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The General Aviation (Flight Information, Persons on Board and Civil Penalties) Regulations 2024 (‘the 2024 regulations’) |
It is anticipated that on Saturday 6th April 2024, the 2024 regulations will enter into force. A draft version of the regulations is available online: The General Aviation (Persons on Board, Flight Information and Civil Penalties) Regulations 2024.The General Aviation (Persons on Board, Flight Information and Civil Penalties) Regulations 2024.
Which flights do the 2024 regulations apply to?
The 2024 regulations apply to all General Aviation aircraft making international flights who are expecting to arrive in and depart from the UK (including within the Common Travel Area).
What do the regulations mean for pilots, owners and operators?
International GA flights that are arriving in or departing from the UK will be required to be submit information online about the flight and persons on board (both passengers and crew), no earlier than 48 hours and no later than 2 hours prior to the expected time of departure.
General Aviation Reports emailed directly to Border Force will not be compliant and will not be accepted.
What are the acceptable online submission methods?
The information is to be provided online using one of the following methods:
1. The Government’s free-to-use submit a GAR ‘sGAR’ webservice;
2. *Via an approved existing third-party application; or
3. If you are a business operator, established direct connections to Home Office systems can also be used.
Civil Penalties
Border Force will be operating a civil penalty regime that will underpin the 2024 regulations. Failing to comply with the 2024 regulations may result in a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per breach. Complete guidance on the civil penalty regime will be available on gov.uk in due course.
* Typically, these are private member subscriptions to applications such as Airbox, Cloud Aviation, Online GAR, Sky Demon and Rocket Route. However, a full published list of acceptable third-party applications will be published on gov.uk.
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Publication of CAA Policy for the Establishment and Operation of Special Use Airspace |
The CAA has published a Policy for the Establishment and Operation of Special Use Airspace. Special Use Airspace includes Prohibited Areas, Restricted Areas, Danger Areas, Temporary Segregated Areas, Temporary Reserved Areas and Cross Border Areas.
The policy provides the requirements for the design, approval, notification, activation, management and operation of these airspace structures.
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CAA launches AI survey |
The aviation industry continues to embrace the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It already enhances safety and efficiency through predictive maintenance, aiding air traffic management, and refining pilot training with advanced insights and simulations. Understanding what AI will mean for the CAA and how it will affect the way we work and how we regulate is a crucial part of this strategy work.
The CAA have created a survey that focuses on how we regulate AI and would be grateful for your support in helping us to create a strategy for the safe and secure use of AI in aviation.
The survey will close Friday 29 March 2024. More information is available in CAP 2966: Speaking a Common Language: A terminology framework for AI and on the CAA website.
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Consultation: Notice of proposals to make the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 |
OfCom are proposing to make new regulations (Proposed Regulations) that would amend the existing 2020 Regulations in relation to the introduction of three new licence products and their associated fees. We are also removing one class of licence that is now licence exempt.
The full details can be found here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0037/277588/consultation-notice-proposals-wta-fees-amendment.pdf
The response form can be found here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/file/0035/277586/consultation-response-form.odt
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Application Form Submission Service update |
Following the launch of the CAA online Application Form Submission Service (AFSS) on the CAA Customer Portal, the second (and final) wave of forms will be added to the service between Tuesday 6 and Tuesday 13 February.
To ensure you’re using the most up to date and correct form for your application please ensure you get the latest version of the form you require from the Publication Library. Forms that are to be submitted through AFSS will have guidance on how to do this at the bottom of the form.
As a reminder you can read more about AFSS on the AFSS blog.
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Call for Volunteers: Electronic Conspicuity User Study |
The UK Civil Aviation Authority, in partnership with Baringa and QinetiQ, is hosting virtual workshops in February to discuss Electronic Conspicuity (EC) device use. The sessions will look at how EC is used to detect airborne threats and how decisions are made to avoid airborne collisions.
We are looking for volunteers who are operationally qualified users from the following categories:
- Specific and Certified Category RPAS Operators
- Air Traffic Service Controllers
- Commercial fixed and rotary wing flight crews
- GA fixed and rotary wing flight crews
- GA crews not routinely in receipt of air traffic services during flight, e.g., gliding, paragliding, hang gliding, ballooning
Participants cannot not have any connection to an EC manufacturer.
If you are interested in attending a workshop please email your name, contact details and which of the categories you fall under to:
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Airspace Infringement Avoidance: Monday 29 January 19:00 Hrs |
GASCO’s first airspace infringement avoidance webinar of 2024 will be held on Monday 29 January at 7pm.
