22/04
I don't think most who voted for BREXIT voted for being in EASA without voting rights
I'm not sure that I remember any reference to EASA on the referendum ballot paper in 2016.
I'd be very interested if you could refer me to survey evidence which confirms a significant volume of the people you allude to who:
were prepared to take short term chaos for long-term a return of decision making to the UK. An independent CAA.
In terms of chaos (short term or otherwise), the EU
Notice to Stakeholders Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU Aviation Safety Rules would seem to indicate that if we do not retain EASA membership in some form or other, then chaos will indeed prevail.
Further, in terms of an independent CAA, in September last year, CAA chief executive Andrew Haines was "uncompromising" in rejecting the idea of planning for a new independent aviation safety system (and thereby seeking mutual recognition with the EU). The CAA had, he said, "consciously decided not to do that work as it would be misleading to suggest that's a viable option". Details
here.
Are we heading for something almost no one wanted?
Probably we are. If we leave the EU we lose voting membership of EASA. If we leave EFTA/EEA we lose non-voting EASA membership. If we become a "Third Country" we can probably cobble together something like the EASA/Turkish arrangement whereby Turkey is a high fee, non-voting supplicant who's DGCA is permanently in thrall to EASA. Given that it will take years to resurrect a half way efficient UK CAA to act as an independent aviation safety system in the event of leaving EASA, we'll be in Armaggedon territory fairly quickly thereafter, descending from membership of world aerospace leadership with hugely significant collective national experience, skill, innovation, manufacturing capability and technical excellence to a dark world of UK job losses, skill migration, airline closure and manufacturing collapse.
Do we all want this?