-radio pilot look out techniques that we learnt 50 years ago.
However I heard secretly from Lord Gnome, that OfCom are increasing the bandwidth they can charge for to include Infra-red and visible light frequencies.
I predict there's going to be no respite from their dead hand: "see & be seen" piloting will be charged for too.

Bill Scott · Post by **Bill Scott** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 11:24 am

Just say NO

Ian Melville · Post by **Ian Melville** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 11:44 am

Mike,
At least the visible light RF tax would be applied accross a broader customer group. There would be an exemption for the blind/deaf and a 'Black & White' only for the colour blind

John Brady · Post by **John Brady** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:03 pm

That would be the return of the Window Tax imposed by the Act of Making Good the Deficiency of the Clipped Money in 1696 under King William III. It is said that this was the origin of the phrase "daylight robbery"

If it makes you feel any better, the Conservatives have said they would abolish OFCOM.

John

Nigel Hitchman · Post by **Nigel Hitchman** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:56 pm

John,
just wondering where we are with this. On Dec 23 you mentioned an LAA response being put together and for us not to respond yet.
Im getting a couple of emails a week from various type clubs mentioning the problem and urging a response.
The Consultation part of the website seems to refer to the previous consultation at the moment.

I know there is lots of work to do and thanks for that, just wondered how things are progressing. Not sure of the cut off date for this consultation?

thanks

Nigel

John Brady · Post by **John Brady** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:20 am

Nigel,

we had a meeting scheduled with Ofcom last week but were snowed in. We now meet on tomorrow 21 Jan.

We have a team of experts working on this and with a deadline of 22 March I intend to publish stuff in the 1 March magazine and on the website at the same time. That will give us time to work up a decent draft response. I will put some stuff on the website meanwhile.

John

Nigel Hitchman · Post by **Nigel Hitchman** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:02 pm

Thanks for the reply John, keep up the good work!

John Brady · Post by **John Brady** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:49 pm

Following our meeting with Ofcom we have started work on the reponse. You can find an interim note in the Consultation section of the website linked from the homepage. This should give you a feel for the issues.

More to follow

John