The Civil Aviation Authority has put out a searing statement in response to Sky News’ breathless report by Faisal Islam that British pilots would need to be reissued with their licences and would no longer have them recognised by European Aviation Safety Agency in the event of a no deal Brexit. Fasten your seatbelts…

The CAA blasted the Sky report as “misleading” and dismissed the idea that UK pilot licences would cease to be valid in the EU without a Brexit deal. Sky have got it plane wrong:

“Both commercial and private UK pilot licences would remain valid for use on UK-registered aircraft as the United Kingdom is a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Chicago Convention. Our licences are internationally recognised – including by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) – both now and after 29 March 2019.”

Sky’s claim that all licences would need to be reissued “which would cost millions” was also shot down, with the CAA pointing out that this was a “purely cosmetic change” which would simply be carried out as and when pilots needed licences to be reissued in the normal course of events. It is as daft as suggesting that the Home Office is going to reissue every single British passport the day after Brexit simply to erase the words “European Union” from the cover. Pretty terminal for the report…

The CAA also accused Sky News of further departures from reality with their claims that there would be turbulence in its ability to provide safety oversight to the aviation industry in the event of no deal, “strongly refuting” any suggestion they were concerned and dismissing Sky as “confused”. It certainly wasn’t a First Class story…

The UK’s aviation regulator is confident of a smooth landing whatever the outcome of Brexit – it’s only Sky who are making for the emergency exits. Let’s hope Faisal’s next report is more grounded in reality…