Standing up for General Aviation

[Mikehotel152]

I was just reading the thread on the horrid lady who wrote in to the Daily Mail about aircraft noise, together with the responses of various ppruners, and it got me thinking about whether there is in fact an association properly representing general aviation in the UK.

Being fairly new to aviation I do not know the answer to the question, but a quick web search came up with the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA). I had a quick browse of their website and came across details of their 2007 Conference. I am sure they won't mind me cutting and pasting an extract from their webpage, thus:

The 2007 BBGA Conference again proved to be the place for debate in the Business and General Aviation World. 200 key players from industry, politics and regulations packed Sopwell House in St Albans to hear world class speakers in the "must do" event for British Business and General Aviation. Aviation Minister Gillian Merron MP opened the Conference with an upbeat address. Noting the importance of the sector she spoke of her desire "..to strengthen the perception of General Aviation as a vital contributor to Britain's economic success".

This sounds like promising rhetoric but is anything truly being done to promote general aviation at 'grass-roots'? An association such as the BBGA seems - on first glance - to represent business aviation first and general aviation second. Business aviation, like most business and industry, usually has a louder voice than you and I could hope to achieve by writing into the Daily Mail in response to K Lacey's ill-informed rants.

The point of my new thread is to query whether there is a need for a new association to properly represent the interests of those of us at the other end of the spectrum from those who operate in the business world. There are certainly many of us involved in flying light aircraft from farm strips, small historic airfields, and even into commercial airports. Airfields are being shut down regularly, GA is being squeezed out of airports, red tape is increasing, and we often feel persecuted by government and the public alike. In my ignorance I get the impression that the gliding, microlight, light aircraft, helicopter (etc etc) groups within general aviation do not work together to put forward a united voice in the face of an increasing onslaught from an ever more vocal minority.

Are the pilots' associations in existence doing enough? Do we who fly for fun have or need a collective voice or organisation who can truly look after our interests and hold Aviation Minister Gillian Merron MP to her words?

[Rod1]

Have a look at;

http://www.gaalliance.org.uk/

This is a coalition of all the big players except AOPA.

Rod1

[chrisN]

And for planning and related matters, we (including AOPA) work together under the GAAC – see:

http://www.gaac.co.uk/

For sporting aviation matters, we (except AOPA who don’t do air sports) work together within the Royal Aero Club:

http://www.royalaeroclub.org/

Chris N.

[Mike Cross]

Are the pilots' associations in existence doing enough? Do we who fly for fun have or need a collective voice or organisation who can truly look after our interests and hold Aviation Minister Gillian Merron MP to her words?

You'll have a job, she's no longer Aviation Minister, she's now Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for International Development. They seem to change faster than I change my socks. Current one is Jim Fitzpatrick.

The words she said came about as a result of the CAA's Strategic Review of GA. DfT have yet to say whether they endorse its recommendations so at the moment we have a load of waffle and no commitment.

On AOPA UK's behalf I'm currently heavily involved in trying to prevent GA getting kicked out of the former RNAS Daedalus at Lee on Solent, an airfield that is effectively owned by DfT. The work that has been done so far has had the aforesaid Jim Fitzpatrick on his feet in the House on a number of occaisons. His response to the closure was that it's leased to Hampshire Constabulary and it's therefore their problem not his.

[Mikehotel152]

Excellent responses everybody. :ok:

I'm going to look into the highlighted organisations and see how I can help. It's a pity they aren't brought to the attention of PPL students. I haven't seen any prominent adverts.

[Mike Cross]

As a student please acept this invitation to a year's free membership of AOPA UK.

Sign on here. (https://web23.secure-secure.co.uk/aopa.co.uk/scripts/join.php)

[Mikehotel152]

Thank you Mike. :)

[David Roberts]

MikeHotel152:

As you are a relatively newcomer to the wonderful world of light aviation, I can assure you that there are many people and associations that represent your interests, as others have indicated, and they are very active. And they work closely together for the most part, particularly so in recent years with the increased threat of advancing regulation from within the UK and from Europe.

It would take a long time to provide a brief on all the activities that meet your list. There is no single association that covers all aspects of GA - partly because of history, but also because of the specialisms inherent within a broad based community called 'GA'. However, although we do not speak with a single voice, as some in government would wish (for their own convenience I suspect - fewer meetings), we do on the whole speak with a co-ordinated voice. And the common goal is the freedom to fly, how and wherever we want, within reason bearing in mind consideration for others and related safety aspects.