AOPA UK Newsletter March 2022

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There has been much obfuscation when questions have been asked about the loss of the EGNOS LPV signal to UK users; who made the decision that €30 to €35 million per year was not good value, what was the decision based on, who was consulted.

The loss of the LPV signal has meant the withdrawal of around 37 published approaches at 18 Airports and there were 7 GA airfields planning GNSS approaches. Shipping is also affected, with no access to EGNOS Safety of Life services, mariners will not receive a signal whenever positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems suffer degradation.

The Government have invested in UKSBAS as the system they see replacing the need for EGNOS. But there is no guarantee that this will work with current avionics and there is no time scale to providing a service that is already available. The UK Government funded the Galileo EGNOS project to a reported value of £1.2bn but, on party dogma, have thrown this away.

AOPA, along with other associations and business groups, continue to press the Government, MPs and Peers for answers. I have made FOI requests for all related subject matter and communications from the DfT and CAA. The House of Lords have also taken issue with the Government and are seeking answers. Disappointingly our esteemed Secretary of State for Transport, and GA Pilot, has been deafeningly silent on this matter.

I am pressing for the Government to enter into a service agreement for the UK to have full access to EGNOS until any alternative system has been proven as fit for purpose. This is likely to be a 5 year or more wait.

Martin Robinson
CEO AOPA UK
martin@aopa.co.uk

70 Years of Change in Aircraft Ownership

Analysis of the February 2022 G-INFO database and the *FAA equivalent have provided the following insight into the changing patterns of aircraft ownership in the UK, based on year of manufacture. The criteria used for extracting the data was any piston aircraft with a current CofA, a MTOM of 5700kg or less manufactured in 1952 or later, split between Certified (including CAA permit to Fly), Permit to Fly and Microlight aircraft. Further inspection of the data was required to separate Permit to Fly and Microlight aircraft - so the split in these numbers may be slightly different to the LAA and BMAA records.

*FAA aircraft are those registered to a Trust in the UK.

In the chart below you can see the variations in numbers by decade:

This illustrates the rapid rise in ownership of certified aircraft in the 1960's and 1970's, followed by a rapid decline from the 1980's. The decline in the 1980's can probably be attributed to the increases in the price of oil and less favourable economic conditions in the UK. Then followed the years of JAA/JAR and EASA, during which disproportionate regulation was applied to certified light aircraft maintenance. AOPA, through IAOPA, lobbied successfully for a lighter maintenance regime for these aircraft, though it took far too long to achieve. Post EASA, AOPA UK will continue to lobby on behalf of certified aircraft owners and operators to further lighten regulation where this can be achieved without reducing safety. In recent years the UK CAA GA & RPAS unit seems to have been primarily focussed on "recreational" flying and have less interest in certified aircraft and GA activiites other than "recreational" flying. Aircraft numbers manufactured from 1952 with a current CoA:

Certified aircraft by manufacturer since 1952:

In the last 20 years there has been a move to more modern manufacturers, with Diamond showing as the top seller.

Disappointingly, for the country that has the stated desire to be the best place in the world for GA, none are manufactured in the UK.

Draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy 2022 to 2040 (Consultation Closes 4 April 2022)

This consultation closes on 4 April 2022. Of particular import is CAP 2298a as this covers the vision for the future strategy that will affect all airspace users. While the end state is not going to be realised before many of us hang up our headsets, it is surely incumbent on us to look after the future interests of GA?

These are some examples that will affect the GA community if implemented:

RMZs/TMZs

More use of transponder mandatory zones and radio mandatory zones (TMZ/RMZs) that have less impact than controlled airspace

AFIS/Air Ground airfields will have a flexible TMZ/RMZ and RMZ respectively. For an AFIS unit this will allow the use of Flight Information Displays (FID) to be used to enable better airspace management and safety. The TMZ can also be an aid to integration of IFR and VFR traffic if GNSS approaches are being used. Around busy AG units, a RMZ will be used to provide a level of safety for aircraft in the critical stages of flight. When the airfield is closed or traffic minimal, the airspace can be switched off.

Increased use of class E with a TMZ in other areas to enable ATC provision to IFR while minimising impact to VFR.

