CAA Says It Has Reviewed 'Every Aspect' Of Air Display Safety

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published a series of measures intended to further enhance safety at UK civil air shows.

The new measures are detailed in the CAA's “Action Report” from its ongoing review of civil air display safety in the UK. The review is considering all aspects of the safety oversight of UK civil air displays.

To increase safety at UK air shows the CAA is enhancing:

• The requirements for permissions to hold a display and requiring earlier notification to the CAA;
• Training and checks for those responsible for overseeing air displays;
• Requirements relating to the experience, skill and health of display pilots; and
• The role of the Display Authorisation Examiners (DAEs) who oversee display pilots.

In addition, the CAA is confirming that the measures it put in place in the immediate aftermath of the accident at Shoreham in August 2015 will remain in place until the AAIB's investigation has concluded, at which point they will be reviewed alongside any findings or recommendations made. These measures are:

• The grounding of all Hawker Hunter aircraft (pictured).
• Ex-military jets operating over land are restricted to fly-pasts only. They are not permitted to perform aerobatics.

Air shows subject to enhanced risk assessments. “After the tragic accident at Shoreham air show last summer, we began a thorough review examining every aspect of civil air display safety," said Tony Rapson, Head of General Aviation at the CAA. "We're announcing a series of measures that will enhance the safety of UK air shows. Alongside these measures, the restrictions we introduced immediately after the Shoreham accident remain in place.

“In 2016, no air show will go ahead without being subject to an enhanced risk assessment, and having to comply with tighter requirements for training, oversight and notification,” he said.

The Action Report is the latest step in the CAA's comprehensive UK Civil Air Display Review, to ensure that all is being done so that civil air displays in the UK can continue to operate to the very highest safety standards.

The Air Display Review is overseen by an independent challenge panel, put in place to scrutinise and critique the CAA's work, chaired by Geoffrey Podger CB, former Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive.

(Image from file)

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