First flight in 7 years
 

After around 5,000 hours of flying, including instructing and examining at CPL/IR level, life circumstances meant that I had to take a break from aviation around 7 years ago.

Now, it's time for me to get flying again - and I can't wait!

I'm going to be renewing my SEP and IR later this month. I want to get through that as cheaply as possible (even a single, when it's equipped for an IR renewal, is not cheap) and then get into flying something more fun after that - so I figure the better prepared I can be, the easier it's going to be.

So my question is - what's changed in aviation in the last 7 years that I ought to know about? I figure the flying itself won't have changed much (I'd guess there's more emphasis on RNAV approaches for the IR than there used to be, but that's about it?) But the admin side of things, I assume, must have moved on a bit? The kinds of questions I have are: where's the best place to get weather information from? Where should I go to get NOTAMs? LASORS was pretty much phased out when EU-FCL came into force - is there a replacement for LASORS yet? Where do you go to get definitive legal documents, e.g. Rules of the Air, or the ANO? Anything else I should know that I haven't thought of?

(I noticed that the post immediately before mine is from someone else looking to get back into flying after an even longer break - it's obviously a good time to re-join the community, for those of us who are fortunate enough to have some money left over after paying an arm and a leg for our electricty bills!)

Thanks!

FFF

I have the perfect person for you. A close friend of many decades who operates in the area. P.M. for contact details.

Welcome back FFF!

SD

MrAverage - PM sent.

Saab Dastard - thanks! It feels great to be back, and I'm not even properly back yet!

Skyway code - the CAA's guidance for private pilots.
NATS - you need to register for NOTAMs but the AIP, AICs & other stuff can be seen without registering.
ANO 2016 & 2018 amendments.

Thanks prop swinger, that’s incredibly useful

FFF

I just did it and was surprised how easy it was. I only renewed SEP, may do other ratings later. Main changes were skydemon now seems to be the preferred way of navigating, obtaining met and notams. CAA are actively encouraging it to reduce the number of airspace infringements. research showed that most cases of infringements were by pilots who didn't have such help. You don't need a tablet it will work on a smart phone. Carriage of a chart can now be replaced by Skydemon or other app.
Airmanship is now 'threat and error management with an emphasis on 6 outcomes which include reducing infringements and runway excursions etc. 'Skyway Code' mentioned above is a free download and would be a valuable read for any pilot.
There are many areas of the country where the nearby LARS has a transponder conspicuity code associated with it.
There are electronic conspicuity devices the use ADSB technology and can be paired to your skydemon to give other users your traffic information. If everyone had it it would be like PPL TCAS. The problem is not everyone has it.
Although class D has expanded, in many areas of open FIR, many military zones have gone making navigation more straightforward.
Good luck, you'll enjoy it, I don't know why I left it so long.