Plenty of news at AERO Friedrichshafen 2017. A source of inspiration for pilots.

This year AERO Friedrichshafen took place for the 25th time. With over 700 exhibitors the whole General Aviation community of Europe was represented in abundance. Anything you can imagine with regards to aviation was to be seen at AERO 2017. From ultralights and glider planes to single and multi-engine airplanes, personal jets and business jets. Every aviation brand appeared at the largest aviation fair of Europe.

Of course, IAOPA Europe was also present with a nice big booth, funny enough standing back to back with the stand of EASA, which presented their new GA Roadmap project under the headline “lighter, better simpler rules for General Aviation”. We spotted many friends like Craig Spence, Secretary General of IAOPA, who had come specially for the exhibition from the US, and of course the newly appointed Vice-President Dr. Michael Erb, who is in control of IAOPA Europe since January this year.
The IAOPA stand is funded by AOPA Germany, Austria and Switzerland and IAOPA Europe. "AERO Friedrichshafen is the place where the European flight enthusiasts meet and where the aircraft manufacturers and other companies in the GA industry display their latest developments. The place to be. Here we meet our members and widely - not unimportant - we meet new people who are eager to join the club, "says Michael Erb.

But passion for flying is the central thing for everyone who visits the AERO. Everyone’s enthusiasm is great: an eye for detail, great interest in the latest technology, products and services and last but not least of course the fun to meet old friends again, like Andrei Zincenco, president of AOPA Romania, who enthusiastically showed us the fantastic Tecnam P 2012, a twin-engine plane with seating for two pilots and nine passengers. The 2012, in contrast to the also twin-engined 2006 does not use Rotax- but Lycoming engines. What a cool plane! Specially built for the US company Cape Air and intended to carry passengers to and from the islands at the American east coast.

We have seen the most beautiful aircraft. Striking was the large number of MLA’s from Eastern Europe. In countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia reigns a true MLA industry. MLA’s or ULV or whatever you call them come closer and closer to the "normal" motor planes. Certainly in terms of performance and equipment. Makes you also wonder what the difference between motor planes and MLA’s still is. For AOPA a good question. AOPA tends to want to drop the distinction. Anyway AOPA does consider MLA pilots as complete pilots and we love to include them in our ranks.
At the fair we saw planes from various companies including ATEC Aircraft from the Czech Republic, JH Aircraft from Germany with the Corsair, JBM Aircraft, SEA (nice name that stands for Swiss Excellence Airplanes), Shark AERO, Como Ikarus Aero Pole, ICP, Gramex and Remos etc. We could go on for a while.

A separate category is formed by the aircraft of the future. More than the MLA’s who originally were designed as a kind of simplified planes to evade the extensive demands from the authorities on aircraft, and who are becoming more and more ‘normal’ motor planes, the electrically powered airplanes are the planes of the future. The technology is still somewhat in its infancy but will soon, like in the automotive industry have been developed so much that we will consider it normal to fly a plane powered by an electric engine. At least that is what the evangelists of electric aircraft believe in. If electricity is really that clean and environmental friendly is questionable. Electricity too must be generated and as long as that is not everywhere done by means of solar and wind power, generating electricity also throws CO2 into the air.

The E-Flight-Expo Hall showed some nice planes. Like a small plane by Swiss Hangar 55, formerly called Twister, but now being developed as an electric aerobatic plane under the label of watch brand Hamilton.

AERO 2017 showed some completely new planes, like the Tecnam P2012. And Cirrus showed some new variations on the 20 and 22 models, named G6, and of course the impressive Vision Jet. Pipistrel presented the Panthera (which should actually already have been presented in 2012), and they also brought an LSA, the Virus SW 212, an all-electric aircraft that was showed in the E-flight hall. ICP proposed the Ventura, which is available as SLA, VLA and experimental. It is a kit-plane with a Lycoming IO-320 engine of 160 hp. Weighs 800 kg, and is capable of transporting four people. The acclaimed Diamond from Austria showed a Diesel Electric Hybrid plane, based on the DA-40, and more conventional, a new Diesel-powered “wide-body” single engine named DA50. We could go on for a while.

Interesting also to notice that in the media (newspapers, magazine and press information) present at the fair, there was focus on the action of AOPA to apply for an EU grant for aircraft owners to recover some of the cost (between 20% and 85% of the purchase price and installation cost) now that they required to replace existing VHF equipment by 8.33 kHz radio equipment.

EU financial support for conversion to 8.33 radio equipment

Who would have believed a year ago that public authorities partly co-finance the forced retrofitting of the avionics of our aircraft to a new standard?

