CAA BACKS IMC CAMPAIGN

01 Feb 2010

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The UK Civil Aviation Authority has thrown its weight behind Britain's IMC rating, making its preservation a matter of policy.

Up to now the CAA has given tacit support to the campaign to keep the rating, according to AOPA which is leading the defence. But at a meeting on 25 January CAA Chief Executive Andrew Haines told AOPA UK's Martin Robinson that the retention of the IMC rating was official policy. He added that Mike Smethers, who is Chairman of the EASA Board of Management as well as a UK CAA Board member, had been asked by the CAA to explore with EASA ways of allowing an equivalent to the IMC rating to continue to be offered, if only in the UK.

AOPA says: "The CAA's explicit statement has given great heart to the campaign to save the IMC rating, a 15-hour flying course which teaches pilots to keep control of an aircraft in cloud and to land safely. It confers no additional privileges over the PPL apart from a small reduction in visibility minima, which are higher in the UK than in much of Europe.

"Renewed every two years with a stringent flying test, the IMC rating is credited with being largely responsible for the UK's good general aviation safety rate, despite Britain's unpredictable maritime climate.

"A safety audit carried out by AOPA UK showed that while between 20 and 25 people die in GA accident in Britain each year, the figure for other comparable European countries is much higher - about 90 in France, and 80 in Germany. In the 40 years it has been on offer the IMC rating has saved the lives of hundreds of British pilots.

"While some countries would welcome an IMC rating equivalent, there is strong opposition to it in some circles, partly because of a misinformation campaign.

"AOPA UK has never sought to force the IMC rating on the rest of Europe, but under EASA all ratings must be offered equally by all countries, and no provision has been made for opt-outs. EASA does not want to ban the IMC rating and has tried hard to have it accepted, but unless there is unanimity, the current rules say it must be banned everywhere. AOPA UK has began a political campaign to change this situation."

In recent issues, LOOP has helped the campaign by publishing some of the stories about the IMC Rating sent in by readers. These stories have been forwarded to AOPA.