In March 2024, we launched a 10 week consultation on phase two of the general aviation pilot licensing and training simplification project.

In September we released the consultation response documents covering aeroplanes, balloons, gyroplanes, helicopters and sailplanes.

In this episode we’re joined by Ed Bellamy from our General Aviation Unit, who will be providing a helpful overview of the consultation feedback and next steps.

CAP3032A: General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review Phase 2: Aeroplanes Consultation Response Document

CAP3032E: General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review Phase 2: Helicopter Consultation Response Document

CAP3032F: General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review Phase 2: Sailplanes Consultation Response Document

CAP3032G: General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review Phase 2: Gyroplanes Consultation Response Document

Spring is now upon us and it’s time to start thinking about returning to flying! If you’ve had the winter off, we’re here to guide you through the important things to consider before getting back into your aircraft.

For this episode we’re joined by James Shipp and Tom Gravett from the CAA General Aviation Unit to discuss pilot currency, aircraft airworthiness and airfield conditions.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for areas that you’d like us to cover in this podcast, please get in touch at [email protected].

Related information

• Safety Animation – Returning to flying, pre flight checklist
• Safety Animation – Loss of Control: Stall and Spin Awareness
• Safety Animation – Flying in Cloud
• The Skyway Code
• Safety Sense Leaflet - Care of Passengers
• Safety Sense Leaflet – Loss of Control: Stall and Spin Awareness
• Clued Up – Weight and Balance
• Astral Aviation Consulting Workshop – Skill Fade

As the temperatures drop in the winter months, there are a number of challenges that come with flying in cold and unpredictable conditions.

For this episode, we’re joined by Joe Hadley and Richard Crockett from the CAA General Aviation Unit to cover the intricacies of winter flying.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for areas that you’d like us to cover in this podcast, please get in touch at [email protected].

Related links:

• Winter flying | Civil Aviation Authority
• The Skyway Code | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
• Flying in Winter - YouTube
• Safety Sense Leaflet: Winter Flying
• Winter weather — Astral Aviation Consulting
• Pre-flight planning - Airspace Safety
• Carbon monoxide in general aviation
• Podcast on active carbon monoxide detectors
• Clued Up: Carbon Monoxide
• Flying with an active carbon monoxide detector - YouTube
• Night rating for aeroplanes
• Clued Up: Night Flying
• Clued Up Update: Night Flying

In this episode, we talk with the CAA’s policy lead on our project on cost sharing, we hear an update from Ed Bellamy on the Safety Sense Leaflet project and our latest published documents including Piston Engine Icing.

We also talk with Justin Willcocks on good flight planning preparation along with references to advice and guidance and how to use the radio.

Updates and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Cost sharing flights | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
• Safety Sense Leaflets | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
• SSL: Aerodrome sense
• Clued Up: Unstable Approaches
• Clued Up: Rejected Take Offs
• Trim runaways
• Take off decisions - go or no go? - CAA Safety files
• CAP1950 GA Landing Issues
• Arrivals, departures and RT — Astral Aviation Consulting 
• SSL; Distraction and Interruption
• SSL: Care of Passengers
• Take-off - Loss of Control — Astral Aviation Consulting
• Landings - Loss of Control — Astral Aviation Consulting
• Stalling - Loss of Control — Astral Aviation Consulting
• Spinning - Loss of Control — Astral Aviation Consulting
• Wheel spats - Loss of Control — Astral Aviation Consulting
• Loss of Control — Astral Aviation Consulting 
• SSL; Radiotelephony
• GA Podcast: Talking Radiotelephony
• Radiotelephony — AstralAviation Consulting

Access the latest updates with our SkyWise notification service.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for areas that you’d like us to cover in this podcast, please get in touch at [email protected].

We chat about the latest on our active carbon monoxide detector project. In particular our latest survey which we launched at AeroExpo in June. We also hear from members of the GA community on their thoughts on what sort of carbon monoxide detector they fly with and why.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for areas that you’d like us to cover in this podcast, please get in touch at [email protected].

Related links:

• General Aviation Pilot Survey - Flying with Active Carbon Monoxide Detectors 2023
• Further information on the work of the CAA on Carbon Monoxide is available via our website: Carbon monoxide in general aviation | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
• Infographic on recommended active carbon monoxide detectors

We speak with Dave Boxall, Chief Airworthiness Engineer at Cameron Balloons on their recent adventure with Red Bull on the Don’t Look Down project.

