General aviation in the United Kingdom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

General aviation in the United Kingdom
Fixed–wing light aircraft, the most numerous type of aircraft in the general aviation sector

General aviation in the United Kingdom is defined as a "civil aircraft operation other than a commercial air transport flight operating to a schedule." Whilst the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) definition of general aviation (GA) excludes any form of remunerated aviation from its definition, aerial work and business aviation are often included within the scope of the GA sector in the UK.

Contents 1 Definitions 2 Activities 3 Scale 4 Regulation 4.1 European harmonisation 4.2 Devolved and self regulation 4.3 Airworthiness 4.4 Pilot licensing 5 Aerodromes 5.1 GASAR aerodrome classification 5.2 Aerodrome licensing 6 References

[edit] Definitions

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines general aviation (GA) as "an aircraft operation other than a commercial air transport operation or an aerial work operation." It defines commercial air transport (CAT) as "an aircraft operation involving the transport of passengers, cargo or mail for remuneration or hire", and aerial work as "an aircraft operation in which an aircraft is used for specialized services such as agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, observation and patrol, search and rescue, aerial advertisement, etc."^[1]

Organisations within the United Kingdom (UK) describe GA in less restrictive terms that include elements of commercial aviation. The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) interprets it to be "all aeroplane and helicopter flying except that performed by the major airlines and the Armed Services".^[2] The General Aviation Awareness Council (GAAC) applies the description "all Civil Aviation operations other than scheduled air services and non-scheduled air transport operations for remuneration or hire".^[3] For the purposes of a strategic review of GA in the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) defined the scope of GA as "a civil aircraft operation other than a commercial air transport flight operating to a schedule", and considered it necessary to depart from the ICAO definition and include aerial work and minor CAT operations.^[4] An example of a minor CAT operation is business aviation. This term primarily refers to non–scheduled air–taxi services, used for example by corporate executives, that provide more flexible public transportation than airline travel. It is a commercial operation which falls within the ICAO definition of CAT, but is closely aligned to, and considered part of, the GA sector.^[2][3][5]

[edit] Activities

Flying activities in the GA sector use a range of aircraft, including balloons and airships, gliders, hang gliders, paragliders, microlights, gyrocopters, helicopters, amateur built and mass produced light aircraft, ex–military aircraft, and executive aircraft.^[6] Flights can be broadly categorised as public transport, aerial work, and private flying, the first two of which are commercial activities.^[7] Private flying can be for both recreational purposes and personal transport, using aircraft that are owned individually, collectively as part of a syndicate, or rented from a flying club. Recreational usage ranges from flying circuits round an airfield to touring flights involving visits to domestic and international destinations. It also includes sporting and competetive activities, examples of which include aerobatics and air racing.^[8] In 2007 the British gliding team was ranked number one in international gliding competitions.^[9] Other examples of specific GA activities include flying displays, the second most popular spectator sport in the UK,^[10] pilot training, and emergency services work (air ambulance and police).^[2][3]

[edit] Scale

There are an estimated 27,000 civil aircraft registered in the UK, 96 per cent of which are engaged in GA activities. In 2005 the GA fleet comprised of 9,000 fixed-wing aircraft, 4,100 microlights, 1,300 helicopters, 1,800 airships/balloons, 2,500 gliders and some 7,000 hang gliders. Additionally an estimated 900 foreign–registered GA aircraft are based in the UK.^[11] The number of pilots licenced by the CAA to fly powered aircraft in 2005 was 47,000, of which 28,000 held Private Pilot Licences (PPL), a figure which includes 3,400 holders of the more restricted National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL). The remaining 19,000 held professional pilot licences; either a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) or an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), although not all of these would be engaged in GA activities.^[12] These figures do not include aviation disciplines for which a CAA licence is not required, such as gliding and hang gliding, but estimates put the membership of aviation related sport and recreational associations at 36,000.^[13] The sector is estimated to employ nearly 12,000 people and contribute £1.4 billion to the UK economy, making it roughly seven per cent of the size of the CAT industry. Eighty per cent of GA activity is generated by businesses, clubs and sole traders, whilst 45 per cent of GA's economic activity is generated by business aviation.^[14]