But the British aviation authority announced in the summer of 2016 that they received more than 4 million euros from Brussels for a retrofit of the British aircraft with new 8.33 kHz radios. The criticism, which has been repeatedly uttered by AOPA, has clearly shown that it cannot be that general aviation is always disadvantaged in air traffic management projects. In official cost-benefit calculations it is regularly determined that the GA has no recognizable benefit from the introduction of new technologies such as Mode-S transponders and 8.33 kHz radios, in contrast to airlines and air traffic control, but has to pay the full costs.

However, the British example has encouraged us so that a consortium headed by the IAOPA Europe and Helios, with the support of Eurocontrol and the national aviation authorities, has applied to the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) for the cost of retrofitting radio equipment with the new 8.33 kHz channel spacing. Aircraft operators of General Aviation (from balloons, ULs and helicopters to conventional aircraft) and aerodromes are now requested to register and can then apply for refunds.

If the proposal of our consortium is successful, a decision of the INEA is expected in the coming months, a reimbursement of at least 20% of the costs will ease the financial burden for all aircraft and airfields in no less than 19 countries. The necessary upgrades will cost up to 147 million euros. The participating countries are Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland. We are sorry that some countries have not been able to register in time, but it seems that there will be possibilities for next year.

In total, we applied for nearly 37 million euros in grants, which would support the upgrade costs for over 26,000 aircraft.

We recommend that those affected register immediately and plan an upgrade within the deadlines of the project period. It is a very simple online-application procedure and the interested parties do not need to submit any documents at this stage. IAOPA Europe invites all aircraft and airfield operators who are resident or registered in the participating countries to be informed and pre-registered on the website http://833.iaopa.eu. Membership in AOPA or in another association is not a prerequisite for participation. The refunds will be available to any aircraft owner who has equipped the radios after 7 February 2017. The funds are awarded according to the principle "first come, first served".

The reduction of the frequency separation from 25 kHz to 8.33 kHz is mandatory by the EU with Regulation 1079/2012, from 31 December 2017 it applies also to all VFR aircraft. The upper airspace has already been converted and now the airspace below FL195 is affected, which is mainly used by General Aviation. The new regulations affect all radios operated in the 117.975-137 MHz band (VHF band) - both air and ground-based.

We continue to believe that an efficient Frequency Management would have made the introduction of the 8.33 kHz frequency offset unnecessary.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Question: How much funding can I apply for? In most of the states you can expect funding for 20% of your purchase and installation costs. The following limits apply to the eligible costs (purchase and installation): Fixed built-in Nav / Comm systems € 17,000 Fixed radio € 7,000 Mobile radio € 1,500. The funding percentage can be with up to 85% significantly higher in some European Cohesion states. For details please refer to our website.

A maximum number of aircraft per applicant is not set. An upper limit of € 300,000 for the promotion i.e.
a maximum refund of € 60,000 per applicant. There is an upper limit of € 17,000 per aircraft, i.e. a maximum refund of € 3,400 per aircraft.

Question: Are used equipment also promoted?
Yes, as long as there is a purchase document and the purchase has been made after February 7, 2017.

Question: Do I have to pay for funding?
Yes. Unfortunately, a small processing fee of 1,5% of the overall cost is required if you apply for funding - that is, when the conversion has been completed, submit all supporting documents and request the refund. 

Michael Erb appointed Senior Vice-President IAOPA

For who missed it: In a memorandum that was published on 12^th January 2017 IAOPA president Mark Baker appointed Dr Michael Erb Senior Vice-President of IAOPA Europe, which puts him in the lead of the 28 European IAOPA affiliates and declares him number 2 in the formal IAOPA hierarchy.

Michael Erb (49) is managing director of AOPA-Germany for 16 years, he is an Economist, married and has two children. Erb has been flying since 1992 and holds a PPL with an Instrument Rating, his homebase is Egelsbach (EDFE) south of Frankfurt, where AOPA-Germany has its office. He is the successor of Martin Robinson (AOPA UK) who has been senior-vice president of IAOPA Europe for 8 years. IAOPA Europe is grateful to Robinson for the work he has done for the organization, one of his great achievements was his contribution to the change of mind in EASA, which finally lead to the publication of the new European General Aviation Strategy and later on to EASA´s innovative General Aviation Roadmap project.

Other people who were appointed vice-president for their regions are: Bernard Gervais, (COPA), North American Region, Hao Jianhua, (China), Asian Region, Chris Martinus, (South Africa), Africa/Middle East Region, Jaime Fabrega, (Panama), South American Region, Phillip Reiss, (Australia), Pacific Region. Ken Mead has been reappointed to IAOPA Chief Counsel, Erica Saccoia has been reappointed as Treasurer, and Craig Spence has been reappointed as secretary General of IAOPA.

