Working on it
I am currently trying to clarify the status of persons involved in offshore aerial surveys and the status of the flight - aerial work or PT. Expressflight mentions Bob Commander at the CAA - he left in 2006 (and now runs Commander Aviation Services Ltd). The CAA contacts are now George Duncan - 01293 573526 or Geoff Parker 01293 573412, both in Flight Ops at Gatwick.
My own twopennorth: EU-Ops 1 (the EASA "rules" for commercial air transport) applicability states
OPS 1 does not apply:
..................................................
3. to flights immediately before, during, or immediately after an aerial work activity provided these flights are connected with that aerial work activity and in which, excluding crew members, no more than 6 persons indispensable to the aerial
work activity are carried.
If the UK CAA accepted this, in conjunction with the ICAO definitions of Commercial Air Transport and Aerial Work (a specialist service such as .....aerial survey....etc.) The problem would go away. However, at the moment UK CAA is sticking with the outmoded UK definitions of Public Transport and Flight Crew, which introduces the concept of a "passenger" on an aerial work flight and any payment for carriage upgrades such a flight to Public Transport, needing a UK AOC (remember an EU Ops 1 is not applicable!) There is no ICAO or EASA definition of PT. If it is not Commercial AIr Transport it is Aerial Work or a Private flight. Quite clear, but UK CAA continues to argue - almost for the sake of it - or to preserve the UK AOC status quo.
Dear, Dear.