[edit] Regulation

The CAA was established as the primary regulatory body for all aviation in the UK in 1972.^[15] Its objective is to "promote high standards of safety in all aspects of aviation", and this is the main area of interaction between the CAA and the GA sector.^[16] The focus of regulation in the GA sector is to provide assurance of appropriate standards of airworthiness, pilot qualification, the rules for the movement of aircraft, and equipment to be carried.^[17]

[edit] European harmonisation

In 1991 the first efforts to harmonise aviation regulation throughout the member states of the European Union (EU) began with the establishment of the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). This is a non–regulatory association of national aviation authorities designed to agree common, but not legally binding standards. The CAA implements JAA standards through its existing UK–based legislative framework. In 2003 the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was established, taking over responsibility for legislating airworthiness and environmental regulation from the national authorities. In this area the CAA acts as an agency of EASA, inspecting aircraft and issuing Certificates of Airworthiness (C of A) according to the rules laid down by EASA, whilst retaining its original regulatory powers in areas not yet transferred to EASA. Proposed developments seek to establish EASA as the single authority throughout the EU, taking over from individual member states the power to regulate all aviation other than that specifically excluded from the scope of EASA.^[18]

[edit] Devolved and self regulation

Within this framework certain sectors of GA are governed on a devolved basis. In all cases the CAA/EASA retains responsibility for safety regulation, but representative bodies, particularly of sectors that are not included in the scope of EASA, are granted greater oversight of their activities.^[19] The majority of microlight aircraft are regulated by the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA), with a significant number being regulated by the Light Aircraft Association (LAA), formerly known as the Popular Flying Association (PFA). The LAA is the primary regulator for amateur built aircraft, as well as vintage and classic aircraft. Parachuting is governed by the British Parachute Association (BPA), although the aircraft used in this activity are generally CAA–regulated. Balloon and airship flying is overseen by the British Balloon and Airship Club (BBAC).^[20] The UK specific National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL) is administered by the National Pilots Licensing Group Ltd., supported by the LAA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association UK (AOPA UK), the BGA, and the BMAA.^[21] Separate to these devolved groups, gliding in the UK is self–regulated. The British Gliding Association (BGA) was until recently responsible for glider airworthiness, now formally regulated as a result of EASA legislation, and still retains control of pilot certification, whilst the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) is the governing body for all aspects of hang gliding and paragliding activities (i.e. foot–launched gliders).^[22]

[edit] Airworthiness

Under CAA and EASA rules, all aircraft are required to meet certain standards of airworthiness in order to safely and legally fly, and aircraft that meet these standards are issued with a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A). However, British registered aircraft excluded from the scope of EASA which can not satisfy the requirements for the issue of a C of A, which includes vintage and historic aircraft, amateur built aircraft, and microlights, may be issued with a Permit to Fly. This allows such aircraft to fly in UK airspace subject to certain limitations, for example being restricted to day–time flights under visual flight rules (VFR) only.^[23][24]

[edit] Pilot licensing

Main article: Pilot licensing in the United Kingdom

Flight crew licensing (FCL) standards have been harmonised as part of the Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR), the common set of standards agreed within the JAA framework. Licences that comply with the JAA standard are coded JAR–FCL, and are valid in any participating state without any further formality.^[25] The most relevant pilot qualification to GA is the Private Pilot Licence (PPL), which permits the holder to fly for recreational purposes without remuneration.^[26] In addition to the JAR–FCL PPL, the CAA also issues UK specific national licences. In the absence of JAA standards for gyroplane, balloon, and airship pilots, the CAA licences these according to the original UK PPL standard.^[27] As a response to the perception that JAR pilot licensing standards are excessively bureaucratic and expensive for the purposes of recreational pilots, the National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL) was introduced in 2002.^[28] This licence is easier to obtain than the JAR–FCL licence, has less stringent medical requirements, is more restrictive in the privileges it grants, and is valid only for flights in British registered aircraft flying in UK airspace.^[21] Whilst there are plans to bring glider pilot licensing within the regulatory framework of EASA,^[29] the gliding sector is currently self–regulating in this respect. The BGA is responsible for defining the standards of initial training, and certifying via a badge system pilots who meet those standards.^[30][31] Pilots working in sectors of GA that are commercial operations, such as aerial work and business aviation, are required to hold a professional pilot licence which, at a minimum, is the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL).^[26]

