Steve. I've posted this elsewhere on Pprune but I think it answers your point
But the commission immediately pointed out that we cannot remain in EASA because, as the rules make clear, this is open only to EU members.
additionally he states:
Outside the EEA there is no possibility of the UK gaining associate membership of EASA
Perhaps the good Dr North would care to inform the assembled readers here when Switzerland became a member of the EU? Neither is Switzerland a member of the EEA, yet they are a member of EASA. If Switzerland can be granted an exception, so can the UK.
EASA comprises the following: the 28 EU member States all of which have full voting rights. The 3 European Economic Area (EEA) member States(Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) plus Switzerland. The latter 4 States have reduced voting rights but in all other respects are regular EASA members.
Despite your assertion, both the Commission and Dr North have consistently demonstrated that they "know what they are talking about". In this particular case, the point being made is that on "Hard Brexit" with no agreement, UK becomes a "Third Country" (an EU legal term) and thus, by default, a non-EASA member as membership is only open to EU and EEA member States plus Switzerland which has a special deal and which, according to the Commission, will never be repeated.
The solution to the problem is either stay in the EU or leave EU but retain EEA/Single Market membership (we are current EEA members under the EU banner) by rejoining EFTA (European Free Trade Association - UK was a founder member but we left to join the EEC) and thus join Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland under the EFTA banner (Switzerland is EFTA but not EEA - confused yet?).
Incidentally, going the EFTA/EEA route following Brexit will not only take us out of EU but keep us in the EEA/Single Market and also solve the Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland border conundrum. As they say, "what's not to like?".
You then move on with
if Britain leaves the EU without agreeing a deal that includes associate membership of EASA, Rolls-Royce's products will not be able to be signed off in the UK and will, therefore, be unable to take to the air.
I'm not sure whether you realise it but here you are quoting Dr North quoting the
Daily Telegraph . To keep things in context you really should have include Dr North's preceding words
This was reported in the
Telegraph, which gave some details but didn't really have the measure of the story.
Your other points seem to have been covered by other Ppruners, so who am I to embellish their work.
You make also care to note that the EUReferendum.com blog is a "Brexit blog" and that Dr North is a leading proponent of Brexit. He is not, however, a leading proponent of "National Suicide".