Pilotage
27th Oct 2004, 09:54
Since the advent of EASA, we now have an interesting situation here in the UK. Specifically:-
(1) CAA can no longer accept mod applications to aeroplanes, they have to go directly to EASA in Brussels or Cologne, except that...
(2) EASA employ no certification staff, meaning that any approvals are exceptionally slow (usually involving sub-contract out to national authorities), except that...
(3) All discretion on the part of certifiers has been removed, so no "equivalent safety" approvals are possible, nor can a private owner apply (for example) for approval of an FAA STC in Europe - the only "person" able to apply is the FAA STC holder, so if they don't exist any more (or don't want to get involved) all bets are off.
Also, A-conditions doesn't exist any more - a Licenced Engineer can't sign off an aircraft post-maintenance for an air test, they have to take the paperwork down to the CAA regional office for issue of an "EASA Permit to Fly", which adds nothing to safety.
Also, gliders - operated under BGA delegation for years now (unless some thankfully enlightened moved by CAA to try and change Annex II succeed) will within a year or so have to all have ICAO compliant CofA or they'll be grounded. A virtual impossibility for many gliders which have been operated under BGA rules for decades. At least after 1918 we let the Germans fly gliders!
Also, large numbers of UK Airworthiness Notices - built up over many years of experience and often written in blood, have been summarily negated by EASA because they aren't originated there.
So far as I can understand, the only reason UK aviation is continuing to function, is that certain senior individuals at UK CAA are busy issuing exemptions left right and centre exempting all sorts of operations from EASA regs - at-least temporarily. As a result most companies are unaware of the regulatory cliff-edge that they're walking, and the UK is getting almost weekly "snottograms" from the European Commission demanding that they play by the rules.
Does anybody have the phone number for UKIP, I'm seriously considering joining and offering to be their aviation spokesman - this whole thing is absolutely daft (and presumably what I've seen is only a small part of the overall problem).
P
N.B. When Frank Bruno was Britain's great hope in boxing, some biggot said of him "he may be black, but at-least he's our black". I'm firmly feeling the same way about the CAA these days - they may be regulators, but at-least they're British regulators.
(1) CAA can no longer accept mod applications to aeroplanes, they have to go directly to EASA in Brussels or Cologne, except that...
(2) EASA employ no certification staff, meaning that any approvals are exceptionally slow (usually involving sub-contract out to national authorities), except that...
(3) All discretion on the part of certifiers has been removed, so no "equivalent safety" approvals are possible, nor can a private owner apply (for example) for approval of an FAA STC in Europe - the only "person" able to apply is the FAA STC holder, so if they don't exist any more (or don't want to get involved) all bets are off.
Also, A-conditions doesn't exist any more - a Licenced Engineer can't sign off an aircraft post-maintenance for an air test, they have to take the paperwork down to the CAA regional office for issue of an "EASA Permit to Fly", which adds nothing to safety.
Also, gliders - operated under BGA delegation for years now (unless some thankfully enlightened moved by CAA to try and change Annex II succeed) will within a year or so have to all have ICAO compliant CofA or they'll be grounded. A virtual impossibility for many gliders which have been operated under BGA rules for decades. At least after 1918 we let the Germans fly gliders!
Also, large numbers of UK Airworthiness Notices - built up over many years of experience and often written in blood, have been summarily negated by EASA because they aren't originated there.
So far as I can understand, the only reason UK aviation is continuing to function, is that certain senior individuals at UK CAA are busy issuing exemptions left right and centre exempting all sorts of operations from EASA regs - at-least temporarily. As a result most companies are unaware of the regulatory cliff-edge that they're walking, and the UK is getting almost weekly "snottograms" from the European Commission demanding that they play by the rules.
Does anybody have the phone number for UKIP, I'm seriously considering joining and offering to be their aviation spokesman - this whole thing is absolutely daft (and presumably what I've seen is only a small part of the overall problem).
P
N.B. When Frank Bruno was Britain's great hope in boxing, some biggot said of him "he may be black, but at-least he's our black". I'm firmly feeling the same way about the CAA these days - they may be regulators, but at-least they're British regulators.