| Civil Aviation Authority | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | CAA |
| Formation | 1972 |
| Legal status | Government-owned corporation |
| Purpose/focus | Air travel in the UK |
| Location | Islington, London Borough of Islington |
| Region served | UK |
| Membership | Air travel companies and operators |
| Chief Executive | Andrew Haines |
| Main organ | CAA Board |
| Website | www.caa.co.uk |
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the public corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of aviation in the United Kingdom. The CAA head office is located in the CAA House on Kingsway in Holborn, London Borough of Camden.[1] The CAA Safety Regulation Group is in the Aviation House in Gatwick Airport in Crawley, England.[2]
Contents |
The CAA was established in 1972, under the terms of the Civil Aviation Act 1971, following the recommendations of a government committee chaired by Sir Ronald Edwards.[3] Previously, regulation of aviation was the responsibility of the Air Registration Board. The current main Act of Parliament regulating aviation in the UK is the Civil Aviation Act 1982. Responsibility for air traffic control in the UK passed to NATS in the run-up to the establishment of its public-private partnership in 2001.
The CAA employs just over 1,000 staff, mainly in two offices, CAA House in Kingsway, Holborn in London and Aviation House, next to London Gatwick Airport. It does not get any direct government funding, but runs entirely on subscriptions from its member companies. It is classed as a public corporation in the public sector. The connection it has with the government is via the Machinery of Government and Standards Group of the Cabinet Office.
The CAA directly or indirectly regulates all aspects of aviation in the UK. In some aspects of aviation it is the primary regulator, in other areas, where the responsibility for regulation has passed to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the CAA acts as EASA's local office, implementing the regulations. Representatives from the CAA sit on EASA's advisory bodies, taking part in the Europe-wide regulation process.
The CAA's responsibilities include:
The CAA also oversees the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL). The ATOL licence offers financial protection for travellers booking package tours, in the form of insurance to provide return journeys for holidaymakers stranded abroad by the sudden bankruptcy of an airline or tour operator.
The CAA were also responsible for the calibration of navigation and approach aids until this was privatised as Flight Calibration Services Ltd. The CAAs Flying Unit has operated a variety of primarily British aircraft including de Havilland Doves,[4] Hawker Siddeley HS 748s[5][6] and Hawker Siddeley HS 125s.[7]
There are a number of unlicensed aerodromes/airfields, however, those with higher traffic levels will usually require a license. The different licence categories that are issued to Airfields, Aerodromes/Airports by the CAA:
|
|||||||||||||||||