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58th BLAC t/a AOPA Annual General Meeting - 21 August 2024
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The 58th Annual General Meeting of the British Light Aviation Centre Ltd, trading as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of the UK, will be held on Wednesday 21st August 2024 at AOPA HQ, Lakeside Pavilion, Chaucer Business Park, Watery Lane, Kemsing, SEVENOAKS TN15 6QY and online via *Zoom.
The meeting will commence at 2.00 p.m..
It is expected that the meeting will finish by 3.30 p.m. It is very important for planning purposes that members who intend to participate are requested to please let the AOPA office know in advance, either by telephone (020 7834 5631), email (
* Zoom subject to availabilty of necessary services and working equipment.
The formal announcement and agenda of the AGM appears below.
In accordance with the Articles of Association, the following Directors are due to retire by rotation: Malcolm Bird, Nick Wilcock and Charles Henry. Malcolm Bird will not be standing for re-election.
Any member wishing to elect another member to the Board of Management must provide notice in writing or email to the AOPA office at least 10 days in advance. A statement of willingness to serve will be expected from the proposed member together with appropriate personal details. Please note that the function of a Director is to run the Company only. Any member who wishes to be involved in the policies and strategies for AOPA may make their interest known to the CEO:
Proxy voting is permitted, either by nominating in writing or by email a member who will be present at the AGM as proxy, or by nominating the Chairman as proxy:
Proxy Form for Special Resolutions
The draft minutes of the 57th Annual general meeting can be found here.
The Draft Statement of Financial Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 will be published on this website when it is available.
Following the formal business of the meeting, there will be time for informal reports from the Chairman and CEO and for general discussion.
2024 BLAC t/a AOPA Annual General Meeting
The 58th Annual General Meeting of The British Light Aviation Centre Limited
trading as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of UK
will be held at Lakeside Pavilion, Chaucer Business Park, Watery Lane, Kemsing, SEVENOAKS TN15 6QY
on Wednesday 21 August 2024 at 2.00 p.m.
Agenda
- Apologies for absence
- To confirm the Minutes from the 57th Annual General Meeting
- To receive and endorse the Directors’ Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024
- The election of Directors to the Board of Management.
- To appoint as Auditors Messrs Venthams, at a fee to be fixed by the Board of Management.
- The amendment of the Articles of Association by Special Resolution:
"That the existing articles of association in their entirety be removed and substituted for the new articles of association herewith"
- The amendment of the Memorandum of Association by Special Resolution to add this additional object:
“(P) To provide training, education and resources, both independently and in collaboration with other organisations, in order to ensure the standardisation of such mandated learning resources in the interests of safety and best practice. Additionally, to provide training for pilots and others as AOPA may from time to time see fit.”
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To conduct any other business that may properly be dealt with at an Annual General Meeting.
By Order of the Board
After the AGM there will an open discussion session, in respect of AOPA matters, led by Martin Robinson. CEO AOPA UK.
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Extension of public engagement on changes to the Manchester Low-Level Route (MLLR) |
The UK Civil Aviation Authority is extending the public engagement period for the proposed changes to the Manchester Low-Level Route (MLLR) to enhance safety and access. This includes amending the area to Class G airspace, introducing a Restricted Area, raising the maximum altitude to 1500ft, and expanding the airspace eastward by 0.65 nautical miles.
Share your thoughts on the dedicated engagement website.
New closing date: 5 August 2024
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Radiotelephony Manual (CAP 413) Edition 24 - Effective from 28 March 2024 |
Radiotelephony Manual (CAP 413) Edition 24 is now published. This future edition incorporates editorial changes and all Supplementary Instructions to December 2023. It is effective 28 March 2024.
Radiotelephony Manual (CAP 413) provides pilots, Air Traffic Services and ground personnel with a compendium of clear, standardised phraseology and guidance, for radiotelephony (RTF) communication in UK airspace.
NOTE:
CAP 413 Edition 24 was found to contain errors and has been withdrawn by the CAA. CAP 413 Edition 23 Corr is current at the date of this item.
