David Learmount/LONDON
Ten Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) countries, plus Canada and the USA, have submitted proposals to the JAA in favour of reducing restrictions on single-engine turboprop commercial operations. Only the UK has filed against the proposals.
The Joint Aviation Requirements Operations (JAR Ops) on the subject will be implemented on 1 October. JAR Ops forbid commercial single-engined operations at night and in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
The Scandinavian countries and France have indicated that they would ignore the JAR Ops as they stand.
This act of defiance would be the first overt challenge to the JARs, which are not legally binding. National regulations in France, Ireland and Scandinavia allow single-engined commercial IMC operations.
To prevent any countries defying the JAR Ops, and because the JAA study into the rule change is expected to go beyond the implementation date, the countries concerned have requested that JAR Ops' wording allows for the application of individual JAA nations' own rules until the notice of proposed amendment study has produced a verdict.
Submissions to the JAA from 55 operators and service companies are unanimous in backing JAR changes. Nine out of 10 associations which filed comments support the proposals, with the British Airline Pilots Association dissenting. Five out of six aircraft manufacturers are in favour. Britten-Norman dissents.
Bob Crowe, chairman of UK-based Bob Crowe Aviation Sales, says the applicants for change are not expecting JAA clearance "for a few years yet" for single-engined night/IMC passenger operations, but they believe that winning approval for cargo operations is feasible.
Source: Flight International
