New GAR regulations
The Home Office will introduce new rules on Saturday 6 April for submitting GA reports for pilots travelling abroad.
The General Aviation (Flight Information, Persons on Board and Civil Penalties) Regulations 2024 (‘the 2024 Regulations’)
What is being introduced and when?
On Saturday 6th April 2024, the 2024 Regulations will enter into force. A draft version of the Regulations is available online: The General Aviation (Persons on Board, Flight Information and Civil Penalties) Regulations 2024.
Which flights do the 2024 regulations apply to?
The 2024 Regulations apply to all General Aviation aircraft who are expecting to arrive in and depart from the UK (including within the Common Travel Area).
What do the regulations mean for pilots, owners and operators?
International GA flights that are arriving in or departing from the UK will be required to be submit information online about the flight and persons on board (both passengers and crew), no earlier than 48 hours and no later than 2 hours prior to the expected time of departure.
General Aviation Reports emailed directly to Border Force will not be compliant and will not be accepted.
What are the acceptable online submission methods?
The information is to be provided online using one of the following methods:
1. The Government’s free-to-use submit a GAR ‘sGAR’ webservice;
2. Via an approved existing third-party application*; or
3. If you are a business operator, established direct connections to Home Office systems can also be used.
Civil Penalties
Border Force will be operating a civil penalty regime that will underpin the 2024 Regulations. Failing to comply with the 2024 Regulations may result in a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per breach. Complete guidance on the civil penalty regime will be available on gov.uk in due course.
* Typically, these are private member subscriptions to applications which incur a subscription charge. The approved applications will be listed on gov.uk from 6th April.