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Charles Strasser OBE 1927 - 2024 |
Charles Strasser OBE SBStJ MSc FCIM
1927 - 2024
AOPA are sad to hear of the passing of Charles Strasser, vice-president of AOPA UK on 10 June 2024.
Charles's aviation related activities included, being Chairman of the Channel Island region of AOPA UK, a member of and past Vice Chairman of the Jersey Aero Club, a Director of and past world President of IFFR (International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians), a member of the PPL/IR Network and a past St John Ambulance Air Wing volunteer pilot and Midland region coordinator for the transportation of human kidneys for transplant.
He personally initiated and progressed on behalf of AOPAbringing into being the CAA CAP 667 9.2(c) recommendation that, to reduce the incidence of fatal GA accidents, airports and aeroedromes should not charge any fees for emergency and precautionary diversion landings - the Strasser Scheme.
Charles was born in Czechoslavakia but moved to the U.K. with his parents in 1938, aged 11. By the age of 18, he was a dispatch rider with the Czech Independent Armoured Brigade and led a convoy of allied troops into Kasejovice. He was made an honorary Czech citizen in 2021.
He became a successful businessman on his return to the U.K. and was actively involved in many charities. Charles was the regional coordinator for the Midlands St John Ambulance Air Wing. He was awarded an O.B.E. for humanitarian services in 2000.
An active pilot for many years, his Piper Seneca was a well known visitor to many airports and airfield throughout Europe and beyond. He held an FAA CPL and IR.
Charles made a significant contribution to general aviation and pilots will benefit for many years to come from his efforts to get a better deal for GA pilots. Charles was a tough but fair negotiator, not easily accepting bureaucracy and red tape.
AOPA has lost a member and the aviation community in general has lost much more.
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IAOPA News Report - VFR Flight Plans within Schengen Area |
An AOPA Netherlands proposal to abolish the obligation to submit a VFR flight plan for flights within the Schengen area has been approved. The relevant regulations will be amended.
You can, of course, decide to submit a flight plan anyway and there may be good reasons for doing so. Where no flight plan is required, it remains a recommendation to submit a flight plan if one wishes to use flight intelligence or alerting services to facilitate a SAR operation.
No flight plan is required for VFR flights to or from a State within the Schengen area unless:
a. the relevant state has a flight plan requirement for VFR flights;
b. the flight crosses the airspace of a state outside the Schengen area;
or c. submission of a flight plan is required by paragraph SERA.4001, part b, subparts 1, 3, 4 and 6, of Regulation (EU) No. 923/2012.
Schengen countries are Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden, as well as the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores. | ![]() |
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Reclassify general aviation airfields as greenfield not brownfield sites: Government Response |
As the number of signatures has reached over 10,000 the Government published this response on 16 May 2024:
"We are not seeking to alter airfield classification at this current time.
The Government recognises the importance of the General Aviation (GA) industry for supporting key services as well as training and commercial use.
Critical to GA’s success is the network of airfields which reflect the diversity in the sector, differing in size and infrastructure capability, ranging from smaller airfields focused on training and educational opportunities, to larger regional and international business aviation hubs. They all have an important role in supporting the aviation sector.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) emphasises that planning policies should recognise the importance of maintaining a national network of GA airfields and their need to adapt and change over time. The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions, and each application is judged on its individual merits. It is for local planning authorities to make individual decisions based on the planning policy and guidance that reflect the local context and engagement with local stakeholders. The weight given to these considerations is a matter for the authority as the decision taker in the first instance.
The NPPF encourages effective use of land in meeting development needs, while safeguarding and improving the environment and ensuring safe and healthy living conditions. The NPPF states this should be in a way that makes as much use as possible of brownfield land.
Brownfield land is defined in the NPPF as “land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure”, with some specific exclusions.
Airfield buildings and their curtilage are currently regarded as brownfield land. However, as the policy above makes clear, it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage of a brownfield site should be developed.
Applications for planning permission to redevelop airfields must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Applications for the reuse or redevelopment of airfields must also be considered in the context of wider national policy and account should be taken of the Government’s General Aviation Strategy. The NPPF acknowledges the significant contribution aviation makes to economic growth across the country – expecting planning policies, where supported by robust evidence, to identify and protect sites which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choice.