With visiting speakers from East Midlands Airport, the Lincolnshire TATCC, Buckminster Gliding Club at Saltby and Skydive Langar it will cover the airspace between Turweston and Gamston, looking at how to apply Threat and Error Management techniques as part of your pre-flight planning.
Register online for a free hour and a half of information, tips, suggestions and discussion.
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Flying Abroad - Designated Airports |
In our January Enewsletter we included this item:
"From 1 January 2024 unless an airport is listed in Annex E as a Designated airport or has a Certificate of Agreement it cannot be used for foreign flights to/from the UK. The current list can be found here."
An observant member has pointed out that elsewhere in the Border Force guidance it says:
"Not all CoA aerodromes are listed within Annex E, therefore operators and pilots must contact the relevant aerodrome to ensure it is authorised to receive or operate a flight from outside the United Kingdom."
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Submit a General Aviation Report (GAR) - Passenger Response Messages to sGAR from January 2024 |
The Home Office are introducing Response Messages to sGAR from January 2024, these messages will confirm whether an individual has a valid permission to travel or if you need to conduct a manual check for a visa.
You are invited to register for one of our engagement events for pilots, operators and agents who send passenger information to the Home Office through the sGAR web service.
The events are intended to provide further support and clarity regarding the introduction of response messages, as well as an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
The next event will be held on 16 January 2024. More information here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/home-office-fbis-general-aviation-engagement-event-sgar-tickets-773617128657
For full details of the changes to GAR and future events see: https://www.submit-general-aviation-report.service.gov.uk/welcome/index
The following slides were used at a recent meeting hosted by the Home Office Border Force:
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Blackbushe Airport - Section 16 Common Land Exchange Consultation now open |
On Tuesday 2nd January 2024 Blackbushe Airport submitted an application to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) to deregister from Yateley Common 35.3 acres at the Airport, and to offer as replacement an equivalent area at Cottage Farm.
Please help Blackbushe Airport by supporting our application. You can read more about it and submit a response directly to PINS at: www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation. This consultation closes on Friday 16 February 2024.
Why do Blackbushe Airport need to deregister common land?
The Airport has ambitions to build hangarage for general aviation aircraft, and to replace the ageing facilities such as the Terminal, and Pathfinder Cafe with modern, purpose-built facilities. Legislation doesn’t allow for building on common land, and the active aerodrome has been registered as common since 1967.
Safeguarding the Aiport
The airport in its current form is not sustainable, with business susceptible to the weather. This land exchange will enable the development of hangarage and other facilities desperately needed at Blackbushe, making the airport a sustainable business.
Access
The public have no right of access over the ‘Release Land’ (the aerodrome). A few local properties have rights of common over the airport, but in practice they cannot exercise those rights as doing so could present a risk to aircraft.
The ‘Replacement Land’ will be opened up for public access, allowing commoners and the public alike to use the land for exercise and recreation. This adds 35.3 acres of new recreation land available to the local community.
Connecting the Common
At present, the east side of Yateley Common is separated from the west side by Cottage Farm. The only way between the two sides is via a bridleway to the north (which is in a poor state of repair), and permissive routes to the south, which suffer from water run-off from the A30.
The new land will open up the two sides of the common, and over time, new walking routes will establish themselves across the Replacement Land, reducing the pressure on the existing paths.
Improving biodiversity
The Release Land is an operational airport. Over 10 acres of it (29%) is already covered by hardstanding or buildings. The grass surrounding it is mown regularly to comply with CAA wildlife management regulations, and to discourage the formation of habitats.
The Replacement Land will benefit from a 15-year Environmental Management Plan which will oversee the natural establishment of species-rich grassland, and allow for the establishment of habitats for ground nesting birds and other local protected species.
Commons Act 2006
This application is made under the Commons Act 2006. The Act contains specific criteria for deregistration, which an earlier application by Blackbushe Airport failed to do as a result of the legal interpretation as to whether or not the curtilage of existing aviation related buildings on the site covered the whole of the active aerodrome. As a consequence of this, Blackbushe Airport have discussed with interested parties an alternative approach and made every effort in this second application to meet all of the technical requirements for deregistration. Clearly, meeting the deregistration criteria is the key issue and any comments made that do not address this in detail will not be considered.
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Safety Sense Leaflet: Occurrence Reporting for General Aviation |
The CAA have published a new Safety Sense Leaflet providing guidance on reporting safety occurrences in general aviation operations and related activity.
Reporting occurrences helps continue to improve aviation safety and this publication forms part of the popular Safety Sense project which the CAA are currently updating.