Association is concerned over EC plans to take over regulation of aircraft operations
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has voiced its concern over plans for the European Commission to take over regulation of aircraft operations, and early indications that current separate rules for business aircraft will be absorbed into standardised commercial aircraft regulations.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), a European Union agency, last month formally asked to extend its remit from aircraft certification to operations, pilot licensing and regulation of third-country aircraft. Approval from EU countries is expected later this year.
The EBAA says initial indications of policy are mixed, with the agency calling simultaneously for operational rules based solely on the "complexity of the aircraft" while being "based on existing Joint Aviation Regulations on Operations (JAR-OPS).
EASA says: "For non-commercial activities, the agency considers the implementation means must be linked to the complexity of the aircraft rather than the type of activity or the nature of ownership." This change will affect not only general aviation, but fractional ownership and business aviation, adds EASA.
EBAA chief executive Brian Humphries says: "There are quite contradictory statements coming from EASA."
The EBAA has worked with the US National Business Aviation Association and other representatives of the business aviation community to draw up a two-stage European Civil Aviation Conference report into the state of operating regulations in Europe and future requirements for the industry.
Flight International has learnt that the first phase of the report, due to be published later this month, will say the biggest gap in European regulations is in the area governing fractional ownership operations. EBAA fears that rather than allowing the industry and regulators to continue developing JAR-OPS 2K, the European counterpart to US Federal Aviation Regulation Part 91 Subpart K governing US fractionals, EASA may roll existing JAR-OPS 2 requirements governing corporate operations into a new single commercial aircraft operations rule.
EBAA is lobbying the agency to retain distinct rules for corporate operators, which are often subject to less strict regulations in many European countries. EBAA expects to unveil the findings of the second stage of the study in May a tits European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva.
n The US Federal Aviation Administration has moved back by two months the regulatory compliance date for fractional ownership operators. All providers have until 17 February to satisfy new conditions set out in Federal Aviation Regulation FAR Part 91, Subpart K.
JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON
Source: Flight International
