I am sure many of you will be aware that the future of Airshows in the UK is now seriously in jeopardy because of proposals by the Civil Aviation Authority to levy very large increases in their charges for airshow Permissions and those for associated flying events.

Airshows are regulated by the General Aviation Department within the Authority. The costs of that Department are not fully recovered from General Aviation partly because some activities are not included in their charges scheme. The ‘shortfall’ is effectively a subsidy from commercial aviation who are now insisting that this be eliminated. Airshows themselves do almost entirely pay the cost of their particular regulation.

In the past the CAA Board has politely reminded the airlines that the majority of those pilots occupying their right-hand seats come from General Aviation and the cost to them of setting up dedicated training schemes would be substantial. Additionally, as you know, fuel for commercial aviation is not subject to VAT, whereas GA pilots pay that in full, and neither are airline passenger tickets subject to this tax. On this occasion, however, the CAA Board appears to have accepted to the airline arguments and has set up a Committee to investigate, most likely with a view quietly to succumbing without a fight.

Many figures have been published but it seems probable that the costs to the Airshow Industry will rise by as much as 500% making, for example, the cost of a Permission for a friend to fly his Tiger Moth at your village fete in excess of £500 !! The larger Airshows will pay considerably more, possibly reaching £10,000 for a two-day event. Our Industry must lobby hard to ensure that the CAA Board throws out these specious arguments from the airlines – BA, Virgin and Monarch are the leading lights – by showing our grave concern and strong disapproval to both our new MPs and the CAA Board.

You might like to print out and send off our suggested letter below. If not, please feel free to use the material and expand it as you wish. Every letter received by the CAA Board will count.
Thank you for helping to prevent UK Airshows, which 6.6 million people attended in 2002, from being submerged by the self-interest of our leading commercial airlines.

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To: MP
House of Commons
LONDON SW1A 0AA

Sir Roy McNulty
Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority
CAA House
45 Kingsway
LONDON WC2B 6TE

Is this the end of Airshows in the UK as we know them?

Airshows are the second largest outdoor spectator sport in the UK attended by 6.6 million of us (in 2002). More people go to these events than to Motor racing, Horse racing, Athletics or Pop concerts. Their pleasure is in severe jeopardy because Airshows may be priced out of business by a swingeing increase in charges for their Permission levied by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Airshows are regulated by the General Aviation Department within the Authority. The costs of that Department are not fully recovered from General Aviation partly because some activities are not included in their charges scheme. The ‘shortfall’ is effectively a subsidy from commercial aviation companies who are now insisting that this be eliminated. Airshows do almost entirely pay the cost of their own particular regulation.

In the past the CAA Board has politely reminded the airlines that the majority of those pilots occupying their right-hand seats come from General Aviation and the cost to them of setting up dedicated training schemes would be substantial. Additionally, as you know, fuel for commercial aviation is not subject to VAT, whereas GA pilots pay that in full, and neither are airline passenger tickets subject to this tax. On this occasion, however, the CAA Board appears to have accepted the airline arguments and has set up a Committee to investigate, most likely with a view quietly to succumbing without a fight.

Many figures have been published but it seems probable that the costs to the Airshow Industry will rise by as much as 500% making, for example, the cost of a Permission for a friend to fly his Tiger Moth at your village fete in excess of £500 !! The larger Airshows will pay considerably more, possibly reaching £10,000 for a two-day event. Our Industry must lobby hard to ensure that the CAA Board throws out these specious arguments from the airlines – BA, Virgin and Monarch are the leading lights – by showing our grave concern and strong disapproval to both our new MPs and the CAA Board.

As one of your constituents who regularly attends these exciting events, I ask you to express your strong disapproval of these proposals both to the Secretary of State for Transport and to Sir Roy McNulty, the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority. If introduced, these charges could presage the end of Air Displays as we know them in the UK today.