Hi Joff,
Joff wrote:Re the reg display why do you have to display it at all - many don't e.g Cubs etc - or is it that you can't get permission from the military authority whose marks you are showing?
The link you gave me above is the "Exemption to Article 10" (i.e. Exemption from displaying the registration for aircraft bearing a military livery).
Unless you operate a type which is in US markings having formerly been operated by the US military,
the CAA requires that you get specific written permission from the government whose markings you show - including UK mil if appropriate. That is all well and good, however it is not always possible or practical to do so. I won't go into detail here of my case, suffice to say permission from the Chinese government is unlikely to be forthcoming in the near future. Interestingly, there has been a CJ flying in the UK in Chinese markings for many years with this exemption but the
CAA alone insists the exemption must be airframe specific. The US case means this is clearly not a requirement beyond the CAA.
Our intention is to display the aircraft in its military livery as a retired military aircraft and having large CAA approved lettering emblazoned across the tail and the belly detracts from the effect, which is why where possible, all warbird operators apply for the Exemption to Article 10. This is also the reason why the exemption is offered in the first place. It is only valid in UK airspace anyway.
The point is though that if it is accepted by the FAA, CASA and the German authorities (so it's not an EASA issue) that it permissible to display a small discrete registration mark beneath the tail, rather than standard markings, why is this not acceptable to the CAA for those of us who are unable to obtain the necessary
(only required by the CAA) permission to fly without it?
Please note it is solely a CAA requirement to gain permission from the appropriate national government. It is not necessarily a requirement of those governments. Note as I say, if a registration is displayed, permission is not required.
Of course we have the alternative of applying to a different country who operated the type for their permission. However, I'd rather pay £29 to the CAA than £15000 to a paint shop to paint over a perfectly good scheme in good condition.
Anything you can do to help here would be massively appreciated, please. Apologies for epic thread creep.
Another example. I suspect the Aussies don't care that a French operator is using their scheme (look closely again)....