David Learmount/LONDON
Up to 40% of Europe's pilot training industry will be lost to foreign schools if pressure to amend European pilot licensing regulations goes ahead, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (UK) executive director Pamela Campbell has warned.
Campbell was the only Joint Aviation Requirements for Flight Crew Licensing (JAR FCL) committee member opposed to a proposed amendment to the rule that the principal place of business and registered office of a JAR FTL licensed flight training organisation must be in a Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) member state.
The JAA decided against changing the rules, but Campbell warns that the proposal is likely to be repeated and will "need watching carefully". A change would allow companies outside Europe to train pilots to European standards - something which only the UK allows at present for UK licensees.
While the European training companies seek to stave off the changes, the US National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has written a strongly-worded letter to Federal Aviation Administration chief Jane Garvey, protesting that a "devastating" new European regulation "-aimed at American aviation businesses will threaten European access to the best flight training institutions in the world". This refers to the coming change from national to European Joint Aviation Requirements for pilot training in mid-1999.
Speaking at the UK General Aviation Manufacturers and Traders Association meeting in London earlier this month, Campbell also revealed that, following FAA protests, an imminent notice of proposed amendment aims to loosen conditions on the ownership of approved flight training operations in Europe.
She pointed out that the FAA's policy on the issue of pilot licences is that it will not accept training for FAA Airman Certificates unless the training is on US territory.
Source: Flight International
