General Aviation news

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has introduced a new, more flexible, approach to regulatory charges after Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation (APPG-GA) highlighted the need to do more to support businesses through the Covid-19 crisis.

The Department for Transport has also relaxed the Covid-19 rules now allowing all in the same household to fly together in a light aircraft.

Under normal times, regulatory charges for Air Operator Certification and Aerodrome Licensing usually have to be paid immediately at the start of the financial year. Aviation businesses will have access to an extended 10-month payment plan for settling the CAA’s annual charges.

Commenting on the new measures, Co-Chair of the APPG-GA Lord Davies of Gower said: “It is good to see the CAA has responded to our call for greater flexibility and is now helping aviation businesses weather the economic storm brought by Coronavirus.

“The APPG brought several examples of organisations struggling to pay regulatory charges to the CAA’s attention and I am glad that these will now get some assistance from the regulator.”

In March, the CAA took the decision to freeze any increase in its charges until 1 July, but official releases say they are keeping it “under continuous review.”

Lord Davies added: "We hope the CAA will continue the freeze on charges until much later in the year as many businesses are still threatened due to continued restrictions on instructional flying and extended lockdowns in the devolved regions."

www.btnews.co.uk

https://generalaviationappg.uk

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