Last guidance from the IAA was no flights at all. Today’s government advice gave a 5 phase path to normality and after chatting on WhatsApp with some pilots we reckon that none of the phases before the dates above could be interpreted as changing anything for aviation.
20km travel limit from home and essential journeys only until July.
That does seem overly excessive. This is going to be hard on aircraft. Although perhaps the economy will be more of an issue with that length of time.
The idea of putting the distance restriction seems to be quite popular despite clearly if you’re out for a run in a car or plane and returning to base there is no increased risk.
Happily the FAA’s interests are in keeping aviation active, and equally happily US state governors that are attempting to uniformly and unilaterally direct people’s behavior over their entire state don’t have much authority in the matter.
Yes, he can do that 
Thankfully on Saturday, Jersey EGJJ has just allowed Engine Maintenance flights according to manufacturers guidelines. So that’s a 1 hour flight for a Lycoming. Jersey is allowing one flight every 30 days. Guernsey are allowing 2 hours every 7 days. Some of the countries mentioned in the forum with strict rules have nothing to do with Covid19, it is all complete madness.
Jersey has very few cases. For example, last week zero cases two days in a row. We are so far below the expected curve that they are unlocking everything quite quickly in the next 2 weeks. Thank goodness.
This is quite a picture
Loads of light GA on the mainland, and zero in the UK.
Peter wrote:
Loads of light GA on the mainland, and zero in the UK.
Zero in France also…
I am astonished what France has done, given how big and apparently well organised and above all well politically connected their GA scene was always seen to be.
I wonder what @nestor makes of what has happened?
Back to the UK, it is instructive to look at who is not producing METARs anymore – example
That’s two previously “incredibly busy” (well, not exactly welcoming of GA, especially EGHI) airports, with nobody in the tower who is a qualified MET observer?
Peter wrote:
That’s two previously “incredibly busy” (well, not exactly welcoming of GA, especially EGHI) airports, with nobody in the tower who is a qualified MET observer?
One of them had someone in the tower a few hours earlier!
EGHH 030650Z 14004KT 9999 BKN031 10/07 Q1014
Peter wrote:
I am astonished what France has done, given how big and apparently well organised and above all well politically connected their GA scene was always seen to be.
The astounding thing is that for all the “Liberty, Egality, Fraternity” thing, and their propensity for protesting, especially the widespread “yellow vest” movement, that the entire country has just rolled over and accepted a defacto Police State, where you need to “show me your papers” for any movement outside your home. Ive been completely blown over at this, especially as its only 75yrs since the last time that regularly happened…
I agree with the comments on France. There was some decent research based on the 2008 recession. As soon as GDP falls more than 6%, a country will kill more people than Covid19 as the funding to the health service drops, poverty increases, businesses fail etc. People think early unlocking in “people vs money” . It is actually “short term people vs long term people”.
I see the predictions for the UK is for a 6% GDP drop already, so have we killed more people over the long term now? To keep it on topic, what possible reason is there not to allow people to fly on their own or with people from the same household? What possible reason for the UK not to allow people to go outside 4-6 hours a day now for any reason as long as they socially distance by say 4 metres. What possible reason not to drive to deserted beauty spots? Perhaps some of this is needed but the little bureaucrats are loving their moment of power and making up all sorts of restrictive rules that ruin people’s lives and won’t make any difference.
If, as in the United Kingdom, you are allowed to sit in a queue for hours with lots of mainly overweight, high risk people, waiting for a drive through MacDonalds, you should be allowed to fly.
