UK Government says flying taxi services will become reality by 2026
Flying taxis, crime-fighting drones and critical 999 care deliveries could all be a reality by 2030 after the government and industry’s joint Future of Flight action plan is announced by the Department for Transport (DfT). Setting out a roadmap for drones and novel electric aircraft in the UK, the plan details how technology once confined to the realm of sci-fi could transform our skies, with studies estimating drone technology...
UK CAA consulting on vertiport network
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a consultation on design proposals for vertiports at existing aerodromes, paving the way for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft operations in the UK. Vertiports are sites used for the arrival, departure, and surface movement of VTOL aircraft and the CAA says the creation of a network to connect communities by air will be possible with the introduction of this...
Six considerations for the use EC technology
The UK CAA has published a report on the use of electronic conspicuity (EC) technology used in light aircraft. Covered by FTN, the milestone report was carried out by the General Aviation Safety Council (GASCo) and Jarvis Bagshaw, who surveyed pilots to investigate how Human Factors affect the safe use of EC devices. The six factors for the use of EC technology is now examined. EC is an umbrella term for the technology that can help...
Important UK visual reference point no longer hiding in plain sight
A well-known Visual Reference Point (VRP) in Buckinghamshire is to start reappearing on UK aeronautical charts after having been previously removed due to new height depiction rules. The Stokenchurch Tower used to be charted on the CAA/NATS VFR charts along with an entry in the UK AIP as an obstruction as it was over 300 feet above ground level (AGL). However, when the Annex 15 definition of obstacles changed from 300 feet to 100...
UK CAA publishes new Safety Sense Leaflet
This month the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued its latest Safety Sense Leaflet (SSL) for the general aviation community, providing a guide on occurrence reporting. The CAA advises that reporting is an important element of improving aviation safety and is often a legal requirement. Occurrence reports are submitted to the UK CAA via the ECCAIRS portal. The CAA reviews reports and determines if any follow up action is...
