CAA publishes Declared Training Organisation (DTO) Guidance

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The UK CAA’s General Aviation unit has published a guidance document for those seeking to register a Declared Training Organisation (DTOs). Within the UK alone there are about 400 flying schools and clubs operating as Registered Training Facilities which will have to convert to DTOs by April 2019, or become more complex Approved Training Organisations (ATOs). Although the European rules on DTOs have not yet entered law, it is believed that all the main issues have been agreed with member states and the CAA appears to be seeking to give UK RTFs and those seeking to set-up a new flying school in the UK as much notice as possible of the standards and procedures it will require of DTOs.

The document notes that: “The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for organisations or person seeking to register as a Declared Training Organisation (DTO), offering courses of training towards Light Aircraft and Private, Sailplane and Balloon Pilot Licenses, endorsements, ratings and certificates where the principal place of business and registered office are located in the United Kingdom. The CAA will not accept any declarations from Organisations not meeting this criteria.” The CAA says that the document is subject to change as information is disseminated from the European Aviation Safety Agency or from other National Regulation, and should be read in conjunction with the relevant provisions of EASA Aircrew Regulation Part-FCL, Part-ARA, Part-ORA and Part-DTO.

Subjects covered in the guidance document include:

  • The declaration process and basic DTO principles
  • Items required for submission for initial declaration
  • DTO postholders and staffing
  • Training sites and facilities
  • Aerodromes and operating sites
  • Training aircraft
  • Documents and manuals
  • Safety Policy and reporting
  • Approval of training programmes
  • Obligations of the DTO
  • Oversight by the Authority
  • Annual Review

The DTO guidance document carries the publication number ‘CAP 1637’ and can be accessed via the CAA website.

Author: Adrian Mahovics

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