Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
#1755926
47 years ago at a time of dire straits in the aviation industry due to the imposition of unfair duties and taxes GAMTA now BBGA was formed by several companies. I served as a council member for many years. One of the battles we won was that Excise duty on AVGAS was 50% that charged in petrol delivered at garages. Was the rate changed back to 100% if not we need to be careful as to choosing the battle we fight.

No VAT on professional flight training stands a better chance as it is educational.
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#1755935
I think we need to consider the bigger picture. At the moment our country is facing huge medical expenditure, has committed to funding pay for employees and the self employed, and is dishing our funds to preserve businesses where it can.

Revenue through taxes and duty is going to be a fraction of what it was. Once this virus has passed, the chancellor will have the task of rebuilding the finances and repaying huge debts. By the time he's jacked up taxes and duties in order to rebuild us, there is a good chance none of us will be able to afford to fly.
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By ThePipster
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1755989
It will be fine as we are all addicted!

Hardware might fall to the wayside but for the last 20 years private flying has steadily moved to lighter faster better designed machines, from the Cirrus range displacing the old heavy US metal to sub 600kg gear that goes like hot snot on a fart of butterfly gas!

Stupidly complex licensing rules and ever increasingly complicated rules of the air are more likely to damage GA in the long term rather than short term financial problems.

Pipster
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By Wide-Body
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1755995
Lost count of the doomsday scenarios I have worked through. Don’t get me wrong this is a bit “emotional” but we will be fine.

As a PPL instructor/examiner I have already talking with colleagues about getting as many people flying as quickly as possible after we are back aviating. Pilots generically are can do people. It will take a bit of time to recover, but our adventures will continue.

As the great Donald Sutherland “Odball”said in Kelly’s Hero’s “ Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”

Be healthy out there you all.
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#1756039
GA will survive of that I’m sure.

But with poor discipline in the ranks April seems an unattainable target. My friend in Spain told me yesterday he expects their 15th April date to be extended to end of May.

Looking at us and the graph pushes UK to July.

If saved I promise to fly, fly fly!
#1756076
white light wrote:If GA does recover, how are instructors - who may not have flown for 4 months - going to revalidate? (Examiners will be in the same position), leaving...?

I'd suggest not getting ahead of ourselves and assuming doom and gloom. Personally I don't even want to entertain the thought of a 4 month lay off.

Let's stay positive and work out how to cross that bridge only in the unlikely event we arrive at it. :thumright:
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By Wide-Body
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1756084
white light wrote:
If GA does recover, how are instructors - who may not have flown for 4 months - going to revalidate? (Examiners will be in the same position), leaving...?


Whilst being careful and with due care, we are going to get in an aeroplane and fly it. Once we have brought ourselves up to date, then we will instruct/examine.

Although at the moment I seen to have my rear strapped to an aeroplane a lot (albeit a slightly bigger one).

Don’t worry white light, if you do want to become a commercial pilot the normal healthy scepticism (Mandatory) has to be married to a positive outlook.
#1756118
I’m sure GA will survive but I’m not sure that it will be the same again. A lot of revenue will be lost by a lot of people. And I’m sure this will be the demise for a few schools. It will take some time to recover. I certainly don’t think we’ll be allowed out by April. If we are out too early we risk an outbreak again.
Another thing is that quite a few aircraft will be out of annuals. An extension may be granted but I doubt it will be like the MOT on your car. Paperwork will need to be submitted to the CAA and we all know how speedy they are. An inspection will probably need to be carried out too by your engineer (and I’m sure they won’t be busy by the time we are allowed out). More expense. Probably money people don’t have.
At the moment it all falls in to insignificance, what we need to do it listen to government advice, Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.
Stay safe everyone.