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View our latest and past news items.
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Department for Transport: General aviation handbook |
The Department for Transport have published this guide: General aviation handbook.
This handbook provides an introduction to the general aviation (GA) sector. The sector includes all non-scheduled commercial civil aviation and represents a diverse range of activity ranging from emergency services to recreational flying.
It outlines the economic, social and infrastructural value of GA and the sector’s supporting airfield network.
It also explains how the sector can work with stakeholders, such as local authorities to improve operations, safety and services for the benefit of businesses, the economy and the community.
The handbook is for stakeholders including:
- the GA sector and associated organisations
- local authorities
- other private organisations
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Farnborough Airspace Change Proposal - Post Implementation Review Update |
The CAA has received the Farnborough Post Implementation Review sponsor’s report. The CAA's Farnborough Airspace Change Proposal webpage has been updated with this information:
Post implementation reviews are a rigorous assessment by the CAA of whether the anticipated impacts and benefits, set out in the original airspace change proposal and decision, have been delivered and if not to ascertain why and to determine the most appropriate course of action.
The CAA’s review will include an assessment of aircraft using Farnborough airport, of aircraft using the airspace that was the subject of the change and of aircraft flying in the vicinity of the airspace that was the subject of the change. The CAA has specified data requirements for the PIR that will enable that assessment.
The CAA has received specific queries from stakeholders and confirms:
safety is the CAA’s primary statutory duty and the CAA will be carefully reviewing the PIR data to assess the impact of the new airspace design on safety; and
the CAA will also be assessing the impact of the change on noise based on an analysis of the number, type and height of aircraft on which data has been collected by the sponsor as required by the CAA.
The CAA now invite stakeholders to submit their own observations via email to
The CAA will aim to produce a PIR review report within three months.
This activity is not a review of the decision on the airspace change proposal, and neither is it a re-run of the original decision process.
Upon completion of the CAA’s review, we may:
- confirm that the implemented design satisfactorily achieves – within acceptable tolerance limits – the objective and terms of the CAA’s approval, and the change is confirmed; or
- require modifications to better achieve the objective and terms of the CAA’s approval
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Flying over gliding sites |
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New and updated Safety Sense Leaflet: Distraction |
The CAA has published an updated Safety Sense leaflet providing pilots with the right strategies to help avoid distraction and interruption, be more aware of the dangers and reduce the risk to your flying.
Consider mitigations within your Threat and Error Management (TEM) approach. More information on TEM can be found on the Airspace & Safety Initiative website.
This forms part of the popular Safety Sense series which the CAA is currently updating.
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Removal of email submissions for NOTAM |
With effect from 10 August 23, NOTAM submissions via email will no longer be accepted by the UK NOF.
In support of this, NATS will make available its AFTN NOTAM functionality for free, for all users. This facility will be available via AFPEX from June 15th: www.myafpex.co.uk
Apply for an AFPEX account here: https://ts1.flightplanningonline.co.uk/applyingForAnAccount.html
AFPEX Help/Guides are available here: www.myafpex.co.uk/guides/notam.php
Further details are available in AIC Y039/23.
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General Aviation: Consultation on advance information requirements for international flights |
The Home Office has published this consultation on advance information requirements for international flights. This consultation ends on 16 June 2023.
The consultation is on a proposal to introduce regulations that would require persons responsible for international General Aviation (GA) flights to submit information online and in advance about flights and persons on board and penalise failures to comply.
The Home Office are keen to receive views from the GA sector and from other interested parties on the proposals, including how they may be operated and take account of emergency situations.
Martin Robinson has a meeting with the Home Office in early May to discuss the proposals. When you have read the proposals, please do respond to the consultation and let Martin know your views that he might raise at the meeting:
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New Danger Area – EGD148 KEEVIL |
The CAA has approved the implementation of a new permanent danger area, which will be known as EGD148 KEEVIL. The change will take effect on 15 May 2023, notified by an AIP SUPPLEMENT to be issued on 4 May 2023. Activation will be by NOTAM, with MOD Boscombe Down Air Traffic Control providing a Danger Area Crossing Service to other airspace users when the Danger Area is active; there are no changes to airspace classifications.
Details of the airspace change can be found on the CAA airspace change portal.
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ORS4 No.1575: Alternative medical criteria when making a Pilot Medical Declaration |
The CAA have published ORS4 No 1575: Alternative medical criteria when making a Pilot Medical Declaration
This exemption allows holders of certain UK issued Part-FCL, Part-BFCL or Part-SFCL and ANO pilot licences to make a Pilot Medical Declaration using the alternative medical criteria from those set out under the normal criteria, provided they reasonably believe that they meet the medical requirements for a Group 1 (Car) Licence issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and are not taking medication for any psychiatric illness.
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Frustrated with airspace refusal? Don't just shrug it off |
Frustrated with airspace refusal? Don't just shrug it off.
See the latest Clued-Up article abput the UK Airspace Access/Refusal of ATS Report Form and how it helps improve the system for all pilots.
If you are an AOPA meber and experience airspace access refusals please let us know:
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ACP-2019-18 Enabling RPAS and RAF Aerobatic Team Operations Out of RAF Waddington |
Airspace Change Proposal ACP-2019-18 has now reached Step 5a: CAA Assessment.
Stage 4b documents have been published:
Stage 4B - ACP Final Submission - Issue 1_Redacted which includes details of the current airspace and proposed changes:
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Stage 4A - Consultation Review - Issue 1.0_minus Annex C_Redacted
ACP-2019-18 Final Options Appraisal (Phase III) Issue 1.0
If you have any views or questions about these proposed changes email
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The GAMA-IAOPA Europe General Aviation Survey 2023 |
In order to make General Aviation in Europe safer, more affordable and more accessible to the wider public, GAMA and IAOPA have undertaken, with the support of EASA and AERO Messe, to improve the understanding of the size, scope and changes happening in GA across Europe, including the United Kingdom.
Accurate data about the aircraft and their operation is a fundamental enabler for both regulators and industry to successfully target safety improvement initiatives, promotion and rulemaking. Furthermore, more accurate data about General Aviation in Europe can be used to quantify the economic benefits this sector brings to European society and the economy. This is particularly valuable to support political advocacy, such as encouraging grants for new equipment, maintaining local airfields and advocating for more proportionate safety rules.
The aim of this survey is to reach the maximum possible number of aircraft owners/operators in the majority of the 32 EASA Member States amd the United Kingdom every year to allow accurate and representative estimates to be made about General Aviation aircraft operation. Individual Responses are confidential and will not be shared with either the public or regulators, nor will they be used for marketing or any other commercial purposes.
Aggregated Data (European, National or by aircraft category or operation category) will be made publicly available free of charge and shared with regulators such as EASA to support regulatory impact assessments and other uses. Link to the 2023 survey and past reports.