Build the check around the operation.
Have your current Operational Authorisation, the aircraft’s class information and the proposed flight conditions together. Confirm that the authorisation covers this operation before looking at any exception to a particular requirement.
The CAA’s Specific category guidance explains the transition and the mechanism for requesting a RID exemption through an Operational Authorisation. It describes an intended transition to 2028 for non-UK-class-marked aircraft, with different treatment for UK class-marked aircraft.
Check the actual conditions.
If you rely on an exemption, identify its wording, scope and validity in your documents. If those do not clearly resolve the flight, ask the CAA through the authorisation process. An old manual or a colleague’s authorisation is not evidence for your operation.
Questions to resolve during an application
- Which aircraft and operating scenarios are covered?
- Is a RID exemption being requested, and why is it needed?
- What conditions or mitigations apply if it is granted?
- What changes at renewal or the end of the transition?
Keep the resulting decision in your operational records and brief the people configuring and flying the aircraft. Our RID checklist is a preparation aid; it does not replace an approved operations manual.
Sources & review.
Official guidance behind this answer
Source review: 26 October 2026. Our practical checklists are editorial aids. Check the current source and your operation’s conditions before making a flying decision.