The splendid diversity of GA Flying is reflected in the activities of the many organisations, large and small, public and private which direct, promote, represent and take responsibility for its constituent parts.

The purposes and work of some of these organisations (all of which have made financial contributions to the General Aviation Awareness Council) are described briefly below.

Action for Airfields
The Air League
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The Airport Operators Association
The British Gliding Association
The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
The British Medical Pilots Association
The British Microlight Aircraft Association
The British Model Flying Association
The British Parachute Association
The General Aviation Manufacturers and Traders Association
The Lawyers Flying Association
The Popular Flying Association
The Helicopter Club of Great Britain
The Historic Aircraft Association
 
 

Action for Airfields

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The Air League

GA is at the grass roots of aviation in the UK.  Its pilots help fill the cockpits of the airlines and military flying services and are responsible for a wide range of other commercial activities.  The UK flight training organisation is a national asset and a flying reserve in times of tension and war.

GA must take full advantage of the wider European Market.  It is fundamental to the well being of British aviation as a whole but it is at risk.

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The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

50a Cambridge Street, London, SW1V 4QQ  Tel: 0171 834 5631  Fax: 0171 834 8623  Web: www.aopa.co.uk  Email:Info@aopa.co.uk

At 10:35 on December 17, 1903 a dream as old as history was fulfilled when the Wright Brothers realised their ambition to make the worlds first powered flight. In 1999 the dream would be shattered for thousands of pilots, and potential pilots, if AOPA were not fighting to preserve our aerodromes and right to exercise private pilot privileges.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association UK (AOPA UK) is a member of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA).  With a total membership of over 400,000 in 50 countries, it is the largest association for pilots in the world.AOPA ensure the view of pilots and aircraft owners are heard in all the appropriate places both locally and Internationally.  

AOPA UK represent pilots and aircraft owners in over a dozen UK and European Aviation forums  Through its association with IAOPA representation at over  further thirty International Aviation Forums.

The aims of AOPA are to:

Control the cost of private flying
Prevent unnecessary restrictions
Improve general aviation facilities

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The Airport Operators Association

The objectives of the Association are:
To promote, protect and further the interests of airport operators throughout the British Isles, ranging from the largest major airport to the smallest grass airstrip and including Stolports and Heliports.

To foster and further a close relationship between airport operators and the aviation industry.

To sponsor regular meetings, conferences, symposia, social occasions etc., and to publish journals and other periodicals for the information of its members and the aviation industry.

The membership ranges from Heathrow and other BAA airports through Local Authority airports down to the smaller GA aerodromes.

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The British Gliding Association

Gliding first became popular in Germany between the Wars.  Interest in Britain evolved in the late 1920's.  Launching gliders requires team work; it demands a minimum crew of three.  Flying gliders across country demands courage, skill and develops tactical decisiveness on the part of individual pilots.  In the USA, gliding forms part of the astronaut training syllabus.

The British Gliding Association (BGA) is affiliated through the Royal Aero Club to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale and is a voluntary association.  Self financing and regulating, with the approval of the Civil Aviation Authority, its responsibilities include:

• Aircraft registration
• Certificates of Airworthiness
• Aircraft type certification
• Pilot qualifications
• Qualifications and registration of instructors
• Standards of instruction
• Registration of pilots' certificates of achievement

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The British Medical Pilots Association

Web: www.bmpa.org.uk  Email:query@bmpa.org.uk

The BMPA is an organization for members of the medical, dental and allied professions who hold, or have held flying licences. The Association fosters social and professional interchange of ideas and experiences through a network of colleagues who meet three times a year.

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The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

BHPA, The Old Schoolroom, Loughborough Road, Leicester, LE4 5PJ  Tel: 0116 261 1322  Fax: 0116 261 1323  Web: www.bhpa.co.uk  Email:office@bhpa.co.uk    

Since the introduction of hang gliding into this country in the early 1970s, it has evolved from people "just jumping off hills" under bamboo and polythene kites into modern lightweight soaring aircraft capable of being flown over 100 miles in the right conditions - and not a motor in sight, a silent and totally pollution free form of flight.

Because the hang gliding safety record is so good, the Civil Aviation Authority has allowed the BHPA to establish and run Pilot Training, Pilot Rating and Hang Glider Airworthiness schemes.  So successful are these schemes that they have been copied all over the world.