Enhancements to the characteristics of airspace classes D, E, F and G, such as the additional notification of the airspace as a transponder and/or radio mandatory zone (TMZ and RMZ respectively) should be considered in order to:

meet safety criteria identified by the air navigation service provider in their safety assessment
facilitate the provision of flight information, alerting and search and rescue services (applies to RMZ only)
facilitate the provision of enhanced flight information utilising surveillance data, (applies to TMZ only), and
facilitate coordination with appropriate military units or with ATS units in adjacent States in order to avoid the possible need for interception for the purpose of identification.

Aerodrome Traffic Zones in class G airspace will typically be replaced by an RMZ (related to traffic density and complexity rather than licensed status of the aerodrome) and associated TMZ where enhanced flight information utilising surveillance data is deployed, typically in support of low density, low complexity IFR operations such as GNSS approaches. Radio Mandatory Zones established at aerodromes and serviced via an Air/Ground service will only be established when that service is provided. The switchable nature of such RMZs will be embedded in Advanced Flexible Use of Airspace procedures.

Switchable Airspace

Increasingly, switchable volumes of airspace, such as runway-dependent control areas (CTAs), will be temporarily deactivated when not required (possibly with a Transponder Mandatory Zone/Radio Mandatory Zone mandate associated), allowing transit without the necessity of a clearance. The tactical notification of this kind of airspace release will be achieved via NOTAM, generating a graphical depiction on avionics/electronic flight bag applications as well FIS-B (Flight Information Service – Broadcast).

Pre-flight Planning with EFB

Pre-flight planning by the pilot will typically be conducted using an ‘electronic flight bag’ application connected to the internet. The application graphically depicts the current relevant aviation chart together with tactically updated airspace and meteorological information, including dynamically switched airspace volumes, temporary navigation warnings etc.

Having planned the intended flight, the pilot can, via the electronic submission of the data, share that flight plan with air traffic service providers and other airspace users. This flight plan data will be transmitted in a common, internationally agreed, format and distributed to any relevant party that wishes to make use of the data. Route field validation of VFR flight plans will be achieved via a prescribed interface typically enabled via the electronic flight bag functionality.

Once airborne, the activation and correlation of the planned intention of flight data will typically be achieved via the association with the flight identification field transmitted from the airframe.

When, via route validation, if the planned route will require the subject aircraft to transit a volume of controlled airspace then that flight plan will be automatically shared with the controlling authority of that airspace. Flight data processing systems used by air navigation service providers will be capable of receiving and pre-notifying the relevant controller or Flight Information Service Officer of the pending flight details together with the planned track.

FIS provision, situational awareness and safety will be additionally enhanced by the tactical switching of electronic Obstruction Beacons on the ground. These electronic beacons will be used to notify the activation of cluster-based activities such as large model sites, paragliding and hang-gliding activity, where electronic conspicuity of individual air systems is not practicable or desirable. The emissions from these beacons can be received via the reception of a broadcast in the cockpit and depicted on existing avionics or electronic flight bag applications.

En route transit requests of controlled airspace will have been pre-notified to the controlling air navigation service providers via the voluntary submission of the flight plan. Those basic flight details and requested routeing will be available to the controller prior to establishing radio contact and may also be associated with the flight identity of the aircraft on a suitable surveillance system. The necessity of passing copious amounts of flight planning information over the radio is reduced and the ability for the controller to plan the integration of the transiting aircraft enhanced.

ICAO FIS

Once airborne, the General Aviation pilot may choose to take advantage of a revised UK Flight Information Service (FIS) based upon an ICAO-prescribed FIS with or without surveillance data enhancement. This service may be manually requested via radio contact with a nominated air navigation service provider; the service itself will instantly be recognisable as FIS provision like that provided in other states. Increasingly, FIS provision will be automated, with situational awareness within the cockpit being enhanced via directly detected traffic information and conflict prediction, displayed via an
electronic flight bag application or avionics display. FIS-B will be available in many areas, in lieu of VOLMET and some DATIS capability, and will include a wide range of meteorological products (including near-real-time precipitation data, METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs) as well as selected ‘pop-up’ NOTAM information such as RA(T)s, TMZ(T)s and the activity status of any switchable airspace volumes.

