There is absolutely zero point in going back to G now just because one is afraid. A huge waste of time and money.
The minimum they would need to do is amend the ANO and that will take a year or more even if this was a high priority item with zero repercussions - which it certainly isn't!
A workable scheme is very hard to do, while permitting (as they must) people visiting the UK.
What they have done is clamped down on commercial work, which was always an option (ANO Article 115). A lot of people were taking the p155.
What "everybody" has succeeded in doing is to scare everybody, which is one very good objective. Spread a lot of uncertainty and doubt; easily done in places like here and elsewhere. A lot of anti-N posts here are from G-reg flying schools, G-reg maintenance shops, JAA instructors... all sorts of people who are suffering from the constantly shrinking UK GA scene and who would like to make more money.
Of course it is "under review"; it always has been and always will be. Nobody will ever guarantee anything in this business.
Your local airfield is far more likely to sell out to a developer one day, possibly tomorrow and stuff like THAT (plus the decrepit planes and decrepit old fashioned attitudes) is what is likely to kill off GA in the UK in the long term.
In this business, there is always a cloud on the horizon. £3000 on Mode S, en route charges, SEP bans into some airports, and then on an individual level one has constant fear of prosecution by the CAA for some infringement, eyesight worries, other medical worries, hangarage worries, quality/cost of maintenance worries (yes lots and lots of those). For those who want to worry there is always something to moan about.
I am not talking about anyone in this thread but it's no wonder GA is so full of moaners and whingers. Just pick up any of the aviation mags: moans moans moans starting on page 1 and going all the way to the start of the adverts.
A lot of the concerns are justified because there is always somebody trying to restrict privileges or to do you out of something but a lot of it isn't ever going to happen.
I seriously doubt my kids will be flying, not in the UK anyway. But I will fly for as long as I can because it is a great privilege and great fun.
A prudent policy for someone on the N register now is to avoid modifications that will make a return to G expensive or even impossible.
As for someone asking how many people fly single pilot IFR, the answer is LOTS. One needs a well equipped aircraft, not at all the sort one sees in PPL training.
Last edited by IO540; 13th May 2005 at 11:08.