As a country, Britain is also very successful at international competitions.   An effect of this is that the sport has an annual turnover of some £800,000 with British manufacturers exporting some £4,000,000 worth of goods annually.

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The British Microlight Aircraft Association

The BMAA, Bullring, Deddington, Banbury, Oxon. OX15 0TT  Tel: 01869 338888  Web: www.bmaa.org 
 
Long gone is the microlight of the late 70s and early 80s with its hang glider wing and chainsaw engine; smooth is perhaps the word to describe the machine of today designed to meet noise certification legislation.

Subject to stringent standards laid down by the Civil Aviation Authority for both the aeroplane and its operator in terms of airworthiness and pilot licensing, the modern microlight is no longer the vehicle of the lone adventurer; it has become the relatively inexpensive way by which the family of today may enjoy recreational flying.  It is also becoming another source of future airline pilots.

With the ability to operate from any reasonable open space, devoid of built up areas or controlled airspace, there has also come an environmental awareness and sense of responsibility.  Organised microlight sites, once secure in the knowledge of planning consent, put into force their own local flying rules over and above the demands of air law - rules made with the specific locality and any people nearby in mind.

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The British Model Flying Association

Chacksfield House, 31 St Andrews Road Leicester LE2 8RE  Tel: (+44) 116 2440028  Fax: (+44) 116 2440645  Web: www.bmfa.org Email:admin@bmfa.org

Our objectives:
The promotion, protection, organisation and encouragement of model aircraft building, flying and development in all its aspects in The United Kingdom, through the medium of clubs and individual members; assistance and guidance to model aircraft clubs or individuals; collaboration between members of the Society; and co-operation on behalf of members of the Society with the Civil Aviation Authority or other government departments and any other bodies and organisations in the United Kingdom and overseas.

To produce, collect and distribute information in connection with model aircraft or the model aircraft movement on such terms as Council shall think fit.

To encourage and support research in model aircraft design theory and construction.

To control and record model aircraft performance within the areas under the jurisdiction of the Royal Aero Club.

To act as promoters of National and International model aircraft meetings, contests and exhibitions; as publishers stationers and booksellers, general traders, dealers agents and manufacturers, both wholesale and retail' of any articles of any description which may assist the development of model aviation;

To establish and support, financially or otherwise or aid in the establishment and support of any educational scheme or establishment with benefit to the model aircraft movement;

Our motto is: "UNITED WE ACHIEVE"

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The British Parachute Association

Wharf Way, Glen Parva, Leicester LE2 9TF  Tel: 0116 2785271  Web: www.bpa.org.uk  Email:skydive@bpa.org.uk

The British Parachute Association (BPA) was founded in 1962 to organise, control and govern (on behalf of the CAA) Sport Parachuting or, as it is now more popularly known, Skydiving.  Its aim is to encourage participation and promote excellence at all levels of skydiving from beginners to world class jumpers.  The Association is partly funded by grants from the Sports Council and has over 40,000 members through 40 affiliated parachute clubs.

Skydiving is a sport in which people of various backgrounds participate and it has equal male/female representation.

There are three basic ways of jumping: static line, accelerated free fall and tandem; within which there are various skill levels that can be achieved.

Parachutists enjoy the freedom of the skies, either as a serious sport or purely for fun and parachuting forms the larges internationally represented aeronautical sport within the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).

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The General Aviation Manufacturers and Traders Association (GAMTA)

19 Church Street, Brill, Aylesbury, Bucks HP18 9ST  Tel: 01844 238020  Web: www.gamta.org  Email:ga@gamta.org

GAMTA was formed in 1975, to bring together the General Aviation industry as a strong voice in the UK.  Member companies are involved in most aspects of trading and commercial operating.

This includes the General Aviation aircraft manufacture, sales, brokerage, maintenance and overhaul.  Suppliers of aircraft spares, avionic pilot equipment, support services of insurance, financing, and aircraft handling and the operating of air charter business, and Air Taxi and Flying Training aircraft.

A number of overseas manufacturers who have subsidiary companies in the UK are also members.

GAMTA exists to protect, promote and support the growth of a well managed and profitable General Aviation industry in a wide spectrum of activities and to provide a better understanding of its importance within the UK.

