A major boost to a sector worth nearly £4 billion to
the UK economy and supporting nearly 40,000 jobs, the
changes announced – including proposals to simplify
pilot and crew licensing and review medical
requirements on non-scheduled aircraft – will further
cut red tape on requirements for General Aviation
users.
The changes are expected to be welcomed by the
General Aviation community and come out of a detailed
consultation
by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on UK General
Aviation opportunities after leaving the EU.
These measures come in addition to others introduced
by the government to support and enhance General
Aviation in the UK, such as the electronic
conspicuity device grant scheme, which is already
enhancing safety for pilots and regulatory changes
made since the end of the transition period,
including on pilot medical declarations, as well as
establishing an independent review panel for
complaints against CAA decisions.
Aviation Minister said:
I want the UK to be seen as the best place in the
world for General Aviation with a flourishing,
wealth-generating and job-producing sector. General
Aviation is the grassroots of the wider aviation
sector and fundamental to attracting the next
generation of pilots and skills into the sector.
The host of reforms announced today will help to
cut unnecessary red tape for the sector which,
alongside government investment, will help us
continue with our ambitious goals to develop one of
the UK’s most important sectors.
The government has published its wider General
Aviation roadmap to set out its vision and
strategic priorities for the sector during our
recovery from the pandemic.
The reforms will benefit a range of crucial business
services and enhance the UK’s wider aviation sector
supply chain and form a major milestone in the
process, as the government will continue to
capitalise on the range of opportunities available
for the sector now the UK has left the EU.