UK CAA permits limited flight training in PtF aircraft
The UK CAA has enacted a General Permission to allow certain types of flight training on UK National Permit to Fly aircraft. Flight schools are now permitted to provide limited flight training in UK National Permit to Fly (PtF) aircraft as long as the individual under training already holds a pilot licence in the same aircraft category. Ab initio training is therefore not permitted under this General Permission, although can be...
Threatened Industrial Action Results in Increased Pay for CAA Staff
It seems that strike action at the UK Civil Aviation Authority has been averted for the time being after negotiations between trade union Prospect and the CAA board resulted in an increased pay offer from that previously proposed. Last month, FTN reported that staff members at the CAA were being balloted on industrial action over pay. The call for strike action was a first for the UK’s aviation regulator. The CAA had previously...
Industry calls on government to enact student funding protection
Industry associations are calling on government to enact financial protection measures to prevent students from losing their training investment in the event of a flying school folding. Following the recent demise of two large Approved Training Organisations (ATOs), Tayside Aviation and FTA-Global, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), Bristol Groundschool, Wings Alliance and Seager Publishing have written a joint letter to...
Tayside Aviation – adminstrator investigating financial dealings
Administrators handling the disposal of Tayside Aviation following its closure on 20 April 2023 have revealed that they are investigating financial moves made by the school’s owner in the run-up to the company’s collapse with debts of £2.5m. As reported previously, the sudden collapse of Tayside Aviation led to the immediate loss of 20 jobs and dozens of students stranded part-way through their training, many of whom have been left...
CAA devolves sailplane pilot licences to BGA
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has granted approval to the British Gliding Association (BGA) to act as a Delegated Authority for the initial issue of a Sailplane Pilot’s Licence. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been working with the BGA to put in place the necessary measures for the approval which compliments the Association’s existing approval for assessing applications for the issue of ratings, certificates, or authorisations...
