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Opportunities and challenges in 2014
IAOPA Senior Vice President Martin Robinson writes: Let me begin by wishing all AOPA members throughout Europe a happy New Year. 2014 is likely to be equally busy, if not more busy, than 2013. The European Parliament will begin to dissolve by April as MEPs start their re-election campaigns. By September the next parliament will take over, although it will not start work until about October.
IAOPA Europe will continue its campaign called ‘General Aviation Connecting Europe’ in partnership with the European Business Aircraft Association as we strive to establish a greater presence in Europe at the political level. AOPA Germany’s Managing Director Michael Erb and I have agreed to hire Ulrich Stockmann, a former MEP, for six or seven months to help us achieve greater visibility in the European Parliament. Ulrich is pictured below.
We have cultivated many friends in the Parliament who understand GA. At the end of December I attended a two-day conference on transport at the European Parliament and spoke with Jackie Foster MEP and Brian Simpson MEP. Brian, a supporter of GA, is not standing for re-election, which means there will be a new Chair of the Transport Committee. Jackie Foster hopes to be re-elected and intends to stay with Transport. Talking about the make-up of the next Parliament, the MEPs say the two groups likely to succeed will be the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats, although the right may gain a larger number of seats. Across Europe there is a growing belief that the right wing parties are attracting the interest of more people because so many in
Europe are unhappy with the political situation.
Over the next seven years, European taxpayers funding of transport-related projects will rise from €8 billion to €26 billion. The parliamentarians are calling for more efficient use of this money. Another funding programme called ‘Horizon 20/20 (R&D)’ will have €70 billion available, 50% of which will go into transport research and development, of which €7 billion will go to SESAR.
The Commission is still considering taking infringement action against some states for failing to deliver on Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs), the essential foundations of the Single European Sky. Transport ministers signed up to unlock capacity through FABs but states have failed to deliver, particularly where more than two states have been involved. I believe that Europe made a mistake in trying to rationalise Air Navigation Service Providers; the rules for establishing FABs should have been put in place as well as the legal basis for allowing ANSPs to merge, but the Commission seemed focused on reducing Europe’s 67 air traffic control centres. Infrastructure must be a focus for the next Parliament. Other issues for transport will be noise, and alternative fuels. Europe will demand fewer delays and lower environmental impact. Performance-based navigation will grow across all of Europe’s airspace, and will affect GA IFR operations. Billions of euros will go into large public transport plans and very little into the non-airline sector of aviation, but funding for Galileo will indirectly benefit GA. As ever, the focus will be on the airlines. The Commission still fails to appreciate the needs of GA when it comes to airport and airspace access, and this must change.
On a bright note, all over Europe we see important positions being claimed by people who have a greater understanding of general aviation than those who went before – Patrick Ky at EASA, Patrick Gandil at the DGAC France, Angel Luis Arias at DGAC Spain, Andrew Haines at the UK CAA. This can only be a positive trend for GA, and we welcome it.
AOPA Greece fights secret airspace decisions
AOPA Greece is tackling the Greek CAA over its plans to make serious changes to airspace classifications without consultation with airspace users. Anton Koutsoudakis of AOPA Greece reports that while major changes are required, the way the CAA is moving ahead creates serious doubts about the effectiveness of the final result.
A committee of CAA employees was established and accomplished its task in absolute secrecy, without any contact with airspace users. None of the participants was a pilot and no-one had actual flight operations experience.
As well as being undesirable, the CAA’s move runs counter to European regulations which IAOPA Europe fought hard to establish. Dating from 2004, these regulations require states to “establish consultation mechanisms for appropriate involvement of stakeholders” in airspace changes.
AOPA Greece is strongly opposing this way of action, and is co-ordinating with IAOPA Europe a common approach to this pressing problem.
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Finland's airspace structure is changing
Trafi, the Finnish national aviation authority, has sought feedback from all airspace users regarding proposals by Finavia, the Finnish air service provider, and the Finnish Defence Forces, for a new airspace structure. The proposals are based totally on the needs of CAT and the Finnish Air Forces, and AOPA Finland has protested strongly against all new restrictions and limitations. There was no contact with airlines, nor with AOPA Finland, during the formulation process for these proposals which are so fundamental to all of aviation. As a result of our response, Trafi arranged a meeting to gather all parties together to discuss the most contentious topics – but their only message was that train has left the station, and only minor changes are possible. AOPA Finland will appeal to relevant authorities in order to get the proposals back on the negotiating table in order to promote GA’s interests. For instance, TMAs and CTRs are expanding without justified reason. It is not necessary for such wide areas to be covered as proposed if the ‘upside down wedding cake’ method is applied, dividing the airspace into upper and lower TMAs.
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UK CAA to re-issue FAA certificates
AOPA UK has welcomed the decision by the UK CAA to reissue American pilot certificates, thus saving British pilots who hold FAA tickets from having to fly to the United States to renew their licences.
European pilots who surrender their national licences for an EASA licence are given a new licence number, and if they hold FAA certificates issued on the basis of the old national licence number, these will become invalid. Under American identification rules, pilots have to present themselves in person at an FAA office to get an FAA certificate reissued. However, the UK CAA has arranged with the Americans to reissue FAA certificates held by British pilots in Britain.
Martin Robinson says: “This is a purely bureaucratic change which could have caused serious inconvenience and loss to pilots, and it is very much to the credit of the CAA and the FAA that they have recognised the problem and taken steps to alleviate it.
“Under American rules the applicant must present himself or herself in person for identification purposes, so that means pilots will have to go to the CAA offices at Gatwick during office hours to have FAA certificates reissued. While this is unfortunate, it is infinitely better than having to travel to the United States.
