Fly Past

difficult to acquire important
retired military airframes from the
government. Even the number of
people attending airshows, surely a
barometer for the health of aviation,
is falling significantly.
The decline was noticed in
Westminster and a concerned
group of MPs, led by Grant Shapps
and Byron Davies, decided to
investigate. It led to the formation
of an All-Party Parliamentary
Group (APPG) on General Aviation
with Shapps elected as chairman.
Although APPGs have no formal
power, their activities are taken
seriously at the highest level of
government and carry considerable
influence. Group members can
ask parliamentary questions, put
forward private members’ bills or
recommend changes to legislation in
support of their cause.
An early aim of the APPG on
General Aviation was to seek

protection for the 82 licensed or

certificated aerodromes in the UK

where safeguards weren’t in place.

Clearly, having a good network

of airfields is vital for aviation’s

long-term health, but unprotected

airfields are ripe for redevelopment,

often having ‘brownfield’ status

that makes obtaining planning

permission for new housing

relatively simple. The APPG has

campaigned tirelessly on behalf of

GA airfields – at risk or otherwise –

and real progress is being made.

At the end of 2016, Dr Robert

Pleming, well-known for his

excellent work in leading the Vulcan

to the Sky Trust team and now

Chairman of Aviation Heritage UK,

approached Sir Gerald Howarth

with the observation that while

railway and maritime heritage

each had their own APPG, there

was none for historic aviation.

Given the existence of the GA

APPG, it was most appropriate to

create a sub-committee to examine

issues surrounding the heritage

aviation sector. Leading members

of this community volunteered

to investigate the difficulties

encountered in the warbird,

museums, and classic aviation fields,

and to recommend solutions to the

main APPG and lobby for change.

Level playing  eld

The Heritage Working Group

held its inaugural meeting at

Westminster on March 21. Robert

Pleming was elected sector chair,

with Robert Courts, the MP for

Witney, Oxfordshire, becoming the

parliamentary chair.

This sub-group has several aims.

These include quantifying the

significant direct and indirect

economic benefits of the heritage

aviation sector: there’s anecdotal

evidence that many youngsters

Below

Operating historic

aircraft, such as these

Supermarine Spitfi res,

is becoming increasing

diffi cult and expensive.

The APPG’s historic

aviation working party

is aiming to reduce the

‘red tape’ encountered

by owners and

operators. ARC-GEORGE

ROMAIN

November 2018 FLYPAST 93