'Private Pilots Should Not Undertake Any Sport Or Leisure Flying, In Line With The Requirement To Stay At Home'

Our friends at the British Microlight Aircraft Association let us know that new restrictions in the UK appear to include GA. They tell us that, 'National restrictions are in place in England to reduce day-to-day contact between people and help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Private pilots should not undertake any sport or leisure flying, in line with the requirement to stay at home without reasonable excuse. General Aviation (GA) flying for the purposes of work, where it is not reasonably possible to work or provide those services at home, is permitted. Social distancing measures should be in place and observed at all times.

We recommend that flight training for private pilots not continue while the national restrictions are in place. Flying training organizations providing training for professional pilots may continue to do so, and students undertaking such activity may continue to attend for these purposes. Social distancing measures should be in place and observed at all times.

Engine health and maintenance check flights and flights to maintain currency only, that would otherwise lapse during the planned lockdown period, should only be conducted where there is an urgent requirement to do so, and alternative options are not available. Such flights, where conducted, must be kept to the minimum duration possible and should land at the same airfield from which they departed.

Whilst these national restrictions are in place, the guidance below is to help businesses that are permitted to continue operating to put measures in place to do that safely. There’s different guidance for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.'

FMI: www.bmaa.org, www.gov.uk/transport