Group flying opportunities & questions
#1830362
Thanks to all those who have commented.

I now have a letter from the DFT confirming that hours building in your own aircraft is acceptable under the following criteria:

- Be registered with an ATO for a professional pilots qualification (I.e. ATPL and/or CPL)
- observe social distancing rules
- have fewer than the require P1 hours for the rating you are about to undertake. (I.e. less than 50h per for ir, less than 70h for ME, less than 150h for CPL)

If anyone would like a copy of this letter please let me know. :thumleft:
#1830423
I now have a letter from the DFT confirming that hours building in your own aircraft is acceptable under the following criteria:


It looks like whoever owns the aircraft is golden then? But I thought you were advertising a ‘club’ and charging others for the hire of the aircraft? I presume they won’t be ‘owners’?

Not long now till anyone can hire whatever they like, wherever they like.
PropPeter liked this
#1830428
I think people have been reading too deeply into this.

It is simply that it does not matter whether the aircraft flown is yours, a clubs or an ATO - as long as you are working towards a professional license and you are registered with an ATO - it does not matter where those hours come from.

I look forward to the day the skies are full again, and I certainly look forward to buying you a beer one day!

In fact hell, I have decided to just post the DFT response.
#1830503
lcolman wrote:it does not matter whether the aircraft flown is yours, a clubs or an ATO


lcolman wrote:hours building in your own aircraft is acceptable


(my bold) I think it's fairly obvious those two statements can't be reconciled - obviously my interpretation is different to yours - but as A4 says not long now until this is all irrelevant anyway
#1830535
Luke

Much as I didn’t particularly want to, I have viewed your letter from the DfT. As you stated it says specifically:

continuing to train and build hours on your own aircraft to qualify for the next rating as part of your professional pilot training is allowed


Have we established that the people you are seeking to attract will not be owners?

The ‘response’ from the DfT entitled “Professional Pilot training in own aircraft” (their bold) makes no comment whatsoever on your idea to rent out your aircraft to all comers who wish to join the ‘club’. The one that you started advertising here back in January, when the virus landscape was far more uncertain. I can only presume the reply makes no reference to your ‘club’ because that was not the question you asked?

It’s crystal clear it’s not a question they answered.

“Interpret” as you wish. There are a wide range of attitudes on this forum, from those who for many reasons wish to minimise their exposure to covid, all the way across to those who sound as though they’d be delighted to attend an illegal rave with other covidiots. (Probably some anti-vaxers too?) You are ‘content’ with your own position somewhere on that spectrum I am sure.

If you have been “quite surprised at the hostility on this forum” then please do bear this in mind from Professor Chris Whitty:

Every single unnecessary contact you have with someone is a potential link in a chain of transmission that will lead to a vulnerable person.


...... And cost them their life, or the impact of long covid.

But as you say:
hey ho each to their own.


Was your ‘club’ really ‘necessary’ in the height of a pandemic? When the vast majority are sacrificing so much.

I accept you won’t understand my point, (you aren’t alone) and I am done here.

Thanks to the somewhat unanticipated success of the ongoing vaccination program, there’s not long to go now, before we can all enjoy ourselves and share a beer, without unnecessarily risking someone else’s life.
JAFO, PropPeter liked this