CAA in the UK

[pj1967]

Im doing my my RPS-s course in the UK and have been informed by the Course Tutors that the CAA are bringing out New Rules regarding Multi-rotors in the next few months, they do not know whats coming out, but there was a reference from one of the Tutors that they {CAA} are in consultation with the the Chief Police Officers Association, about stopping and questioning people who are seen to be using any Rotorcraft platform used in congested areas to see if they have permissions and why they are Flying there in the first place, if you cannot give a Credible reason then you may be in trouble with the CAA, also there are plans in the pipeline to start an Airworthiness Certificate aimed at keeping up all platforms of over 7kg and under 20kg in tip top flying Condition for those that do it Commercially. i think it stinks and there are people out there who are trying to knuckle down the Multi-rotor user's for the Sake of making Money and Monopolising the business of Multi-rotors to a select few who can afford it.

The worst thing about it is the very people who are training us, are the ones Formulating the ideas and putting it to the CAA in the meeting's that they have with them and trying to put the Hobbyist out of action for there own personal Agenda and gains, i hope i am wrong as although i want a commercial licence myself, i still believe people should still be able to operate the rotorcraft for fun and be able to film.

And one more nugget of wisdom from me, to all DJI Phantom users please stop putting up your videos on Youtube of accidents and blatant foolishness by seeing how high you can get from you Multi-rotor as there are people downloading your Videos and using them as Case Studies to bring in New Laws it may be fun to you but people are Watching.

 

[Jumpy07]

I have heard various rumours in last few months as well.. prop guards, type approval, class approvals etc etc

Harmonisation across Europe appears to be driving some of these.. in the Netherlands I believe hobby fliers can only fly in approved club sites for example.. and Airworthiness certificates are already required there.. days of building your own aircraft may be limited...

One thing that does not make sense to me is the CAA changing the FPV exemption in the UK to allow fights to 1000ft.. " From March 2014 the General Exemption for FPV flying will be further extended from 1.8kg fixed wing/ 2.5kg rotorcraft to 3.5kg for all aircraft. Furthermore the maximum altitude will be extended from 400ft to 1000ft". Surely if the CAA were concerned about safety of hobby fliers they wouldn't have made those changes...?

I am also concerned about the people influencing the CAA in this space.. seems to me to be many conflicts of interests..

You are right though re: few plonkers who will spoil it for the many.. have no issues with the CAA clamping down on them...

 

[pj1967]

Hi Jumpy07
like i said i may be wrong with the Rumours, i wont name anyone as it will be wrong, but let people make there own Assumptions, But CAA have got there head stuck in the Sand and its the Training Organisations in the Uk and i believe there are only a Couple of them who are having regular meetings and sorting out there own Agenda's with them and i was Led to believe that there are a few people with there own Rotorcraft Business who are in the Loop with the CAA, and are also dropping whispers in there Ears for the benefit of themselves.

The training Organisations are Correlating all Youtube videos with blatant and gross negligent media as evidence and are showing the CAA and are pushing for policy change in there favour and all they have to do is name there price, for instance if the Airwothiness certificate comes who will do the work on them, it makes you think.

 

[Carapau]

Okay guys, I was at the meeting in my capacity as ARPAS UK Eu legislation rep with the CAA when we talked about the way ahead. These potential laws have NOTHING to do with Resource or EuroUSC trying to fill their pockets or indeed operators trying to keep people out but they do have EVERYTHING to do with protecting the public's safety. Much of the pushing for tighter regs in certain areas such as congested areas was being pushed by ARPAS UK. You only have to see videos of people flying their phantoms off Tower Bridge in London to get an idea of why certain rules need to be pushed or brought in. What's wrong with flying off Tower Bridge I hear you ask? Well it just happens to be on London's busiest helicopter lanes.

Rest assured we are absolutely not trying to throttle hobbyists, quite the opposite but as drone use expands we need to adapt so that the airspace can be used by as many as possible as safely as possible.

In terms of what laws or regs will be introduced over the next few months, I have no idea as this was not discussed and is something that only the CAA are privvy to at the moment. The CAA are an incredibly forward thinking organization when it comes to drones. Something that has taken me very much by surprise as I thought they would be difficult and unhelpful. In reality they are quite the opposite and are genuinely trying to keep us all in a position where we are as free as we can be to fly but there has to be some limitations.

Pm me if you have any questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Benjamin Kenobi]

Im doing my my RPS-s course in the UK and have been informed by the Course Tutors that the CAA are bringing out New Rules regarding Multi-rotors in the next few months, they do not know whats coming out, but there was a reference from one of the Tutors that they {CAA} are in consultation with the the Chief Police Officers Association, about stopping and questioning people who are seen to be using any Rotorcraft platform used in congested areas to see if they have permissions and why they are Flying there in the first place, if you cannot give a Credible reason then you may be in trouble with the CAA, also there are plans in the pipeline to start an Airworthiness Certificate aimed at keeping up all platforms of over 7kg and under 20kg in tip top flying Condition for those that do it Commercially. i think it stinks and there are people out there who are trying to knuckle down the Multi-rotor user's for the Sake of making Money and Monopolising the business of Multi-rotors to a select few who can afford it.

The worst thing about it is the very people who are training us, are the ones Formulating the ideas and putting it to the CAA in the meeting's that they have with them and trying to put the Hobbyist out of action for there own personal Agenda and gains, i hope i am wrong as although i want a commercial licence myself, i still believe people should still be able to operate the rotorcraft for fun and be able to film.

And one more nugget of wisdom from me, to all DJI Phantom users please stop putting up your videos on Youtube of accidents and blatant foolishness by seeing how high you can get from you Multi-rotor as there are people downloading your Videos and using them as Case Studies to bring in New Laws it may be fun to you but people are Watching.

I don't see your point? What an earth is wrong with police questioning people who are flying in congested areas? It's about time they took an active role. I have operated in London a few times and all you have to do is fill out a simple online form. In the future you may have a slightly more rigorous application process but so what?

And what's wrong with airworthiness? You got a 20kg rig flying around and it falls from the sky it could do quite a bit of damage. It shifts liability onto the entity who deemed it airworthy instead of the operator, much better for us!

I think the CAA do a great job! They were pioneers in making this industry commercial and accessible to the little guy (us!). How many other countries can say the same?

And I have to ask, is everything alright mate? Why would you be against safety and regulation? It protects the commercial operators. You write like an anti-government de-regulation type.

If there's less regulation and no one to enforce it, what's the point of even getting a license?

 

[Phaedrus]

It is my observation that as hobbyists we are most often our own worst enemies. Here in the US I once heard an FAA person working on the sUAS regulations comment that the FAA has access to YouTube and they know how to use it. I am appalled at some of the things I see posted by people. In the end, when any group demonstrates their unwillingness or inability to use common sense the government will often intervene and impose their version of common sense.

 

[midnight999]

I agree with the above comments, on the occasions I have contacted the CAA they have been incredibly helpful with my requests, as a commercial operator I have no issues with further regulation and airworthyness tests etc, the only thing I do hope is that it is brought in by the CAA themselves not by a private company and used as an exclusive cash cow in the way early pilot licencing was.