[hum]

There is an alarming draft proposal available at the following link:

http://www.eurocontrol.int/enprm/

The Single European Sky (SES) was adopted on 20th April this year. Following that, a new way to charge for the use of airspace is now underway.

Eurocontrol has been empowered by the European Commission (EC) to undertake a consultation on "Implementing Rules on a Common Charging Scheme for Air Navigation Services" for all users. Responses to the consultation must reach Eurocontrol by 17th September 2004. They then report to the EC in mid October and the regulations come into effect early next year.

With such an impossibly short time scale it is imperative that we make our views know quickly and clearly!


The plans are to charge all airspace users for their use of air navigation services throughout the EU! This includes all sectors of General Aviation (GA), both VFR and IFR, and regardless of aircraft size!

The charges will include not only air navigation services but also met services and search and rescue costs.

Governments across Europe have accepted the principle of "the user pays" when passing legislation enabling the SES. National governments might be sympathetic to the plight of GA and want to exclude GA users per the current airways charges exemptions but the regulations don't permit that unless the Government pays the costs thereof to the Air Navigation Service Providers - and most won't!

Exactly how the charges might apply to GA and its various sectors has not been decided. There is mooted a basic annual charge on aircraft and/or pilots or a per flight charge - for everything that flies Perhaps that is the real reason mode S is being imposed!

Anyone in Ireland co-ordinating a reply from the GA Sector?

I would suggest the following points should be included:

GA (VFR and light IFR aircraft) should continue to have free access to the European skies because:

- the majority are operated by private individuals who pay VAT and duty on their fuel (and services provided to them) from income that is itself already taxed.

- The cost of collecting from every GA movement would outweigh the cost of administering the system

- GA operators would be discouraged from filing flight plans and or speaking to ATC for fear of incurring a charge.


Do nothing and we will all pay!!

[shrtfld]

Where is AOPA when we need it? To answer that question here on this forum might be construed as unwise-especially as I am unable to gather all the facts. Does AOPA exist at all anymore?

Ken Haslett has already tried once with others with a replacement in Aviators Network. To be fair to the guy he is trying to get this going yet again and his efforts are deserving of our support.

I am a member of AOPA UK and AOPA USA. There are many organisations in this country which operate under the auspices of "UK and Ireland". What is wrong with AOPA Uk & I? I suggest we all join AOPA UK and support them in their inevitable efforts on behalf of GA. The issues that Hum is highlighting will be transnational /without frontiers.

In terms of contributing we are already doing so in the context of the fees we must pay the IAA for the holding of our licences and ratings.

[Bluebeard]

It is particularly depressing that hum's post has got only one reply.

I have been reading this NPRM, it is written by the usual eurocratic style and spells extra costs for all VFR flying. There are many peculiarities, including (for example) that lighter aircraft will be disadvantaged because the charge is to be based on the square root of the MTOW. So if this rule survives the consultation, a 4 tonne aircraft will pay only 3 times the fees of a 400 kg aircraft, for the same flight. Charges seem to be based on entry/exit from airspace volumes. So how the IAA defines the volume(s) will be important.

As said above, where is AOPA, son of AOPA, IAN, etc etc? Is there anyone out there?? Hellooooo !!

[nosedive]

Speaking as a student pilot who is half way through my training (PPL (M)) and already struggling to come up with the funds to pay for my remaining hours I find it extraordinary - though not surprising- that yet again I'm going to find myself paying more and more money for this addictive hobby. I know the proposals come from Europe but it just adds to the rip-off Ireland effect and as usual in this country there's no one to speak up for the little man-it's so frustrating, i think it's about time the GA community co-ordinated themselves and set up an administrative focal point for arguments, suggestions and queries. If we fail to create a voice then these charges will no doubt come rolling out of Brussels and I'd almost expect Bertie to slap his own little commission on top - what is all the VAT we pay for???? GA needs a focal point (such as "flyinginireland.com) to kick start a bit of community spirit....

[Bluebeard]

And yes, nosedive, there will also be VAT on the new user charges, this is part of the europroposal.

[localiser]

It is great that attention has been brought to this emerging threat to GA. My view is that this Eurocontrol document is essentially an inter-governmental one at this stage - as evidenced by its distribution to the Department of Transport and The Irish Aviation Authority.

An interesting point is that it is open to States to establish an independent regulator of air navigation charges in order to provide for oversight of the new charging regime. If this were done in our case, then it could mean an extension of the remit of the existing Aviation Regulator. This would certainly constitute a change to the freedom the IAA has over its business.

When this EU regulation is implemented at the national level a further opportunity for consideration of the views of the general public will occur. Before any new charging structures may be implemented, public consultations and impact statements will be required. At this "national" stage the voice of the public also needs to be heard, preferably through as many responses to the public consultations as possible. This is likely to be some time away.

As has been previously mentioned, while charging for VFR is stipulated, a general provision for a national government to exclude certain categories of traffic is also provided for, so long as the cost in so doing is transparent. Appropriate representations are needed to ensure that such an exemption is made, at the very least for private GA traffic.

Finally, the low-cost operators should be taking a long hard look at this, as it appears that overall relative charge increases for lower airspace, such as typically used on short-haul flights, may arise as a result of the greater cost allocation "transparency" (with respect to upper airspace). Bring on Michael O'Leary!

(edited to reflect clarified thinking - never too good to write in the middle of the night!)

[Tolka]

Eurocontrol has invited responses about the proposed charging system. However the responses must be sent in before the closing date of September 17th. As Eurocontrol is also obliged to summarise all the responses and to consider them before the proposal is finalised I strongly urge everyone to send in individual responses. The more responses they get from individual members of the GA community the better.

The responses must be sent in on the Consultation Response Sheet. You can access the proposed regulation and the Consultation Response Sheet at www.eurocontrol.int/enprm/ They will accept the responses by e-mail and they will e-mail a confirmation back to you letting you know that they have received your response.

Don't depend on the government to do anything on this as all European governments have already handed responsibility for this matter to Eurocontrol. If Eurocontrol receive enough comments from the GA community looking for some concession or exemption they may (and I repeat may) take our views into account. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain so please send in your responses.

Tolka

[localiser]

Agreed.
Better to nip it in the bud if at all possible.

[MCRO]

I got a whiff of goings on re this thread

The IAOPA lobby in Europe has been and is being extremely effective

Those who fly in Ireland will not be visited by the horrors possible under the Directive

Watch IAA site for Info

Maurice

[localiser]

The IAA has its own threatened interests to protect here, which do not necessarily represent those of GA users.

DO not let this be an excuse for not making your own views heard.

[Bluebeard]

I hope you have all sent in your objections to these iniquitous proposals, today is the last day for comment.

[localiser]

The latest issue of Flyer magazine reports that Eurocontrol are abandoning the proposed charges for IFR flights less than 2 tonnes, and leaving VFR flights in the hands of national authorities, as now. Is this a victory for popular democracy?