How long until the EU kills off GA?

Peter wrote:

where you can fly IFR in anything

I never said such a thing. Besides I don’t even fly IFR, I really don’t care what it can be flown in But, to be precise and fairly accurate, it can be flown in anything – except: UL, LSA, VLA and balloons. I flew to Oppdal today. Among other things I saw (and drooled over) a Glasair III that was in the very finishing stages of being refurbished. A complete refurbishment including brand new and top Garmin avionics, fully IFR.

• 300 HP
• 270 knots cruise

The plane was originally built in Norway almost 20 years ago. Then it was sold to the USA at some point. Then purchased back to Norway again and refurbished inside out, and will fly very soon.

It’s funny sometimes how people come to the conclusion that the whole universe revolves around them

Aha, yes, I forgot about Norway, where you can fly IFR in anything

Peter wrote:

Presumably the motivation is to get the message across that you are better off inside the club then outside it, and of course to let everybody know that if they leave the club they are going to get maximally shafted

Yes, the EU hates the UK, and all the rules and regulations for people inside EU are made to satisfy that hatred

It’s funny sometimes how people come to the conclusion that the whole universe revolves around them

I think EASA is getting better and better, but they have a thing or two to learn about getting stuff available to those it concerns, like for instance the average GA pilot.

• The easy access rules for FCL is 1885 pages long!!! In what universe is a mastodont of a book of 1885 pages considered easy access ? And this is only one of many.
• This nonsense with amendments on amendments on … We want to read the valid regulations as of today, not go through lots of amendments on old and invalid regulations.
• The naming convention! It’s probably good for archiving (for all I know), but for instance the name “Regulation (EU) 2020/359” is as cryptic as it gets. It’s 2022 now!

The thing is though, EASA is getting more and more irrelevant for (private) GA. Most of the flying actually taking place is with Annex I planes in some form or another. This will only continue and widen because:

1. The CAA in each country wants to be in charge of their turf so to speak.
2. The private pilots will rather have the CAA in charge than EASA, because they are much closer, more hands on. Much easier to communicate with.

This may not always have been the case historically, but the very existence of EASA (with Annex I) makes this the case. I think we see it today, and it will become more and more evident, that the CAAs makes regulations for their Annex I operations favorable compare with EASA operations. This will in turn “force” EASA to accept Annex I operations as a kind of “equal”. EASA don’t want to become irrelevant. No one want’s to become irrelevant, it’s the worst thing that can happen to any agency. In time things will become better and better for private GA. Messy, but better.

Buckerfan wrote:

And some of the best airport restaurants in the world!!

It was a joke FFS – unless you happen to like “bacon butty”.

Not sure I agree about airport food in the UK

An Italian airport may need 5 × PPR, you visit 5 different offices to pay the fees, then a couple more PPRs because you told them you are bringing a stuffed cat, but the food will be pretty good. Well, with the disclaimer that (to use a very old and much disputed joke) pizza is like sex: even when it is bad, it is still very very good

Seriously though: I don’t think the EU is a problem for GA within the EU. It is a problem for GA outside the EU because the EU is forming an ever tighter club, with an ever tighter external “border”. Presumably the motivation is to get the message across that you are better off inside the club then outside it, and of course to let everybody know that if they leave the club they are going to get maximally shafted. Whether this policy is a good thing obviously depends on where you are. The UK is outside (and was never going to join Schengen anyway – another ever tightening club), while Norway and Switzerland are “outside” but actually inside for all practical purposes. As a UK based pilot I see this increasingly; it is partly brexit related but the rot started long before that, with the French airport police practices (24/48hr PN for lots of nice destinations).

The EU has actually got very little control over anything applicable to GA. Look at the airport pricing legal action thread. GA is way below their radar.

100LL ban would be a big problem but it is very unlikely until there is a replacement.

Not doubting you @Buckerfan, but I’d like a list, please, so I can have my next few short hops planned :-)

I started to agree on 1. 2….5. then this

And some of the best airport restaurants in the world!!

Really

Ibra wrote:

f one can’t move to US, they can move to UK, it’s the new GA heaven

Or Scandinavia. :-)

Ibra wrote:

If one can’t move to US, they can move to UK, it’s the new GA heaven

There is some truth in this:

1. hundreds, perhaps more than a thousand, small airfields and grass strips dotted all around the country. Mostly with landing fees of £10 or £20.
2. set up a farm strip on your own farm land and use it without restriction for at least 45 days per year
3. with an IFR rating, fly in IMC in unrestricted airspace
4. cheap Jet A, no VAT or fuel duty if flown out of the UK, same for Avgas in some circumstances
5. clear customs and immigration at ANY airstrip in the country with a simple on-line filing system

And some of the best airport restaurants in the world!!

I’m with @Snoopy on this. The EU is certainly not the entity that is out to kill GA in Europe. It’s primarily busibodies and ideologues at national and even local level, as well as greedy Airport managers.

I reckon if the EU regulatory framework completely superseded and even abolished national NAAs, aeronautical laws etc., we’d be much closer to the situation in the US and GA would thrive.