You really do wonder which planet Andrew Haines (Chief Exec of the CAA) inhabits, when you read of his claim that the CAA ATO application process is 'probably now the most simplified process in Europe'. (A statement which, in itself is questionable!)
What is it that the CAA still doesn't understand about General Aviation?
The 'off the shelf template' is both unnecessarily complex and very time consuming for many small flight training organisations. Can anyone at the CAA explain the safety benefits of forcing this on RTF's, because at the moment it just seems like yet another expensive unwanted EASA/CAA paper exercise with no real purpose. What it is succeeding in doing is to drive some extremely experienced and highly respected RTF's out of business - experience that GA can ill afford to lose.
I am not alone in thinking that the new GA Unit will make no difference whatsoever to the demise of GA in the UK. It's the usual case of the same old CAA culture. Nothing seems to change!
Last edited by Overthere67; 12th Mar 2014 at 20:48.