HISTORIC AIRCRAFT STAKEHOLDERS ENGINEERING GROUP 1 DAY FREE CONFERENCE
"SEEKING A WAY FORWARD FOR SURVIVAL"
Held on Wednesday 6th February 2013
The Marshall Auditorium, Airspace Conference Centre, Duxford
BACKGROUND
Following the last Stakeholders Conference in December 2009 the HAA issued a Position Paper in January 2010 that reached a number of conclusions. The most significant of these conclusions was that the Historic Aircraft Industry seeks revision of airworthiness rules and regulations to achieve affordable safety at the right cost. The Industry felt strongly that it could not afford to continue with the current strategy of safety regulations based on the commercial air carrier model to achieve a public transport level of safety at any cost.
Since then a number of meetings have taken place between CAA Airworthiness Policy Department and historic aircraft industry representatives led by the HAA. From these meetings emerged the "McKenna Papers" written to address issues of major concern to historic aircraft engineering organisations. Parallel to these meetings the CAA completed a Strategic Review of General Aviation in which the HAA provided comment.
The purpose of the Conference was to assess whether these meetings and discussions were moving the development of regulations governing the continuing airworthiness and flying operations of historic, heritage and war bird aircraft forward to meet the needs of the industry.
The CAA will be giving a presentation on their strategy to achieve better regulation and auditing procedures for the historic aircraft industry. In particular they will explain in detail the proposed changes to BCAR A8-20 that are out to consultation with industry at present.
There was opportunity for all stakeholders to put forward their ideas from which a revised policy paper is to be produced.
AGENDA
PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION
The topics listed below were presented for consideration and discussion. Each Topic Presentation took approximately 20 to 25 minutes and was followed by about 25 to 30 minutes of discussion.
• Topic 1 – Presentation by Airworthiness Policy on proposed changes to A8-20
Mr Neil Williams and Mr Mark Shortman – CAA Airworthiness Policy
• Topic 2 – The present state of the UK historic aircraft restoration industry. Had it reached a fiscal cliff under the burden of current regulation and charges?
John Romain – ARCo
• Topic 3 – The GA Regulatory Review – Progress and Outcomes plus the use of “out sourced” engineering skills and free-lance experienced engineers to sign-off work.
Group Captain Bill Taylor– DHSL
• Topic 4 – The work of the LAA in providing Permits to Fly for historic aircraft previously on CofA and other issues of commonality with the work of the HAA.
Mr Malcolm McBride, MR Ken Craigie and Mr Barry Plumb – LAA
• Topic 5 – Adventure aviation and the carriage of participants in flights aboard historic, heritage, vintage and war bird aircraft.
Neil McCarthy & Dr Geoff Oxon – JP/Hunter Training Academy
• Topic 6 – The McKenna Papers. (See Engineering section this website) Could they provide the framework for “fit for purpose” regulation or should the industry seek to adopt the New Zealand model under NZ CAA Part 115? (http://www.caa.govt.nz/Sport_and_Rec/part_115_info.htm)
Mr Wally Epton – Chairman HAA
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A summary of the discussion and opinions at the end of the Conference is to provide the basis for conclusions from which an industry position paper will be formulated. From these Conclusions the HAA will make further Recommendations to the CAA to ensure that regulations are modified and developed more fit for purpose than those that are in force today.
(Chairman’s speech Symposium 2012 refers – see News/Events)
Access to the Marshall Auditorium by kind permission of the Director IWM (Mr Richard Ashton)