The Association must also ensure that the Government does not place intolerable restrictions on the operations of light and business aircraft and that the CAA, whilst having a duty to the public, imposes its regulations at a level consistent with proper safety standards but without excessive and costly non-productive legislation or inspection.

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The Lawyers Flying Association

The Lawyers Flying Association is the national UK group of those involved with the legal profession who share a common enthusiasm for aviation in general and private flying in particular.

The range of legal expertise of Members is extremely wide, ranging from trainee solicitor to High Court judge, from the domestic conveyancer to the commercial litigator, and from those who aspire to develop an aviation legal practice to those who have many years experience dealing exclusively with aviation.

Membership of the Association, which was formally constituted in 1985, currently stands at a little over 100 with the number steadily increasing.  The Association is fortunate also to have members further afield - from the United States to Turkey.  The Association maintains close ties with the Lawyer Pilots Bar Association in the USA.

The Association subscribes to and attends the meetings of the General Aviation Safety Committee, is a Corporate Member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) (with members assisting in some of its activities) and, with its unique combination of traditional legal skills and aviation experience, continues to offer independent advice on problems affecting light aviation as a powerful and unified professional lobby representing the interests of light aviation in the UK.

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The Popular Flying Association

Turweston Aerodrome, Near Brackley, Northants, NN13 5YD  Tel: 01280 846786  Web: www.pfa.org.uk 

The Popular Flying Association (PFA) operates under the aegis of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which permits carefully supervised construction and/or operation of a particular class of aeroplanes.  This enables members to enjoy true sporting and recreational flying at the lowest possible cost.  PFA-ers range from "butchers, bakers and candlestick makers" to airline pilots and members of the House of Lords.  All share a love of flying for fun and many operate immaculately restored, lovingly maintained classic or vintage aircraft, or construct new designs from plans or kits.

Most PFA aircraft require only a few hundred meters of land to land and take off and can be built for the same price as a family car, are economical to operate and demonstrably quieter than next door's lawnmower.  Many PFA-ers regularly cross the Channel to participate in aircraft rallies throughout Europe, thus promoting friendship and understanding between fellow enthusiasts in many countries of the EC and beyond.

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The Helicopter Club of Great Britain

Rylands House, Aynho, Banbury, Oxon. OX17 3AT  Tel: 01869 810646.

The Helicopter Club of Great Britain (HCGB) is an association of active helicopter pilots and owners.  It has about 300 members, about half of whom are owners.  The President is HRH the Prince of Wales.

The Club's purpose is to promote safe and considerate flying and, to this end, fly-ins for members, including several annual training events are organised.  Some examples are: Mountain Flying - usually around Mount Snowdon in Wales, Environmental Techniques - where members learn to fly quietly; Going Foreign - where practical help and advice is given for those embarking across the Channel for the first time.

The emphasis placed on these events is flying, with most of the time spent in the air.  The social gathering of like-minded pilots provides a unique opportunity to learn from others.

The Club has recently secured the use of a Helicopter self-announce radio frequency, and strongly argued against the unnecessary licensing and control of private landing sites.

Members own a variety of helicopter types, both piston and turbine, and their flying experience ranges from newly qualified PPL (H) holders to 20,000 hour instructors.

The Club publishes its own journal, Rotor Torque, which disseminates news of events, views and general aviation matters.

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The Historic Aircraft Association

September House, 26A Brookhill, Woodstock, Oxford, OX7 1JE.

The Historic Aircraft Association (HAA) was founded in 1978 with the aim of furthering the restoration, preservation and flying of historic aircraft in the UK.  The Association, which has some 200 pilot and engineer members, has made a major contribution to General Aviation in ensuring that the British flying heritage is kept alive by promoting the safe flying of hundreds of valuable, historic aircraft.

The UK Air Display scene is flourishing with more air displays taking place in this country every year than in the whole of the rest of Europe put together.  By this means large numbers of the general public are given the opportunity of seeing and appreciating the flying of historic aircraft.

The HAA has always been concerned that the displaying of historic aircraft to the general public should be carried out in a way that guarantees the highest standards of safety.  In fact, the Civil Aviation Authority has adopted the HAA's method of qualification of display pilots.  HAA therefore plays a unique role in ensuring that the aviation heritage is secure well into the foreseeable future.

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Education