[edit] Aerodromes

See also: List of airports in the United Kingdom

Aerodrome is a collective term for any location from which flying operations take place, although more specific terminology can be used to characterise its purpose. The CAA strategic review of GA applies the term airport to locations which predominantly support CAT operations, and airfield to locations which predominantly support GA operations.^[32] The number of GA aerodromes in the UK is difficult to establish with certainty; Pooleys 2008 United Kingdom Flight Guide lists 355,^[33] the Airplan Flight Equipment (AFE) UK VFR Flight Guide 2008 lists nearly 500,^[34] whilst Lockyears Farm 'Strips' and Private Airfields Flight Guide lists more than 300 'landing sites'.^[35] The General Aviation Small Aerodrome Research Study (GASAR) identified 687 aerodromes in England which fall within the scope of GA, classifying 374 into six types; A through F.^[36]

[edit] GASAR aerodrome classification

'Type A' aerodromes are described as regional airports. They are generally located in urban fringes, and support commercial, business and general aviation operations. They do not generally support the lighter end of aviation, such as gliding and microlights, and some airports specifically exclude certain types of aircraft. On average between 40 and 80 per cent of aircraft movements are GA related, though at the larger airports this can be as low as 5 per cent. Infrastructure includes partially or fully lit hard–surfaced runways in excess of 1,800 metres (2,000 yd), large terminal buildings, and hangars. Aviation facilities consist of full navigation aids, including instrument landing systems (ILS), full air traffic control, maintenance and fuel. An example of the 22 sites in this category is East Midlands Airport.^[37]

'Type B' aerodromes are described as major GA airports. They are likely to be located in urban fringes, but do not support commercial operations, concentrating instead on business and general aviation, which between them account for 95 per cent of aircraft movements. Some airports support gliding and microlight operations, but generally certain types of aircraft are still excluded. Typically there are multiple, partially lit runways in excess of 900 metres (980 yd) in length, with hard or mixed hard and grass surfaces. Aviation facilities consist in the main of basic navigation aids, formal air traffic control, maintenance and fuel. An example of the 17 sites in this category is Oxford Airport.^[38]

'Type C' aerodromes are described as developed GA airfields. They are similar to 'type B', but are located in rural areas and have less infrastructure. They are highly dependent on GA, with glider and microlight activities more common, and business aviation less so. Runways average 600 metres (660 yd) – 900 metres (980 yd) in length, are more commonly grass than hard–surfaced, and are less likely to be lit. Fewer than half have basic navigation aids installed, and all have informal ground to air radio communication rather than air traffic control. Some sites do not provide fuel or maintenance facilities. Club rather than company ownership is increasingly common. An example of the 51 sites in this category is Andrewsfield.^[39]

'Type D' aerodromes are described as basic GA airfields. They are similar to 'type C' but smaller, in some cases too small to feature on general purpose Ordnance Survey (OS) maps. The majority of sites support gliding and microlight operations. Runways are shorter than those found at type C airfields, unlikely to be lit, with grass being the most common surface. Navigational aids are rare, and a sizeable minority lack fuel, maintenance, and ground to air communication facilities. An example of the 46 sites in this category is Henstridge.^[40]

'Type E' aerodromes are described as developed airstrips. The majority are too small to feature on general purpose OS maps. Facilities are generally restricted to a single, short grass runway, although the presence of a hangar is not uncommon. Navigational aids and runway lighting are extremely rare, and the majority of airstrips in this category lack fuel, maintenance, and ground to air communication facilities. An example of the 140 sites in this category is Tilstock.^[41]

'Type F' aerodromes are described as basic airstrips. Few are significant enough to appear on general purpose OS maps, and facilities are generally limited to a single grass runway nowhere longer than 900 metres (980 yd). The majority of sites, of which there are 98, are individually owned.^[42]

[edit] Aerodrome licensing

Most aerodromes used for public transport operations, and all used for flying instruction operations, are required to be licensed by the CAA.^[43] In order to be granted a licence an operator must satisfy the CAA that the physical conditions at the aerodrome and its environs are acceptable, the scale of equipment and facilities provided are adequate for the flying activities which are expected to take place, that an effective safety management system is in place, and staff are competent and where necessary suitably qualified.^[44] Aerodromes classified by the GASOR study as type A through type C are, with few exceptions, CAA licensed. Only two type D aerodromes; Silverstone and Duxford, are licensed, whilst type E and F aerodromes are all unlicensed.^[45]

[edit] References