Data sharing (SWIM)

System-Wide Information Management (SWIM) is a global air traffic management initiative to harmonise the exchange of aeronautical, weather and flight information for airspace users, civil and military air navigation service providers, airport operators, meteorological service providers and the European Network Manager. In simple terms it is a web-based cloud for aviation data. At present there are multiple systems for weather, flight planning, airspace notification etc, whereas SWIM will locate all the data in a single network.

Have your say and make your views known either directly to the CAA or via AOPA by email to martin@aopa.co.uk by March 31st 2022.

Can a Russian national based in the UK fly GA aircraft for training or leisure purposes in UK airspace?

This question was raised by an AOPA member and we asked the DfT for clarification. The DfT have advised:

"The restrictions only apply to aircraft owned, chartered or operated by a designated person or a person "connected with" Russia. To be connected with Russia the person has to be resident in Russia or, if a company, be incorporated in Russia or have its HQ there. As long as the aircraft are being operated by Russian nationals not resident in Russia or on the sanctions list, they would not be breaking the law."

Licensing aide-memoire

Nick Wilcock has produced this aide-memoire to provide some clarity to Pilot Medical Declarations, aeroplane operational restrictions by licence type and Pilot licence validity.

OFCOM - Decision to vary aircraft and aircraft (transportable) radiocommunications licences

On 18 March 2022, OFCOM published their decision to make some changes to aircraft and aircraft (transportable) licences. The key changes made are to:

update and align the structure and content in current licences with the style and standard terms and conditions applicable to other licence types; and
update and simplify the information we hold on aircraft and radio equipment in our licensing database.

All aircraft and aircraft (transportable) licensees must now comply with all the terms and conditions in their licence document as well as the standard terms and conditions contained in the Wireless Telegraphy Licence Conditions Booklet OfW 597 (PDF, 222.8 KB).

For more information, please read the full General Notice of Decision to Vary Aircraft and Aircraft (Transportable) Radiocommunications Licences (PDF, 170.6 KB).

As a licensee you do not need to do anything. If you are currently complying with all the terms and conditions of your licence(s) then you will also comply with all the new terms and conditions. OFCOM advise that you will shortly receive your new varied licence via your preferred method of communication.

Private Flyer UK - London and Leeds

We are pleased to be able to offer AOPA Members a 20% Discount on Tickets to Private Flyer UK events in 2022:

London - Wycombe Air Park 13 to 14 May 2022
Leeds - Church Fenton (Leeds East) 1 to 2 July 2022

Click this button for AOPA Member Offers

Solent Aeropark

Although it has taken much longer than anticipated, the planning application for Solent Aeropark has at last been submitted.

This new scheme is the best chance so far of introducing Mixed-use Hangars (commercial & residential use) into the UK on GA airfields, and will set a precedent for other GA airfields to allow them and also solely residential Hangar Homes. Because Solent Airport is an 'Enterprise Zone' and the hangar needs to be used as part of the business, all the units must be occupied by aviation-related businesses and their owners.

If you are interested in one of these Mixed-use Hangars or want to help safeguard the airfield and make it more sustainable, then please support the planning application which you can access from the website: http://www.hangarhomes.co.uk/solent.html

AOPA UK Magazine April 2022 issue

Your copy of the April 2022 issue of the AOPA UK Magazine will be delivered to you in early April. In this issue:

Flocking to Friedrichshafen for AERO 2022
Pilots’ progress...
AOPA’s success story
Cessna brings back turbo 182
CAA completes CO survey
Pushing for lead-free fuel
Tightening up on rogue RT
Art Deco dreams - the Junkers A50 Junior is back

The magazine will be available to members in PDF format on the AOPA UK website as soon as the proofs are ready for print.

If you have any comment, ideas or articles for the magazine please get in touch with the editor by email: chris.mcgine@aopa.co.uk

AOPA Members Working Group

With a change in the meeting Chair, the meeting schedule has been revised. At this time the next meeting will be held on Saturday 21 May 2022.

It is planned to run this as a hybrid meeting, with a combination of online video and in person at a venue to be confirmed.

Please contact pauline@aopa.co.uk for further information.

Pauline Vahey
AOPA UK Members Working Group Chair

FI(A) & CRI(A) Refresher Courses

Course dates for 2022:

5 to 6 July 2022
22 to 23 November 2022

Venues to be advised. Courses may be conducted via online video conferencing. Anyone who books will get a full refund if the venue or video conferencing is not suitable.

For more information see here.