Another great find 
Perhaps the most interesting PDF is this one which shows no real change in the fixed wing totals for many years.
Interestingly, in the UK, microlights peaked about 10 years ago. This is a very different pattern to say Spain or Italy where – based on countless posts here from pilots based there – certified GA is disappearing (and was never big anyway) while the UL scene is rising fast. This is probably a consequence of the more favourable climate (both regulatory and economic) in the more “GA developed” countries.
Funny the CAA sells the CD for £400 Names and addresses of aircraft owners, the lot. They must have a full time oil can operator for the typewriters in their GDPR department.
both regulatory and economic
not to mention literally
I think France and Belgium will not be going the 600kg route for ULM, they have, however agreed to a 500kg limit.
This is, I believe a decision by the grass roots of the ULM community and not one imposed by the DGAC, although they have agreed to it.
A much greater boon to GA would be to just deregulate aircraft under 2t generally (allow the use of uncertified avionics etc.) and EASA wide (with guaranteed rights of for overflying and transit).
Also, why do national CAAs exist at all? Abolish them too and have only EASA as Europe’s sole regulator for aviation.
MedEwok wrote:
Abolish them too and have only EASA as Europe’s sole regulator for aviation.
That is precisely how it works for EASA aircraft and EASA licenses. The national authorities don’t decide anything, they only oversee and enforce anything inside EASA jurisdiction. But EASA cannot decide anything outside their realm of operation.
I don’t think the regulatory climate is responsible for most of the decline in GA, in Europe. Many previous threads on this, but basically most of the causes are to do with stuff like airport opening hours, PPR and other pointless restrictive practices, etc. And yes the historically restrictive IR scene in Europe is responsible for the very low takeup of the IR and thus low utility value in GA.
However I think the current UK CAA aggressive infringements regime will kill off GA nicely in the UK, once the word gets around and enough people get busted to Gasco. Then your next bust is a license suspension, so those people, like me, and at about 20 per month, will change their flying habits to doing very little and stick to simple routes. I can fly abroad, especially with an IR, but most UK GA can’t easily do that. For many UK pilots, Le Touquet is a journey through some “russian roulette” airspace. It won’t kill GA but over a few years will probably knock some 30% off the activity, which will trigger a collapse in the already precarious finances of maintenance companies, rentals (schools), etc.
I decided to have a look at some UK numbers, so I went through the data here and done a chart of “PPL” issues (various types of PPL but excluding the NPPL where I believe most issues are to existing pilots who want to fly on the medical self declaration) and IR issues (IRs issued to non CPL/ATPL pilots). Interesting data:
I believe some blips in the above PPL numbers (2013-14) are artificial i.e. lots of people applying for EASA licenses from JAA ones, etc.
This – IR issues – is more interesting as a view of GA utility and “going places” value. The blip around 2004 was an initiative run by one UK GA site which negotiated a discount with CATS for the ground school. Some of the group dropped out during the course and most of those who completed, AFAICT, dropped it pretty soon afterwards because to use an IR a lot of other stuff has to be in place (funds, further education i.e. mentoring, access to a suitable aircraft, etc). I think the rise after 2012 or so is the CB IR, which has done a bit although without any of the “FAA-type transformation” which many hoped for
Peter wrote:
basically most of the causes are to do with stuff like airport opening hours, PPR and other pointless restrictive practices, etc. And yes the historically restrictive IR scene in Europe is responsible for the very low takeup of the IR and thus low utility value in GA.
I think that puts it together nicely.
Add to that in certain countries the growing socialist movement decrying even car ownership as a crime against climate and humanity (as if they cared about the latter) people experience a good deal of negative perception by such parties. Not important for many but those who work in certain fields may find their careers impaired by their choice of past time. Thought police today sais flying is almost as bad as having children.
But the main thing I can see here vividly is that PPR and the threat of losing one’s Homebase and having to drive hours to get to the airport massively reduces utility. More and more cities divest themselfs of their GA infrastructure and become GA deserts. Politicians in many places will do everything in their power to close airfields and turn them into housing estates or anything else they can profit of, many communities do not want airfields nearby out of NIMBY and other considerations.
I personally expect GA to decline further in the coming years and am trying to enjoy what is left.
Peter wrote:
I decided to have a look at some UK numbers, so I went through the data here and done a chart of “PPL” issues (various types of PPL but excluding the NPPL where I believe most issues are to existing pilots who want to fly on the medical self declaration) and IR issues (IRs issued to non CPL/ATPL pilots). Interesting data:
Overall looks rather encouraging. No great change to the long term average. Maybe rumours of the death of UK GA are premature…
