Mike Kane appointed as UK Aviation Minister
UK Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, has appointed Mike Kane as the new Aviation Minister. Kane, who is MP for Wythenshawe and East Sale, has acted as Shadow Aviation Minister since 2020 after having entered Parliament in 2014. His appointment was confirmed on 10 July 2024 alongside that of two other transport ministers, Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South, and Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield and Rothwell. In a...
UK SAF mandate to activate in Jan 2025
UK government has confirmed that its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate will come into force in January 2025. In September 2023, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced a ‘revenue certainty mechanism’ to kickstart the SAF industry. To make this happen the DfT introduced a SAF mandate which will require at least 10% of all jet fuel in flights taking off from the UK to come from sustainable feedstocks by 2030. SAFs are...
DfT announces latest group of Aviation Ambassadors
The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has announced its latest line-up of Aviation Ambassadors for the period 2024-2026, comprising 10 volunteers who will work with the DfT to help deliver a “skilled, diverse and sustainable aviation workforce fit to seize the opportunities of the future”. The 10 Ambassadors will act as role models to raise the profile of the aviation sector, deliver enhanced outreach activities, and develop and...
UK Government to extend transponder discount scheme a third time
A Department for Transport (DfT) rebate scheme designed to encourage adoption of Electronic Conspicuity (EC) see and avoid. devices, such as automatic dependant surveillance broadcast (ADSB-out), within general aviation (GA) and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) communities, has been extended for a third time. The joint venture between the CAA and DfT was first launched in October 2020 with the intention of increasing the number of...
ACT NOW! – CAA advises urgent action on licence applications
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is urging EU-licensed pilots, engineers and aviation businesses operating in the UK to gain dual UK licences as quickly as possible, fearing that some may leave it too late to make an end of year deadline. Currently, the UK CAA is permitting EU licensed pilots to operate UK-registered aircraft (meanwhile the EU has decided not to reciprocate by recognising UK licences). However, this permission...