Registration Now Open for 2018 IAOPA World Assembly

AOPA New Zealand started life as the Kittyhawk Flying Club in 1969, adopted the AOPA banner in 1978 before joining IAOPA in 1985. It has an active membership totaling just over 1,000 members and not only organizes regular fly-ins that can attract 100 planes, but also plays an active and leading role in advocating for the pilot's rights with our Government regulator. New Zealand is a country with a proud history of flight and has played its part in aviation activities throughout the world in both the civil and military arenas. New Zealand has a population of just 4.5 million but have an aircraft register with over 4,700 aircraft including 870 helicopters. That is one aircraft for every 965 people.

Ian Andrews, president of AOPA New Zealand is delighted to be hosting the 2018, 29th International AOPA Assembly in the world enowned resort of Queenstown. This most scenic of destination resorts has a reputation for providing the best recreational facilities in the world where everything from bungee jumping to white water rafting or just relaxing is at your fingertips.

AOPA New Zealand has put together a great program and by choosing Queenstown as the venue, we will be locating you right where all the activities are. Starting on 25th March 2018 and finishing on 29th March 2018, the 29th World Assembly coincides with the start of the "Warbirds over Wanaka" air show. We have organized a follow-on event for the two-day air show. On behalf of our AOPA New Zealand organizing committee I invite you to join us in New Zealand for the 29th IAOPA World Assembly and enjoy our hospitality in stunning surroundings while working to achieve some more milestones for our general aviation community. For more information and to register go to www.iaopa2018.com.

EU permits commercial IFR flights with single-engine turbines

Already at JAA times more than 20 years ago on such a regulation had been worked, but all approaches failed. The project "Commercial Single Engine Turbine in IMC", or SET-IMC, of EASA now brings the long-awaited breakthrough in the European legislation. Single-engine turboprops and jets are now allowed to carry out commercial passenger flights, like in the USA, under instrument flying conditions, as well as at night, since EU Regulation 2017/363 was published on 3 March 2017. Certain conditions apply, the operator must ensure that the operation is carried out only on routes and in areas where a safe emergency landing is possible. A commercial operator therefore has to list a network of suitable emergency landing areas for its flights, which is a solvable problem in Central Europe due to the high density of airfields and with planes with a good glide ratio, such as the Pilatus PC12, the PA46T or the TBM series. Also, the aircraft patterns used must have demonstrated a very high degree of reliability.

We welcome this step very much and assume that a number of aviation companies will conquer new markets with these single-engine turboprops, which until now could not be used with two-engine models

New rules in Germany, Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZ)

On the German VFR map there are some Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZ) as from March 30, 2017, for example: TMZ code 6104, plus the name and frequency of the ATC. One is then subjected to a very urgent advice (more or less a requirement) to set the transponder at 6104 (and not the standard 7000 code), to listen out ATC at the specified frequency. The United Kingdom used this method for several years.

There is almost always a class E area involved, surrounding or adjacent to an airport where IFR traffic lands and leaves. In case of danger ATC from a nearby field can call the VFR traffic. Usually VFR traffic is listening but not on the frequency of the nearby field. Therefore all VFR traffic in the relevant TMZ is now asked urgently to select the specified frequency and is given already in advance the transponder code.

The new method is referred to as "TMZ with air-ground voice communication watch".

One is not meant to call ATC (causes unnecessary workload). The selection of the transponder code specified on the card is sufficient and allows ATC to know the whereabouts of the plane that if necessary, can be called up.

If one is in contact with a Flight Information Service for example Langen info, the advice is to report that one is leaving the frequency for Langen Radar for crossing let’s say TMZ Münster. It may then be that the controller responds that there is no need to change.

Upon leaving the TMZ one switches back to the previous frequency, either to 7000 or to the code that has previously been received from the Flight Info Service (FIS).

The details can be read in AIC AIP, VFR 01/17 16 MAR 2017:

1. In Germany, transponder mandatory zones (TMZ) surround individual airports to Increase the protection or IFR arrivals / departures from unknown VFR flights in thesis areas (airspace class E). Although the air navigation services receive information (aircraft identification, position and altitude) about VFR aircraft flying in the TMZ, it is gene rally not possible to establishement contact with an individual VFR aircraft, e.g. in the case of a potential conflict with an IFR aircraft. In light of this, the concept of "TMZ with air-ground voice communication watch" has been developed to increasement air safety.

