Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

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CAA launches major new safety plan

18 July 2011 | By Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

The UK CAA has set out its key safety objectives for the next two years at an industry launch event at its Gatwick headquarters...

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CAA issues update on volcanic ash arrangements

23 May 2011 | By Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority today said that new arrangements put in place since last year’s volcanic ash cloud...

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CAA completes March 2011 ATOL Renewal

1 April 2011 | By CAA

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has completed the March 2011 renewal of Air Travel Organisers’ Licences (ATOL)...

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Dangerous Goods, The hidden risks to commercial aviation

26 January 2011 | By Geoff Leach, Manager of the Dangerous Goods office at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

11 May 1996. After a delay caused by a mechanical problem Valujet flight 592, a Douglas DC-9-32 with 105 passengers and five crew onboard pushes back from the gate at Miami International Airport for departure to Atlanta. Twenty minutes later, after taxiing to runway 9 Left, the aircraft is airborne…

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Driving safety forward

13 December 2010 | By Tony Heap, Strategy and Standards Officer in the Aerodrome Standards Department, UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

Working airside has never been short of hazards. Airport operators and regulators have long concentrated safety planning on protecting those individuals working on ramps, aprons, taxiways and runways. Unfortunately, ground handling incidents continue to rise worldwide, resulting in injuries to personnel and damage to aircraft and property. Additionally, the use,…

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Keeping birds in hand

13 December 2010 | By Nick Yearwood, Chairman of the UK Birdstrike Committee and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Safety Regulation Group Representative

Modern aircraft engines are designed and built to be resistant to multiple birdstrikes from birds of up to 4.5lb (2kg) in weight. The UK CAA has played a leading role in developing enhanced engine certification requirements and United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)...

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Successfully meeting the future demands on UK airspace

5 April 2010 | By Mark Swan, Director of Airspace Policy, UK CAA

Aviation – facilitated by the effective management of airspace – enables economies to operate more efficiently, enhances people’s opportunity for travel and leisure, and has a key role to play, for the military, in ensuring national security. It is likely that the pressure on the UK’s airspace capacity will continue…

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The birdstrike risk

16 July 2009 | By Ray Elgy, Head of Aerodrome Standards, UK CAA

From the beginning of aviation history, aircraft have faced the hazard posed by birdstrikes. The first known birdstrike occurred in 19051, from the Wright Brothers diaries, "Orville ... flew 4,751 metres in 4 minutes 45 seconds, four complete circles. Twice passed over fence into Beard's cornfield. Chased flock of birds…

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The importance of good communications

3 December 2008 | By Gill Galway, Policy and Strategy Specialist, UK CAA

Even at the world’s smaller airports, the airside environment can be a challenging place to work. For an airside driver the task of completing your duties safely, complying with safety instructions and restrictions, and maintaining a watchful eye on aircraft and other vehicles on the manoeuvring area can be particularly…

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Development of friction testing in the UK

28 March 2008 | By Paul Fraser-Bennison, Aerodrome Standards Policy Officer, UK CAA Safety Regulation Group

On 6 February 1958, an aircraft crashed whilst making its third attempt to take off from Munich's Reim Airport. Twenty-three of the passengers and crew on board were killed. After a lengthy investigation, the cause of the accident was identified as slush on the runway. Fifty years later, this event…

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Reducing runway incursions

31 July 2007 | By Richard Taylor, Head of Air Traffic Standards, CAA

Those entrusted with the safety of our aviation industry, frequently draw up lists of the most likely causes of a major incident. Over the past few years, runway incursions have moved closer to the top of these lists. Regrettably, this is not a new issue – the world’s worst aviation…