Want a LARS? It'll cost you!
I may be behind the drag curve here, but I have recently become aware of a report on a meeting with the DETR which discussed the problem of funding LARS in the future. At present LARS is funded by Airways charges which are only paid by all aircraft above 5.7 tonnes and IFR aircraft above 2 tonnes. The vast majority of LARS users fall outside these criteria and pay nothing for it. And so it should be, in my opinion!
As the major financiers of LARS, the airlines want to reduce the £1.6m bill and ways are being sought to find another way of funding. These revolve around the direct users paying for it.
Some proposals considered were:
1) A pay per flight charge (difficult to enforce and more costly to collect than it would earn).
2) A 'tax disc' per aircraft (unfair on those who don't use it)
3) An annual levy on each pilot's licence (c£50 p.a). (Unfair on infrequent users).
4) Using some of the duty on AVGAS to pay for it (requires Treasury approval).
The point was made that as units ins SE England get busier they will start to divest themselves of LARS services and this might be detrimental to safety.
Just thought I would raise it if it hasn't been already...