Consultation on CAP632 Edition 9: Operation of Permit‑to‑Fly Ex‑Military Aircraft on the UK Register

On the 3rd April 2026 the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published a Consultation on the update to CAP 632; Operation of Permit‑to‑Fly Ex‑Military Aircraft on the UK Register (‘the consultation’). 

A total of 33 comments were received from stakeholders across the Ex-Military community. Respondents included operators, associations, engineers, and individuals with significant operational and technical experience.

There was general support for the document’s new intent, layout, and updated guidance.

The majority of comments (52%) related to changes of wording/guidance, reflecting a strong stakeholder interest in clarity and precision rather than fundamental policy change.

A smaller proportion of responses raised legal interpretation issues (12%) and formatting or drafting improvements (12%).

Some responses were identified as out of scope or not directly relevant (15%) to the consultation’s purpose.

The CAA has carefully considered all consultation responses received and thanks all contributors. The feedback was constructive, technically detailed, and informed by significant operational experience.

Most of the substantive comments have been considered in detail, and the document has been appropriately revised to improve clarity while retaining clear safety intent.

Of the 33 comments, 23 were accepted and where appropriate, revisions were made to ensure that there was consistency across sections with Improved readability. These accepted comments were largely focused on:

• Improving clarity of operational guidance
• Refining wording to remove ambiguity
• Aligning terminology with existing regulatory frameworks

Off the 33 comments,10 comments were declined, due to the following reasons:

• Some proposals were based on interpretations not aligned with existing regulations or factual inaccuracies.
• Several comments reflected personal preferences rather than evidence-based safety or regulatory considerations.
• A number of suggestions would have required broader policy changes, which were outside the scope of this consultation and would necessitate separate policy review.
• In some comments, issues raised were already addressed elsewhere in the document or regulatory framework.

The CAA has Taken a balanced and proportionate approach to all responses and incorporated changes where they enhance clarity, safety, and usability. The updated Edition 9 reflects strong stakeholder input, improved structure and continued alignment with UK aviation safety principles whilst ensuring guidance is clear, proportionate, and operationally relevant.

We have produced a final version of CAP632 which was published June 2026.