You'll hear how this project came to be and the amazing adventure these organisations went on to get the balloon into the air.

Kriss Kyle, Scottish BMX Pro said:

“I’ve had to push past my fears several times before on Red Bull projects, but nothing has compared to this. Riding my BMX at 2,000ft, you’re so high up it almost doesn’t feel real anymore. I trusted the crew with my life, and wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of Cameron Balloons, who worked in partnership with the CAA to help make BMX riding at 2,000ft a reality.”   

Cameron Balloons is the world leader in the manufacture of lighter-than-air aircraft and fabric structures. Their mission is to deliver the highest quality aircraft-standard engineering through robust and innovative products; led by a creative team, supported by a reliable aftersales service.

Established in 1971, they have built over 9500 hot air balloons and continue to support this diverse industry with in-depth and realistic expertise.

About the 'Don't look down' project:

Don't Look Down: Kriss Kyle BMX film (redbull.com)

Kriss Kyle's Don't Look Down: how it was made (redbull.com)

BMX Pro Kriss Kyle Interview - Don't Look Down film (redbull.com)

One of our infringement specialists talks to Chris Sellen, a member of the Wessex Local Airspace Infringement Team (LAIT) based at Popham, about the team’s work to help reduce infringements in the local area.

If you are planning on flying in the Solent area guidance and information from the Wessex LAIT is available online at airspacesafety.com/solent

There are 12 Local Airspace Infringement Teams set up to cover infringement hot-spots in the UK. Each is focussed on helping to reduce airspace infringements through local initiatives and targeted actions.

This is the first episode in a mini-series looking at different aspects of this work.

More information and guidance to help avoid infringements is available on the Airspace & Safety Initiative website.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched a once in a generation consultation on proposals to simplify General Aviation (GA) pilot licensing and training.

In this episode we speak with Laurence Baxter from our General Aviation Unit to provide an update on the findings of that initial consultation, shared in the Consultation Response Document and provides an update on the next steps in the project.

GA Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification Phase 1 Strategic Direction - Consultation Response Document

Further information on this project is available on the CAA website:

Licensing & Training Simplification | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)

We speak with David Woodward and Anthony Hatch, whose work with Local Airspace Infringement Teams, along with their pilot, FISO, ATCO, flight instructor and RT examiner experience, led them to want to start a conversation about Radio Telephony (RT).

More RT related information, including a Safety Sense leaflet on Radiotelephony is available from the CAA website, and the Airspace & Safety Initiative, which includes guidance on the importance of Radio Telephony as an element of pre-flight route planning.

Let us know what you would like to hear about next: [email protected]

This episode has been bookmarked into three sections:

Part 1 - Where do you want to fly? 00:11

• Location, location, location
• Pilot confidence and competence
• how nervousness of pushing the button is limiting where pilots fly

Part 2 - Why it’s good (and helpful) to talk 06:51

• Troubling a controller
• Understanding the what and the why
• Flying the magenta line

Part 3 - Pushing the button 16:08

• When to make your first call
• Planning, preparing and practicing
• Embracing mistakes

Spring is here and many pilots are returning to GA flying after the winter months.  We speak with Lucy Wootton, Chief Inspector at the Light Aircraft Association who explains how to prepare for getting back into the air.

We also talk to Jo Aston, the CAA’s Met Technical Officer who shares her experience as a specialist aviation meteorologist.

Updates and resources mentioned in this episode:

• We have published GA Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification Phase 1 Consultation Response Document as a follow up to our initial consultation we ran last year. This sets out the responses we received and our next steps.
• Findings from the pilot medical declaration review and our next steps   
• Our full catalogue of Safety Sense Leaflets including SSL : Radiotelephony
• Astral Aviation Consulting workshops on Radiotelephony and SkyWatching
• Pre-flight checklist animation and Lucy Wootton video  - check out our full catalogue of safety animations:  Safety Animations | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
• Podcast on take off decision making (CAA Safety Files, Episode 2)
• Access the latest updates with our SkyWise notification service

If you have any feedback or suggestions for areas that you’d like us to cover in this podcast, please get in touch at [email protected].