The CAA is consulting on a proposal that would require almost all civil aircraft flying below FL100 to transmit Electronic Conspicuity (EC), using ADS-B.
ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) is essentially a means of broadcasting an aircraft's position and other information electronically so that suitably equipped aircraft or systems can detect it. FLARM and other non-ADS-B devices purchased under the CAA's EC Rebate Scheme may not meet the proposed mandate, despite having been part-funded by the CAA.
You may recall the previous CAA EC consultation (CAP 3140, in 2025), and the BHPA's chosen approach. We have taken the same approach with this Mandate Consultation, producing a formal BHPA response and separate guidance notes that our members can use to respond individually. The guidance notes proved effective with the CAP 3140 consultation, with an increase from 119 responses to nearly 750 logged by the CAA over the course of a weekend following publication of our notes and encouragement for pilots to respond.
Guidance for members responding to this consultation
The guidance linked below is intended to help members understand the consultation questions and consider how the proposals would affect the flying they actually do. It is deliberately not a set of model answers: pilots are encouraged to respond in their own words, drawing on their own experience of hill, cross-country, powered and other flying. For each question, the guidance contains prompts to encourage members to think about their own response, together with a box summarising the position the BHPA will take in its formal submission.
Guidance for members responding to CAA EC Mandate Consultation
CAA Online EC Mandate Consultation
The CAA EC Mandate Consultation closes on the 22 September 2026.
Last updated: 01 September 2026
