The U.K. CAA is conducting a review of charging proposals for 2008-2009 that will impact on AOC holders. Chris Jesnick, CAA finance and corporate services director, reports that a formal industry consultation on its proposals through the CAA website will close on 14 December 2007.

"A summary of representations received will be posted on the web site during January 2008," she says. "This consultation is in respect of the charges necessary to recover the cost of providing the activities within the Safety Regulation Group of the Civil Aviation Authority.

"The consultation is the third transitional year of moving SRG to more cost reflective charges and follows the recommendations of the Costs & Charges Review 2005."

She says the CAA has undertaken further reviews, as recommended by the costs and charges review team in 2005, and incorporated the findings from these reviews within the current charging proposals for 2008/09. But: "The main results from the current reviews aligned closely with the recommendations from the Costs & Charges Review 2005."

EBAN published a comprehensive review of the proposed charges and their possible impact in its March 2007 issue. Owners of private, charter and corporate aircraft have been examining possible alternatives to U.K. registration. But the CAA says it does not believe that this will lead to a big loss in business.