I said that I am not making comments about N registered aircraft or FAA licensed pilots. However the comment from Englishal of;
and arguements like yours simply f*ck it up for the rest of us
is hardly about the other coupple of hundred ICAO countries who could be grouped with the US in any system change.
The problem with the current system is that the CAA has lost control of an ever growing portion of the UK general aviation system.
If the CAA is unable to fully enforce the UK legislation on UK based operators then why bother having a CAA at all.
The question of limiting the time non-European registered aircraft can reside in the UK causes all sorts of fuss among UK GA pilots purely because that closes off a system that they have used to circumvent UK legislation (and expense). I don't hear much fuss from pilots here on visits from the ICAO countries that would be affected by such action.
Of course FM immune and Mode S apply regardless of registration.
Cathar is overall correct;
An ICAO registered aircraft operating outside it's home country is in every case under iCAO requirements.
Under the ICAO standards for such flights, it is possible having arrived in a country to make internal private flights without further permission provided that only the same passengers use the aircraft
i.e. there is nothing wrong with arriving in the UK at Glasgow in an 7Y reg aircraft with Mr Big and Madam Big and after a stopover, flying them to Manchester and then say flying them to Bournemouth etc. What would be wrong is to leave them in Glasgow while different passengers fly from Glasgow to Manchester in the aircraft.
Of course we are talking passengers and cargo here so strictly speaking, there is no problem when only the crew are carried on the aircraft. However, I suspect that many UK based operators of non-European registred aircraft carry different pasengers to those that arrived from the State of regsitry from time to time.
As for the security point of view, I am concerned that the CAA has passed the buck to the Club CFI (or owner) with regard to the validation of non-European licenses.
Englishal said;
Incidentally, if I was going to forge a licence, I'd forge a CAA issued one, for the fact that a) I can print an exact copy on my lazer printer here, now, today, and no one will be able to tell the difference, and b) Its less likely to be questioned by the CFI in you example
I would say otherwise - the CFI will also check the logbook and will seek evidence of experience to match the licence. If the CFI has any doubt then a quick on-line check can put registrations to types and owners. If futher doubt then the CAA is at hand to confirm or deny the validity of the licence.
If you are presented with a piece of paper which the holder calls a PPL from Outer Mongolia then what facilities are at your disposal for the validation of such a licence - None. If you refuse to let the pilot fly then if the licence is valid you are quite rightly accused of discrimination.
Get it wrong and who knows what you may have been a party to when the police come knocking. We have already had instructors arrested for providing flight training to certain individuals.
There is also the current and growing problem that certain operators are providing training in N registered aircraft in the UK which can be used to circumvent US security arrangements with regard to flight training State side.........does anyone think that the US is happy with people cutting up their security procedures?
Of course the USA will not have any problem with the UK kicking out all N reg aircraft after 6 months since that is what the US does to G reg aircraft.
It isn't about breaking the law which as everyone rightly says can be done by anyone. It is about maintaining control and having in place a system that meets the public's requirements.
To put it simply;
Driving on false number plates and licence is illegal. Same applies to flying.
Driving on a Foreign licence for more than the maximum period is illegal. Currently, one can fly a UK aircraft on any foreign licence without ever having any check by the UK Authorities
Keeping a Foreign Car in the UK for more than the maximum period is illegal as is driving it without a UK MOT once the visiting period has expired. However, one can fly a Foreign registered aircraft forever legally without any checks or UK MOT.
Thus currently, there are lower requirements for aviation than for driving.
Is that correct? or more importantly,
Can the public have confidence in the system that is supposed to protect them?
Regards,
DFC