The demise of RF'S

[mickerick2]

With the deadline of death fast approaching for RF's, I like many operators have to make a serious decision what to do. I operate a couple of small piston helis and have done for very successfully for 20 years. Not counting the mountain of bureaucratic crap attached to the set up, the cost, the operation , the production and upkeep of manuals, the future annual charge from the CAA and the regular annual visits often by indignant Authority inspectors , I need to consider whether or not this really is worth the effort.
Prior to RF'S (in 2000) the old system worked extremely well.. There is not a single shred of evidence to suggest that the original training system fell short on any training safety aspect. In reality there are only so many hours in a day, in my humble opinion (and many others) instructor time is best spent carrying out worthwhile and constructive duties that ultimately benefit the student, rather than countless hours of nonsensical paperwork that is currently imposed upon us.
We as a country appear to be approaching a 3rd dip recession, if that doesn't kill the training industry the CAA certainly will!.
I have been told today that the annual ATO charge from the CAA is likely to be in the region of £4/5k.
If that is proved to be correct, my decision is made.

Oh, I forgot the £4/5k initial setup fees as well!!!

[misterbonkers]

I think you may have confused ATO & FTO charges there. But I wholly agree with you - the way things are going many school owners will decide 'it's not worth it'.

But then you see EASA will triumph;

Fewer training schools = fewer training flights. A large proportion of accidents occur in the training environment.

The Bureaucrats that now run our industry (EASA in particular) will herald on the triumph - they will have succeeded in making the european industry safer.

And as the CAA must self fund the fewer schools will split the costs which will mean fewer schools, and then fewer schools...

AND then the industry will be on it's arse good and proper. And the Bureaucrats will be long gone onto greater things and their CVs will be full of the achievements they made...

[Spunk]

I don't see a real problem here. Talking to our local aviation authority I was told that our RF will automaticly be transfered into a non-complex ATO. Once EASA-FCL is introduced to our country (Germany) in April 2013 they will grant us a certain period of time to adjust our Training Manual and add a Quality System.
As we already hold an AOC that shouldn't be that big of a deal.