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"
You can view the response online here.
If the number of signatories reaches, or exceeds, 100,000 the Petitions Committee will consider it for a debate.
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New Safety Sense Leaflet: VFR into IMC |
A new Safety Sense Leaflet has been published providing guidance to general aviation pilots on the risks and mitigations associated with continued Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
This forms part of the popular Safety Sense series which are currently updating.
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General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review Phase 2: Aeroplanes - Consultation Closes 22 May 2024
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In October 2022, the CAA published CAP2335 (General Aviation Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification – Phase 1: Strategic Direction) as part of a 3 Phase program to simplify training and licensing for the UK’s General Aviation (GA) Sector.
The subsequent GA community response (CAP2532) showed strong support in several key areas for updating our current legislation with regards to Licensing and Training.
AOPA has been fully engaged with the process and made significant contributions to the proposals and community response.
This consultation (Phase 2) will explore these key areas in more detail, to ensure that the CAA are working towards the goals of the community whilst maintaining legislative compliance within these areas. The consultaion closes on 22 May 2024.
The outcome of this consultation will help finalise the proposals for the simplification of licensing and training. The final proposals and legal drafting will be developed with the Department for Transport and presented for legislative amendment Spring 2025.
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HIAL Airport 2024 Parking Charges reduced for light aircraft |
When HIAL first published their charges for 2024, AOPA contacted HIAL to raise a number of concerns about the significant increase in costs for private GA flights in light aircraft, in particular parking fees. AOPA asked for these to be reviewed and HIAL have now revised charges for aircraft up to 2.5 tonnes:
Full details of HIAL terms and conditions can be found here.
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Online GAR Response Messages - Common Travel Area |
When travelling within the Common Travel Area (CTA) of UK & Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Ireland no Response Message will be displayed. This was not obvious to users of the service and in response to a query from AOPA the UPT Queries Team have advised that the guidance notes have been updated as below:
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HIAL Airport Charges Increase from 1 April 2024 |
Highland and Islands Airport Ltd (HIAL) have published charges for the use of their airports with effect from 1 April 2024. Details can be found here.
For private GA flights in light aircraft the charges have increased over 300% compared to 2023 charges. The significant changes have been the introduction of a navigation fee of £15 (+VAT) for aircraft under 2,500 kg and parking fees, the first 60 minutes are free and then charges of £40 (exc VAT) for the next 4 hours and then £2.50 (exc VAT) per hour, or part thereof, thereafter for aircraft up to 10,000 kg. An 8 hour stay for a private flight in an aircarft under 2,500 kg the basic cost will be:
Landing Fee: £21 +VAT
Navigation Fee: £15 + VAT
Parking: 60 minutes free, £40 + VAT for the next 4 Hours and £2.50 + VAT for the next 3 hours
Total: £100.20 inc VAT (The cost in 2023 would have been £31.18 inc VAT)
Other services would be additionally charged for if used.
When the 2024 charges were published, AOPA contacted HIAL with a number of questions in order to establish what charges would apply to private flights and some further clarifications. We have today received a response from Alastair Gleave, HIAL Chief Commercial Office. The salient points from his response are:
1) For clarification cost sharing flights meet the deifintion of a private flight. HIAL will review their wording.
2) The navigation fee covers all aspects of air navigation service provision, including Communication, Navigation, Surveillance (CNS), Meteorological (MET) and Air Traffic Services (ATS) – both Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS), as applicable. Therefore, the navigation fee for air navigation services will apply to both IFR and VFR operations.
AOPA: Many of the services listed are not required by private pilots who self-handle and this charge will be challenged.
3) The review of HIAL’s Conditions of Use and charges identified aircraft parking as an area that required re-assessment. The published parking fees apply for all aircraft. The feedback received has highlighted the unintended impact of the new pricing scales on the private light aircraft community. The inclusion of an additional parking scale for aircraft up to 2.5 tonnes will be explored.
AOPA: It has been pointed out to HIAL that Dundee offer a 24 hour flat fee of £15 (+VAT) per day for light aircraft parking on grass. A similar flat fee should be considered for other HIAL airports.
Martin Robinson
CEO AOPA UK