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GAAC
Newsletter – September 2002 Contents Editorial : Consultation Time Again Airport Development in the UK The GAAC Planning: 28 Day Rule Finningley Finance Editorial Consultation Time Again As foreshadowed in an earlier Newsletter the Department for Transport has now published seven consultation documents on ‘The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom’. These documents deal with each of seven areas of the United Kingdom and comments are invited via the questionnaires that accompany them — each comprising 20 or more questions. Don’t just dismiss them; they will affect your flying future. More information follows: Aviation
Policy for the Next 30 Years: The Department for Transport has published consultation documents on airport development in the South East, the South West, the Midlands, the North of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is part of a nationwide exercise covering the whole of the UK that is intended to help the government develop its aviation policy for the whole of the UK up to the year 2030. Following
the consultation, the Government will be publishing a new Air Transport
White Paper that will provide a policy framework for the long term future
of both aviation and airports in the UK. ‘General
Aviation is an essential component of the aviation sector and its aerodromes
are a key part of the national transport infrastructure. Hence for GA
to function effectively and contribute to aviation development in the
UK and Europe, any new developments must take account of GA’s needs. It
is essential therefore that: For each
area of the UK there is a main consultation document, a summary and a
questionnaire. Copies of the consultation documents can be viewed and
downloaded — if you have the patience — from the Department for Transport
website: Other supporting technical documents covering all study areas have also been made publicly available. Details of how to obtain these can be found in the consultation documents as well as on the website. If you wish to make your own input to the consultation process don’t delay. Do obtain the documents that interest you as soon as possible as the deadline for the receipt of comments on this very important stage in the evolution of aviation in this century is 30 November 2002. The GAAC will contribute to the consultation process
The GAAC
organisation is being restructured and strengthened by the introduction
of some new blood. One of the consequences of this is that this will be
the last issue of the GAAC Newsletter in its present form. In future any
organisation or individual supporting the GAAC will receive a copy of
the AOPA journal ’General Aviation’ six times a year. Each issue will
feature news from the GAAC in addition to its usual content. Those not
supporting the GAAC by way of a donation will nevertheless be able to
keep in touch with Planning: 28 Day Rule Saved Planning law permits the temporary use of any land for a range of purposes for not more than 28 days in any calendar year. Many small flying sites operate under this “28 day rule” and some larger operations began in this very modest way. It is currently one of the main benefits of the system being a very valuable planning tool. The suitability of small flying sites can be “tested” without any need to encounter the planning system. The option of operating for 28 days per annum is vital to a wide range of operators. Many of the smaller operations are undertaken solely under the “28 day rule”, especially given the weather dependent nature of GA. However, for others it is a vital stepping stone in establishing whether: ·
the site will be suitable to meet their needs in practical and operational
terms. This important benefit was under threat. As part of its far ranging review of the entire planning system, Central Government sent out a Consultation Paper in the Spring to assess whether, or not, this rule should be allowed to continue. Six options were set out, only one of which was to retain the current situation. The other options would all have resulted in serious problems for GA. The GAAC submitted responses to Government and urged it to retain the current temporary use provisions. We are please to report that, thankfully, common sense has prevailed and this valuable benefit is being retained. The Government concluded that proposals to change the rules would create too much red tape. It also noted that responses revealed little evidence of widespread problems with the system. It is good to report that, unlike many consultation exercises where the views of consultees appear to carry little weight, the Government has listened to these voices. Finningley The ‘Fly Finningley’ campaign is actively promoting the case for the development of a commercial airport at Finningley, the site of the former RAF station. The result of the public inquiry is awaited and the decision is expected to be announced by the end of the year. While the recent Department for Transport consultation document for the North of England draws attention to the ‘considerable scope for developing Leeds Bradford to reduce very high levels of leakage from the sub-region’, so far as Finningley is concerned the document ‘does not seek in any way to review the current Finningley proposals’. I assume that this neutral stance merely reflects the fact that the outcome of the public inquiry is still sub judice. The Fly Finningley
campaign is nevertheless still actively soliciting support by way of inviting
letters to be sent to local MPs and the completion of petitions of support
to be sent to Parliament. More information is available at In supporting this development the same considerations apply as with responses to the regional consultation documents. The developers of Finningley will not consider the needs of GA unless you draw their attention to them. A new major area of controlled airspace for this location would be far more limiting than the MATZ that applied at RAF Finningley until its closure. Finance While the GAAC’s income in the first half of the year was significantly down on last year, this can largely be put down to some late payers. However costs have been significantly lower in the absence of the high printing costs that were incurred last year and in the first six months there was still a surplus of £5.3k compared with £7.8k last year. But most of the income accrues in the first 6 months. Over the year as a whole income is unlikely to reach last year’s level, but with lower expenditure we should just about break even. It is obvious therefore that more funding is required so if you have not yet made a donation this year please send your contribution to the GAAC office as soon as possible. Contact Contact the
GAAC by E-mail at: info@gaac.co.uk or by Fax at 020 7834 8623. GAAC
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