The UK Civil Aviation Authority has secured a further exemption from plans to replace national permits to fly vintage aircraft with a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) scheme, in what could be the first stage in a battle to devolve general aviation regulation to the European Union member states.
Tom Llewelyn, CAA general aviation maintenance director, says the exemption covers mainly homebuilt and “orphan” aircraft currently issued with a UK permit to fly. The UK regulates vintage aircraft by granting the permits, rather than full airworthiness certificates.
The extension to the exemption applies until the end of this year, but many inside the CAA are lobbying for the enforcement of general aviation regulations to be retained by the national aviation authorities, rather than centralised in Cologne. Llewellyn says the CAA is “in discussions with the agency on how to proceed”.
Source: Flight International
