Inquiry into the CAA
In reply to Mike Godsell –
Under EASA and EU Regulation 1592/2002 Part 21 (Original Airworthiness including Type Certificates) the C of A is issued as a permanent status and is then backed up periodically with an Airworthiness Renewal Certificate (ARC). The means of achieving an ARC is enshrined in the draft Part M of EU regulations, which for light aircraft and air sports aircraft (gliders etc) is currently subject to an NPA from EASA (closing date for comments 24 November). All this affects, or will affect the UK and will in effect supersede the CAA system we have known for so long.
At Europe Air Sports (EAS), which is a voluntary organisation whose members are the National Aero Clubs in the EU, and certain pan-European air sport associations, set up to represent the interests of the lower end of GA – generally below 5.7MT - we are holding a two day workshop with EASA in Cologne on 4-5 November to debate Part M. Sadly, to date, there has been little or no interest in being involved in these consultations and representations from the light aeroplane world (i.e. powered flyers) as distinct from the glider pilot, balloonists, microlight, home-built communities. Though in fairness IAOPA (and AOPA in the UK) play their part but not of course through EAS as AOPA / IAOPA are separate bodies from EAS.
The issues Mike raises such as pilot owner maintenance are very much part of the agenda we are addressing. But there are some very big issues over and above that example that we need to fight for, not least a very bureaucratic and potentially expensive approach to maintenance that will make the CAA look like a soft touch by comparison.
There are a few volunteers doing this representative work at EU level, which is where all the regulatory action is now, and I happen to be one of them. We could do with some financial support through the National Aero Club (s), in our case (UK) the Royal Aero Club, or direct donations to EAS.
I know this piece is a bit of the main them of this thread – which is about Parliamentary inquiry into the (future) role of the CAA, but nevertheless there is a link of course.