2. TMZ with air-ground voice communication watch. Unlike a radio mandatory zone (RMZ) where VFR all pilots are required to report to ATC before entering the airspace, the "TMZ with air-ground voice communication watch" does not require pilots to Actively establishement radio contact. The urgent recommendation Is that pilots select the (responsible air traffic controller's) frequency published for the relevant TMZ in the chart ICAO 1: 500 000 When entering the TMZ and maintain listening watch. Air-ground voice communication watch Allows controllers to providence information about IFR aircraft taking off or landing to all VFR pilots listening to the frequency, eg by Means of a broadcast, or to directly address an individual VFR aircraft in the case of a potential conflict and to providence advice. The controller shouldering be aware of the pilot's air-ground communication watch. The following supplementary regulation supports this: In Addition to the "frequency monitor", a special "listening squawk" (frequency monitoring code) will be published for every TMZ. When VFR pilots set this code, They indicate thatthey are Maintaining air-ground voice communication watch on the respective frequency and can be Addressed directly, if necessary. Contact Shall be established by the air traffic controller. Radio communication itself May be Conducted in German.

After leaving the TMZ and the correspondance thing radio frequency, the transponder shall be Reset to Code 7000

3. This recommendation is scheduled to be Implemented on MAR 30, 2017. All TMZs established in Germany (see below) will be shown on the chart ICAO 1: 500 000 With Their respective transponder code and associated frequency monitor. - Dortmund - Friedrichshafen - Hahn - Hamburg (up to FL 100) - Hanover (up to FL 100) - Luxembourg - Memmingen - Muenster-Osnabrueck - Niederrhein - Nürnberg (up to FL 100) - Paderborn - Saarbruecken

IAOPA Joins in Calling for Better GA Data in Europe

In 2008, the EU Parliament called upon the Commission to address the lack of basic statistics available to analyze Europe's diverse general aviation (GA) fleet – a prerequisite for effective regulation, and ultimately better safety. Years later, the issue remains unresolved. The Parliament has restated the need to address this in its 2015 position on the implementation of White Paper on Transport. IAOPA together with GAMA and other associations are calling for this issue to be urgently addressed in the EASA Basic Regulation update, currently being debated by the Parliament (Marinescu Report) and the Council.

The Status Quo is not acceptable. A key aspect of appropriate safety regulation is knowing what actually needs to be regulated. Currently there is almost no data available to understand GA activity across Europe. National Aviation Authorities already collect basic information on aircraft, pilots, etc. but many do not publish it, do not analyze it, or do not archive it. Many Member States are reluctant to pool existing statistics – despite the value for safety and the negligible cost impact. Voluntary attempts to share this data with Eurostat, ECAC, etc. have proven unsuccessful over many years. Without data, how can authorities effectively regulate this sector? This is completely at odds with the Commission's priority of 'Better Regulation'.

Why do we need better data? Better regulation can only be achieved by knowing what to regulate. Currently, we do not have a good idea of GA activity, so we cannot measure the impact of the regulation. Furthermore, a good data picture aids safety analysis; 1 fatality for every 100,000 hours flown is doubly safe as 1 fatality for every 50,000 hours flown.

What is needed? Only aggregate data (i.e. no individual information) need be shared: • Number of aircraft, categorized by type • Number of registered pilots, in logical categories • Hours flown, by model of aircraft where possible (depending on each Member State) This existing data, sent to a repository by national authorities’ statistical departments once a year would already be enough to begin to improve safety.

How can we achieve this? • The update of EASA's Basic Regulation 216/2008 provides the best means to address this through the proposed Repository of EU-wide safety Information (Art. 63). • Parliament's position supporting a specific reference in the proposal (Art. 63.1.ma) is essential to guide the future detailed implementing rules. • The GA Community, having suffered from over-regulation for many years, would supplement this data with an annual EU-wide survey. However, no new reporting mandates for the community would be appropriate. For more information, read the report online.

Flightradar24, Harmless App or Privacy Problem?

Two pilots have contacted AOPA Germany because they consider it inadmissible that the website of Flightradar24.com, which is very popular with pilots and aviation enthusiasts, provides the movement data of private aircraft "realtime" with an indication of aircraft identification on the Internet. Although data suppression may be requested by the website operator, the complainants wish to ensure that such data is only displayed with the express consent of the aircraft owner. The question is, what is provided for this by the law, in Germany and elsewhere. In Google Street View, for example, the legal situation is that all houses are mapped, unless the home owner actively repels the image. However, drivers have a general claim that their street signs are rendered unrecognizable at Google Street View. AOPA Germany tries to clarify the legal situation at Flightradar24. To get a picture of your mood, how you think about it, please write us your opinion, also here best by email at newsletteriaopaeu@hotmail.com.

