A pipedream...?
I have this pipedream which won't go away...
I teach at a boys' independent school. We have an active CCF(RAF) section, and an excellent DT department. Two of the teachers are pilots (including me).
My dream goes as follows:
With sponsorship money, perhaps from old boys, we buy and build a kit plane, using the DT department's expertise (glass fibre, for example, no problem). We could perhaps involve the local ATC squadron as well. We keep the plane at the local VGS (known to be friendly) and operate it from there. One or both of the pilots on the staff does an FI rating; we teach the boys and the ATC cadets to fly, so they can leave school not only with academic qualifications but with a pilot's licence. The running costs of the plane are helped by the fact that the two pilots on the staff use this plane for their regular flying, keeping the hours up and contributing to the costs.
Now for the reality - which is lots of questions:
(a) can an organisation own and operate a PFA permit aircraft? The school is a charity but also has non-charitable subsidiary companies, any of which could also own the aircraft.
(b) if (a), then can employees/pupils of the organisation be trained in the aircraft, or do they fall foul of the 100% ownership rule?
(c) can employees/pupils of the organisation buy hours from the organisation, or is that renting?
(d) can training take place in that way, or would we have to become an approved FTO? (the VGS is based at a Government aerodrome).
I know of the ATC project to build a plane - and they have obviously concluded that once they have built it they can't operate it but will have to sell it.
Any thoughts most welcome.
Tim