As part of its response to the Government’s General Aviation (GA) Red Tape Challenge, and its ongoing work to ensure regulation of GA is more proportionate, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has relaxed the need for GA aircraft to carry certain equipment when flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).

The change means that aircraft flying on IFR private flights do not necessarily need to comply with the equipment levels laid out in schedule 5 of the Air Navigation Order.

This means that instruments such as VOR, DME or ADF are no longer required just because an aircraft is flying IFR in controlled airspace. However, they must be carried when the route or airfields to be used demand them.

It directly answers a Red Tape challenge that the CAA should: 'align national navigational equipage carriage requirements (Schedule 5 of the Air Navigation Order) for GA operators with those of the European Aviation Safety Agency’s Part-NCO as soon as possible, limiting any 'airspace requirements' to performance based navigation specifications.'

In addressing this Red Tape challenge, the CAA has brought forward a European change by six months, ensuring UK pilots can get the benefit straight away.

Pilots taking advantage of this change are reminded to ensure they still have a backup system of navigation should their primary system fail.

The change doesn’t affect requirements to have a radio and transponder in certain airspace or any other stipulations such as performance based navigation requirements.

The change is the CAA’s latest move in its continued commitment to supporting and encouraging a dynamic recreational GA sector. With a safety regulation system that imposes the minimum necessary burden and empowers individuals to make responsible decisions to secure acceptable safety outcomes, to create a vibrant and dynamic GA sector.

Details of the CAA’s work through its GA programme can be seen at www.caa.co.uk/ga