N Reg issue over - official

[Dimbleby]

Dimbleby is pleased to confirm his earlier predictions that the foreign aircraft registration (N reg issue to you and me) issue.........as misconceived an initiative as there is ever likey to be ..............IS GONE and thats official. Some usual civil serpant speak about "close monitoring of the situation" to cover their retreat

Good day

[LGW Vulture]

Now where might I see this OFFICIALLY!!!

Good news whatever.

[unfazed]

Government response follows

Looks like they would like to get rif of N reg but can't so will hold on and see what approach EASA take, reference to FAA IR not compatible with airways in Europe is odd !

Government response
6. The Government remains convinced that widespread flagging out of aircraft based in the UK is undesirable and out of line with the internationally accepted system of regulation of civil aviation embodied in the Chicago Convention. Our objective remains that aircraft based in the UK should be required to meet safety standards acceptable within Europe and be subject to verification by the UK and other European aviation authorities that they meet those standards. Taking into account the responses to the consultation, however, and while we will continue to monitor the operation of foreign registered aircraft based here, we conclude that it would not be appropriate at this time to introduce a requirement to place such aircraft on the UK register or impose a time-limit on their activities. We have reached this view in part because it appears to the Government that European proposals published in November 2005 to extend the scope of common European aviation safety rules may provide a better means of achieving our objective in a proportionate way. Stakeholders have been consulted generally on the proposal "to amend Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency". This proposal specifically amends the scope of the EASA Regulation to include a category of aircraft registered in a third country and used into, within or out of the Community by an operator established or residing in the Community. Detailed implementing rules will be needed to give force to this amendment and we would expect the Agency to consult stakeholders on the details of their proposals at the appropriate time.
7. Regarding the widespread desire for a simplified instrument rating, the Government recalls that the current rating was established by the JAA acting on the advice of experts from the national aviation authorities of the JAA member States. Responsibility for future changes will rest with EASA. The Government will support efforts by EASA to address this issue, possibly through the provision of a leisure pilots licence similar to the UK NPPL but recognised across Europe. Respondents should note, however, that EASA will need to establish instrument rating requirements that are appropriate for European operations and weather conditions and that previous work by experts indicates that requirements based on the FAA instrument rating would not be acceptable for an instrument rating which gives access to class A airspace.

[HS125]

I notice that they manage to malign every US airline operating in Europe (and international air travel in general) along with every GA operator in Europe doing so under the FAA regulations.

Given that they admitted in the first place that there was NO safety case for the move to insist on an EU registration, its hard to see how they can now justify that remark.

Its time for the CAA to retract that. On the other hand if were all missing something and they can prove that FAA regulated operation in Europe is unsafe it is the responsibility of the CAA to ban all FAA regulated operations in UK airspace (including airlines) with immediate effect and any delay (such as waiting for EASA to do something about it) constitutes a gross dereliction of the CAA's duty of care to the British public as the national safety regulator.

Somehow I doubt they have the backbone or the belief in their own allegations to carry that out.

As far as were all concerned its af vital importance that we challenge this NOW and not wait for it to become some horrible (and very irritating) reality.

[refplus20]

From the DFT Website ...
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/page/dft_aviation_613597.hcsp
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/page/dft_aviation_613599.hcsp