More UK private pilots will be able to offer flights for charity following a simplification of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) requirements.
The new guidance replaces the Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC W 104/201) on Charity Flights. A blanket permission will now be available for pilots if they meet certain basic requirements. This removes any need for pilots to have to apply to the CAA to carry out individual flights. The changes place more emphasis on pilots providing a thorough explanation to passengers of the level of safety and risks prior to the flight taking place.
As well as simplifying the requirements, other changes include:
Extending the types of aircraft that can be used to include permit aircraft such as hang gliders, paragliders, microlights, gyroplanes and powered parachutes.
And allowing flights to take place from unlicensed airfields.
To use the permission, pilots must ensure that they receive no payment for the flight. All money must be paid by the passenger directly to the registered charity and the charity cannot be the operator of the aircraft.
Pilots should also check that their insurance cover is adequate and ask the passenger to check that their own life and any private health insurance covers the intended flight.
The permission is available at ORS4 No. 1122 and the guidance at www.caa.co.uk/ga.
The announcement is in line with the CAA’s new principles for GA regulation, namely:
Only regulate directly when necessary and do so proportionately.
Deregulate where it can.
Delegate where appropriate.
Do not gold-plate, and quickly and efficiently remove gold-plating that already exists.
Help create a vibrant and dynamic GA sector in the UK.
