TRon, onehunga
No disrespect, but I think you're both talking from a point of view of knowing absolutely nothing about the issue.
For example, TRon, if you look at the CAA's own price list, a broader AOC for a twin comes in from less than £9k, or did when I last looked. A restricted single-engine AOC (I believe they restrict the flights to within 25 nm of home, although once the AOC is issued and running smoothly extending is easier than initial issue) should be much less costly. Why can't you use the money gained to fund maintenance? How else does (for example) BA (about whom you should know a little) fund their maintenance? Since I know 2 organisations that will maintain a light aircraft from around £12 per hour, flat rate (no avionics, but who needs avionics day VMC?), I think that would be eminently suitable. Why are cash reserves such a problem anyway? Does no-one here have any money, or access to banking facilities?
onehunga, where in your ATPL law did you learn about the specifics of AOC issue by the CAA, let alone the specifics of the AOC for single-engine operations? My memory is sketchy, and I never was much good on that subject, but I would swear that ATPL Air Law is entirely ICAO and goes into very little detail about how to obtain an AOC, none about cost or light-aircraft AOCs specifically. They certainly can be held, and must be worthwhile, or a certain company I know of would not have been running all these decades.
I have talked to an ex-CAA employee about this issue, and he thought it was worth looking into. I only decided against it because I am crap at business issues and market research. If someone wanted to run the thing I would be willing to invest and to fly. The AOC is required, unless the flights are trial lessons (only available for registered training organisations, all pilots have at least FI(R), all flights within the PPL syllabus, one person must have a briefing and be offered genuine training - control must really be offered at some point).
P.S. Have you looked into using someone else's AOC Justiciar?
Last edited by Send Clowns; 6th May 2004 at 23:43.