“As is often the case, the UK CAA has shown other European aviation authorities a way forward, and we hope others can adopt this initiative.”
UK pilots are advised to contact the CAA and obtain the relevant information and forms before travelling to Gatwick. More information is available at FCLWEB@caa.co.uk
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AOPA Spain works to safeguard GA airfields
AOPA Spain has joined with companies and pilots using Madrid’s main GA airfield, Cuatro Vientos (LECU), to form a new user working group to strengthen the airfield’s bargaining position and help it fight off attacks from developers or others who would hamper operations.
Rafael Molina of AOPA Spain says Cuatro Vientos is one of the most important GA airfields in the country, serving the Greater Madrid area as the only airfield for general aviation. But is only opened from 9am to sunset and has no IFR approach, with the nearest alternative more than 200 km away. Urban pressures have never gone away, and even in times of economic crisis projects such Eurovegas can threaten the survival of GA airfields.
The new working group at LECU is the first project for AOPA staff at the new offices in Madrid. The meeting included a presentation of the new plans and strategies that AOPA had already approved at the Annual Assembly in Sabadell, held on November 23. The creation of general aviation-friendly airports, the absorption of the Spanish Association of Aerial Works (AECTA) and also a new division for the ultralight sector are all part of the new structure approved at the Annual Assembly.
For 2014, AOPA Spain wants to develop more direct services for the pilot community and build up an even stronger relationship with our national authorities, following the impetus given to GA by Mr Angel Luis Arias, General Director of the DGAC last year, with the adoption of the ‘19 measures to save the GA in Spain’ document presented by AOPA Spain.
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Restrictions on movement for some Finnish airfields
Finland is introducing new laws which adversely affect a number of general aviation airfields, and AOPA Finland is seeking clarification of the government’s intentions. The new statutes say that in order to secure an important activity or property or to protect people, travel to a secured or protected location or its surroundings may be restricted due to a danger posed by or to the location. The bringing of objects or substances that would endanger the safety of the location may be prohibited by Ministry of the Interior decree. A fine may be imposed for violating the restriction, unless a punishment for the act is provided elsewhere in the law.
For some reason, certain GA airfields are under this restriction; Forssa (EFFO), Hanko (EFHN), Nummela (EFNU), Rautavaara (EFRA), Räyskälä (EFRY), Wredeby (EFWB), meaning that all airfield users need to have a prior permission before entering these areas. AOPA Finland is investigating the effects of these restrictions on GA and will address a statement to Ministry of Interior questioning the restrictions in relation to the four guiding principles of the EU.
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AOPA Israel negotiates Cyprus concessions
Yigal Merav reports good news from AOPA Israel: After negotiations with Cypriot international airports management company Hermes, AOPA Israel has reached an agreement to dramatically reduce the landing charges and handling fees collected at Cyprus airports.
Hermes decided to waive landing charges and parking fees for up to two days for AOPA Israel members flying light airplanes with MTOW up to 3000 kg. LGS, the handling company operating at Paphos (LCPH) and Larnaca (LCLK) agreed to reduce charges from about €350 to €70, including parking fees up to 48 hrs.
Unreasonable high charges, which were effective until last week, have prevented Israeli GA pilots from visiting Cyprus, their closest European neighbour, for several years. International AOPA has tried in the past to negotiate with the Cypriot authorities over charges following Israeli and Lebanese complains, but without success.
The new agreement has been reached with the help of Mr Christos Petrou, CEO at Flight Safety Foundation
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Reykjavik city attacks GA at Vatnsmyri
Reykjavik City Council has made its plans for Vatnsmyri Airport public, and the news is bad – they call for all general aviation to be abandoned, including all its housing, hangars and other buildings. It fails to mention where GA should be relocated to.
Haraldur Diego of AOPA Iceland reports that at the moment the airport is home to over 70 planes, a few flying clubs, several maintenance providers, three flight schools, and the Icelandic Aviation Historical Society. In regards to the future location of these facilities and companies, Reykjavik City has no answer. To add insult to injury, the Christmas gift from the City was the announcement of that AOPA Iceland’s Clubhouse should be torn down in the coming year, an announcement AOPA Iceland’s members got to read in the newspapers on the morning of December 23.
VFR Suomi/Finland web service shut down
Finavia, the state-owned Finnish air service provider, is planning to shut down the VFR Suomi/Finland web service. The electronic product VFR Suomi/Finland maintained by Finavia will be withdrawn February 6, 2014. Only the most basic information on uncontrolled aerodromes will be published on AIP, AD 2 EFXX – Uncontrolled aerodromes. AOPA Finland is investigating options to sustain the electronic service and will appeal to relevant authorities in order to cancel the withdrawal of this essential service for GA. In recent years, Finavia has shut down regional briefing offices at airports, introduced the semi-automatic internet flight plan filing system and made unhelpful changes to the aviation weather service. Finavia maintains and develops a network of 25 Finnish airports and the air navigation system which covers the entire country, but unfortunately GA is not very high on their service priority list.
Fly to Ukraine this summer!
AOPA Ukraine is once again involved in organising the annual aviation, motorcycle and rock music festival in Ushgorod, just across the border from Slovakia, and is inviting all AOPA members to visit between July 17 and 20. The festival has become massively popular with bikers and pilots in its previous two years, and details of the programme will be available by the middle of April on the AOPA Ukraine website www.aopa.ua, at which time registration will start. If you’re looking for somewhere different to fly to this year, put Ushgorod in the diary!
Happy New Year to all our IAOPA friends, from Airsoc
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