Luigi Pascale, founder of TECNAM Aircraft, died

TECNAM sadly announced that its founder prof. Luigi Pascale, died unexpectedly on March 14, 2017 after a brief illness.

Paolo Pascale, CEO and nephew of the Professore, commented, “It is with great sadness that we announce today the passing of my uncle prof. Luigi Pascale.  He was incredibly proud of TECNAM and all its employees, and we will all miss him greatly.  His drive to excellence, determination, can-do spirit and commitment to our Company will inspire and stay with us always.”

Luigi Pascale

Luigi “Gino” Pascale was 93 years old, native of Naples, Italy, whose passion for aviation began during the 1930’s when with his brother Giovanni “Nino” they won many model plane races. The two brothers built their first aircraft, the P48 Astore, which flew on the 2nd of April 1951.
At the time the Professor Luigi had just graduated with a Master Degree as a Mechanical Engineer (the Department of Aeronautical Engineering was created later by the Professor Pascale himself) and started his career at the University of Naples as assistant of Professor Nobile. Umberto Nobile was also an outstanding aviation character, undertaking the first expedition to North Pole with an airship.
Gaining his Pilot’s License is 1951; Professor Pascale designed and built a number of competition winning ‘race’ planes including the P55 Tornado.
Founding PARTENAVIA in 1957 he began building General Aviation planes ‘for everyone’. Aircraft such as the P64 Oscar and P66 became bestsellers and firm favorites as training aircraft and led to his innovative P68 light twin design.
In 1986 the two Pascale brothers founded TECNAM, and Professor Pascale’s first design, the P92 has now flown 200,000 hours with over 2,500 in service worldwide. With Partenavia and TECNAM more than 7000 aircraft have been delivered worldwide.
His last design, the Tecnam P2012 Traveller is set to transform Regional commercial aviation and is currently being flight tested. Professor Pascale has received numerous accolades and awards including the ‘Paul Tissandier diploma’ from Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the ‘Aeroplano d’Argento’ and the ‘Flieger Magazin’ Award. Last year Seconda Università of Naples (SUN) has conferred on Professor Luigi Pascale, its highest accolade, an Honorary Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering.

Professor Luigi Pascale received many awards as designer:

Paul Tissandier diploma from Federation Aeronautique Internationale
Aeroplano d’Argento (Silver Plane) from UGAI (Italian Aerospace Journalist Association)
AirPress diploma
Diploma di Merito Accademia Pontaniana
Flieger Magazin Award 2013
Honorary Degree Aerospace Engineering 2016
LAMA Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association Award

On the picture Luigi Pascale at the AOPA VFR meeting 2016, wearing the AOPA Italy cap.

AOPA Finland member card is smart

AOPA Finland and Finavia, national ANSP, agreed at the end of last year that Finavia will allow AOPA Finland to integrate smart card readers into the wireless access control system at airports. AOPA Finland member card is equipped with RFID tag which is compatible with Finavia's wireless access control system. Just swiping the member card near the reader the gate will open. As soon as this integration work has been finished all AOPA Finland members will have hassle free access to their aircrafts on GA aprons of Finavia aerodromes.

Currently all pilots have to make a call to access control center to get the gate open but in a near future AOPA Finland members will have smooth access through the gates to their aircrafts without dialing any calls to anyone with their mobile phones. 

AOPA Finland organizing theoretical knowledge examinations

As it's laid in FCL.025 Theoretical knowledge examinations for the issue of licenses of EU Commission Regulation (EU) 1178/2011, the applicant shall take the entire set of examinations for a specific license or rating under the responsibility of one Member State.

Finland CAA, Trafi, and AOPA Finland representatives signed the agreement earlier this month that allows AOPA Finland to organize and control under the monitoring of Trafi the theoretical knowledge examinations for all licenses and ratings. Dedicated persons of AOPA Finland will organise and supervise the theoretical knowledge examinations in all approved premises around Finland. This agreement is first of this kind in GA history of Finland, where leading General Aviation advocacy organization takes the responsibility to promote equal rights and easy access to theoretical tests of aviation around the Finland. So far theory tests have been organized only in few cities like Helsinki, Rovaniemi and Lappeenranta by CAA which will continue organizing examinations along with AOPA Finland.

The agreement is further proof of AOPA Finland's resolute strategy to provide services and added value to General Aviation community of Finland.
 

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