Licencing an airfield

[topcat450]

Morning,

I was just wondering exactly what is involved with licencing an airfield? There are a number of established, popular airfields which are unlicenced & I was wondering the reasons for not licencing themselves (or what they'd have to do to become licenced)?

I know every 'field is different, but I'd have thought the ability to base schools there & allow training would be a half-decent way to get more money?

[Circuit Basher]

I'm not an expert on this, but had cause to look at some of the issues involved when made aware of a potential business benefit if a currently unlicensed field were to be licensed.

Factors include:

Fire Cover
First Aid Cover
A/G or FIS Operators
Emergency Planning
Safety Plans / Run Off Areas
Security
Planning Permission
Community Relations
Environmental Considerations
Airfield Access

Not any one terrifically difficult thing, but some of these can incur a great deal of capital outlay / recurrent expenses. Some unlicensed airfields would be very difficult to license because of inadequate safety areas / local obstructions.

At the end of the day, the business case for going through the process has to look at the long term (10 yrs+) before going into the capital investment. Takes a lot of 'what if' and contingency planning, together with developing a diverse range of activities at the airfield to support it during the lean times.

[srs what?]

Below is a link to the CAP168 Licensing of Aerodromes (2.8mb) and a link to all other CAA Publications relevant to licensing an airfield.

CAP168 Licensing of Aerodromes (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP168.pdf)

CAA Aerodrome Standards (http://www.caa.co.uk/publications/publications.asp?action=subcat&id=3)

[formationfoto]

WHY WHY WHY?

There is a requirement for a licenced airfield for training and this creates masses of paperwork, effort, and cost in return for very little additional safety. I understand this requirement has been looked at a number of times but is still in place. An airfield I know has faced increasing demands for changes to runway marking, tress being cut down, signage, and rerouting of cars etc. All to maintain a licence which is used for about six training hours a week.

[Spitoon]

formation, in some ways the need for an airport licence for training is not really for extra safety but is there so that the man in the street doesn't have to worry about whether its safe or not. The fact that the airport has a licence means that it meets certain minimum standards.

The whole point about an unlicensed airport is that if you're going there you have to check - or should check - everything to make sure that its safe to fly in or out. When they certified your aeroplane they used an airport that met the standards of a licensed airport - no trees above a specific height and all the rest. If you take your certified aeroplane to a licensed airport and fly it according to the manual everything should be OK. Go to an unlicensed airport and you need to check for yourself.

A licensed airport probably is a bit safer than an unlicensed one - you say by very little - but the truch is who knows by how much.

[formationfoto]

Spitoon

OK, hands up, you are correct. In the case of an individual airfield though (one I happen to know very well) the award of a licence makes very little difference to safety levels.

RFS has never been used in anger and the things which cause concern and discussion with the CAA at every licence review have not had any impact on safety.

What concerns me most is that this airfield has an excellent safety record yet each year a new inspector requests further and different changes than the previous inspector.

The latest requested change does not appear to be as a result of any incidents I am aware of at any other airfield so the safety argument seems a little weak.

I suppose ultimate safety would be created by preventing aircraft from taking off or landing at an airfield and vehicles from using the airfield.

[Spitoon]

formation, I was trying to explain why an airport licence might be a good thing - and I think there are some valid reasons for having licenses.

Your point about how the CAA works is rather different - and believe me I've seen how CAA inspectors work.