PS. All that said I'm not expecting GA should get a free ride - you can either recover these small costs through taxation (e.g. USA), an annual license (e.g. Canada) or navigation/runway charges at the airport concerned.
It shouldn't cost an arm and leg just to make use of infrastructure and services that probably wouldn't be there if CAT wasn't around. CAT is going to need more airspace and runways and fly more direct, efficient routes in future. And GA needs to share such runways and airspace safely.
Why is it that other countries can provide superior services for less? I very much doubt they are being particularly wasteful with their spending.
The thing is all other countries have a nationalised ATC which is subsidised by the general taxpayer. The UK, even pre ATC privatisation, operates some level of cost recovery / compartmentalisation and it won't fund services to GA, beyond the ICAO obligation to provide an FIS (London Info, etc).
This isn't going to be solved. We can talk about it and moan about it but it won't happen.
The extensive Class A fits well with the old established IMC Rating which, if the UK had no Class A, would be for all practical purposes equivalent to a full IR and lots of people would be up in arms about the resulting undermining of the IR. You just can't do that; the Falklands will go to Argentina before that happens.
The relative lack of Class G service goes hand in hand with the ability to do non-radio IFR in Class G also, which is a brilliant privilege and, frankly, these days with GPS, you don't need enroute ATC assistance to fly around. Most pilots who know where they are going don't talk to anybody when enroute in Class G. If you call up London Info they will ask you ETAs to waypoints, which is extra work for you because you will get there when you get there...
The whole edifice hangs together and nobody is going to be changing it, IMHO.
If Class A became Class D, the IMCR would probably be abolished instantly.
If Class A became Class D, the IMCR would probably be abolished instantly.
But under the proposals for the Enroute IR (EIR), didnt that allow flight in all controlled airspace, or was it still restricted to up to class B or something?
But under the proposals for the Enroute IR (EIR), didnt that allow flight in all controlled airspace
Yes it will, if/when it arrives.
It shouldn't cost THAT much to land, 'handle', and park a light aircraft overnight at Edinburgh or East Midlands or Manchester or Bristol's off-peak times, but somehow with the presence of CAT, it does
I don't get this point. These are private companies that can charge what they like. Berlin, Düsseldorf are the same. Airspace I see as different from airports.
The thing is all other countries have a nationalised ATC which is subsidised by the general taxpayer.
AFAIK NavCanada is a private company. However they run from a minimal number of highly organised ACCs.
I don't get this point. These are private companies that can charge what they like. Berlin, Düsseldorf are the same. Airspace I see as different from airports.
Be careful of what you wish for! Should ANSPs which are private companies too charge whatever they like? If you actually like that idea, the number of affordable runways, ramp spaces, and ATC services and airspace available to you will become fewer and fewer.
