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Looks like there may be some hope for non-EU pilots and instructors wanting to work in Europe without having to sell an organ to pay for it. .
Understandably potential new rules have caused a great deal of concern in the Euro-GA community – and beyond, since as of 8 April 2012 EASA’s Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) regulation will come into force. The European parliament and Commission voted on the draft rules in mid-December. According to the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), even if the final text is not yet public, most of GA’s initial “problems” seemed to been solved – or at the least improved significantly.
Third country license holders engaged in non-commercial operations with non-EU registered aircraft and especially FAA licensed pilots based in Europe, have an extended window, as the new draft allows Member States to delay the application of the license conversion until 8 April 2014. It is expected that EASA and FAA will use this additional time to negotiate and sign a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) covering pilot licensing. However, the EBAA does not expect that this bilateral agreement will allow for a complete mutual recognition without any additional requirements to convert the FAA license into an EASA license.
Regarding flight instruction provided outside the EU Member States, non-EU instructors holding a pilot licence issued by a third country have to hold also an instructor certificate issued by an EU competent authority requiring that they hold at least an equivalent licence, rating, or certificate to the one for which they are authorised to instruct. For synthetic flight instructors, no medical certificate is required, they have only to hold or have held a CPL, MPL or ATPL in the appropriate aircraft category.
For examinations provided outside the territory of the EU Member States, the examiner has to hold a certificate issued by a competent authority from an EU Member State requiring that he holds at least an equivalent licence, rating, or certificate to the one for which they are authorised to conduct skill tests, proficiency checks or assessments of competence – not really so much different than today from what I understand.
For European pilots and operators wanting more info, or to get actively involved and have a voice in shaping regulation that could affect your flying or business, go to http://www.ebaa.org/
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) does sterling work for the industry on many fronts, and here’s hoping its latest campaign strikes fear into the heart of shysters who damage the legal market by operating potentially unsafe flights.
President Brian Humphries recently contacted members, urging them to translate EBAA’s safety concerns in 2010 into real action in 2011. He wrote: “Operating without a valid Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and failing to comply with traffic rights are key concerns for many within the business aviation community. To help eliminate such practices, EBAA has developed a document entitled ‘Is My Flight Legal. Ensure the Safety and Legality of the Business Aircraft you Charter,’ to provide advice and guidance on the subject.”
The document takes the form of an open letter to brokers and customers, asking them to check that their provider is in possession of a valid AOC. Although EBAA doesn’t specify this in its literature, the consequences for customers flying in an illegal flight that suffers an incident could range from huge expense – thanks to lack of insurance – to death. If a service provider is cavalier enough to offer commercial flights without bothering to go through the exacting process of obtaining an AOC, how careful would it be about maintenance, pilot training etc?
It is crucial that business aviation players work together to ensure that flights advertised and arranged are both legally permissible and in compliance with the regulatory safety standards demanded of AOC holders. EBAA’s electronic-only document is addressed to operators and brokers, and it would be more than happy to provide copies to those who wish to use it.
Furthermore, EBAA has created a printed brochure for passengers entitled “Is My Flight Legal. Your Rights as a Business Aircraft Charter Passenger” , which addresses passengers, politicians, authorities and regulators. We urge operators, handlers and brokers to pass these out to clients to ensure they ask the right questions and are aware of the hazards of booking “illegal” flights.
The association asks people wishing to obtain a copy to contact them on info@ebaa.org by 26 January 2011.
EBAA is also asking readers to circulate both brochures (printed and electronic) to their regional and national regulators, authorities and politicians to ensure the widest reach possible for this important information campaign.
If you have any questions or would like to report the promotion or conduct of illegal flights in Europe, I recommend you contact the European Business Aviation Association, which is cooperating with regulators to knock such activity firmly on the head.
http://www.ebaa.org/
