http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/Informa...ice2014188.pdf
This Information Notice provides an overview of the changes that will be made by this amendment and their implications.
It seems to me that one of the most significant implications of the 'changes to the changes' to be introduced on 8th of April 2015 has either not been realised, or been ignored.
Despite having delayed the forced 'upgrade' of RTFs to ATOs for 3 years, whilst the very need for this change is reconsidered, anyone who wants to start a
new flying school will still have to create an ATO, with all the investment of time and expense this implies. This, in the knowledge that there is a better than even chance that the ATO requirement will be dropped in three years time!
Under these circumstances, who, in their right mind, would be prepared to do that?
It would surely make much more sense to revert, in the meantime, to creating new RTFs (in their original form, not the later CAA 'gold plated' version) while the need for ATOs is reconsidered.
While we're reconsidering the need for ATOs, how about returning the teaching of the MEP Rating to RTFs as well?
Sadly, I suspect that, when the ATO requirement is eventually dropped by EASA, the CAA will just 'gold plate' the RTF requirements to match the then defunct ATO.
MJ
Ps. Mods: Feel free to shift this to the Instructors forum.