IAOPA-Europe e-newsletter, June
2007
Welcome to the monthly e-newsletter of
IAOPA Europe, which goes out to 23,000 aircraft owners and pilots across
the continent
SPONSOR'S MESSAGE
Pay 0% VAT on your next aircraft
If
you are buying, selling, importing or operating an aircraft - THINK
ABOUT THE VAT. We can assist private or corporate aircraft owners and
operators inside or outside the EU and have handled more aircraft than
all other providers combined.
Call us for the best solutions and
references available. Tel: +45 70 20 00 51.
Language
barrier
IAOPA President Phil Boyer has
written the President of ICAO protesting about new English language
proficiency requirements for VFR pilots, and urging a delay in the
imposition of the requirements and exemptions for private pilots
operating under VFR.
In a letter to ICAO’s Roberto
Gonzales, Boyer says that forcing all pilots to qualify for Level 4
English language proficiency – a relatively high level of fluency – will
have a “significant negative impact” on general aviation, particularly
in Europe.
“Qualifying for Level 4
proficiency will require hundreds of hours of training for many, and
costly testing for hundreds of thousands of pilots who may only
occasionally use language as required by the ICAO standard,” Boyer says.
He points out that IAOPA has
twice petitioned the ICAO Secretariat to modify the language proficiency
requirements for pilots operating under VFR, and says that the
requirements are “unnecessary for the safety and efficiency of the air
traffic control system” under visual flight rules in non-complex
airspace. “The high costs and time required to meet this requirement
cannot be justified for the few times a VFR pilot may be required to
contact an air traffic control facility. Yet the Secretariat has denied
both of our petitions, based on anecdotal evidence provided by a few
members of the Air Navigation Commission.”
Pointing out that most AOPA
members operating under VFR will have their activities severely
restricted if they cannot readily cross national borders, Boyer asks
that ICAO reconsider IAOPA’s petitions to modify the requirements for
language proficiency for VFR operations, and employ risk analysis
techniques to properly consider the factors involved.
In addition, Boyer points out
that many states are simply not ready to meet ICAO requirements even at
the professional flying level by its deadline of March 8, 2008. The
requirement will certainly enhance safety in the IRF environment, he
says, but adds: “For the new standard to be truly effective all IFR
participants and those operating in complex airspace must comply with
the standard. It will require just one participant with inadequate
language proficiency, be it on the ground or in the air, to create an
unsafe condition.”
But the evidence is that some
states will not be capable of testing or certifying all their pilots by
the deadline. Even so, it will be assumed that after Match 2008 everyone
will be in compliance, raising the level of risk without the knowledge
of those involved. Boyer goes on: “Additionally, unprepared states may
be tempted to rush the certification process, providing less than fully
qualified personnel to operate within the air traffic control system.”
Two ICAO Air Navigation Bureau questionnaires on the subject failed to
yield adequate responses from states, he adds.
As well as the VFR exemptions,
Boyer seeks a delay in the implementation of the language requirements
“until such time that all applicable personnel within a clear majority
of contracting states meet those requirements.”
Pilots
presumed guilty
The new mania for
criminalising pilots has infected Sweden, where all pilots must now
prove they are innocent of any crime before they can be admitted to
airports, or to obtain a pilot’s licence. AOPA-Sweden has protested
against pilots being forced to provide proof of non-conviction to the
Swedish Civil Aviation Authority in order to obtain a card which permits
entrance to airports, but is not optimistic that the law will be deleted.
Swedish pilots, or would-be
pilots, must obtain a document from the convictions register stating
that they are innocent of any crime. Not only are they presumed guilty
until they can prove their innocence, but the non-conviction document
incurs a cost.
The authorities say they are
doing this to combat terrorism, and are blind to the fact that they are
closing the stable door after the horse bolted on September 11, 2000.
They seem to be concerned solely to be seen to be doing something,
however pointless or counter-productive.
German authorities began
attempting to impose similar requirements on pilots two years ago, but
AOPA-Germany fought the move partly on the grounds that it would apply
only to German pilots, while those from any other country could come and
go as they pleased. The Germans are now attempting to have a
“presumption of guilt” imposed on all European pilots. Other countries
with less authoritarian approaches are concerned about depriving pilots
of basic civil liberties, as well as alienating them. In the UK, which
has longer experience of terrorism than most other European countries,
GA pilots act as the “eyes and ears” of counter-terrorist groups at
airfields, and are best-placed to spot suspicious activity. The
authorities are not keen to jeopardise that relationship. Furthermore,
AOPA-UK has pointed out that not a single one of the September 11th
terrorists, or those who bombed the London Underground on July 7th 2005,
had any criminal convictions.
Sweden, however, ignores all
of this. Fredrik Brandel of AOPA-Sweden says: “The rule in a civilised
society is that any person is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.
The Civil Aviation Authority has taken an opposite view and wants every
pilot to prove his innocence. We doubt very much that a terrorist would
bother to study to become a pilot, despite the terror attack on 11th
September, since there are much easier ways to cause damage to society.
Furthermore, if you have committed a minor crime many years ago, are you
then not suitable to be a pilot? Conversely, are you automatically a
decent pilot if you have not been not convicted?
“AOPA-Sweden has protested to
this to the Civil Aviation Authority. A similar letter has been sent to
the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communication urging them to stop
implementing this rule, and not to exercise its right to ask for an
extract from the convictions register, and at the very least not to
charge the pilots for this. The Civil Aviation Authority answered us by
stating the rules, which we already knew, and arguing that there is no
conflict with personal integrity.
“Unfortunately there will most
likely be no change in this matter, but it is important that everybody
protests to governments when they impose restrictions to citizens.
Otherwise any infringements can be excused by referring to protection
from terrorist attacks.”
It might also be added that by
chipping away at the civil liberties of pilots, the authorities begin to
do the work of the terrorists.
EASA update
Jacob Pedersen of AOPA-Denmark
reports that the progress of EASA’s MDM032, on which he represents
IAOPA-Europe, has slowed dramatically after they received an
overwhelming number of responses following the Advance Notice of
Proposed Amendment last October. He believes they will have a comment
response document ready over the summer. But here is Jacob’s update on
some of the most important issues:
Continuing
Airworthiness and Maintenance:
Based on the ANPA, the group
has recommended a number of changes to Part M to make it workable for
light aircraft in non-commmercial operations. An NPA is scheduled to go
out in June. The MDM032 group is very concerned that national
authorities are pressing ahead with the implementation of the current
Part M not knowing or taking into account the fact that significant
simplifications are on the way. The group has therefore recommended that
EASA directly informs the national authorities that new and lighter
regulation is upcoming, so we hopefully avoid a situation in which some
countries implement a very rigid maintenance framework for a short
period, then loosen up afterwards.
Ops:
The MDM032 working group has
recommended that the essential requirements in the 1592/2002 proposal
constitute the ops requirements for light aircraft of less than 2000kg
in Europe. Only in a few cases might it be required to have additional
implementing rules, particularly for equipment requirements and for
things like VFR fuel reserves, where the essential requirements do not
specify a limit such as ICAO’s 30 minutes. This implies that the future
ops rules for light aircraft below 2000kg will be kept at a very basic
level and will not go beyond ICAO requirements.
Licensing:
A subgroup of MDM032 is
looking at the licensing issues for the Light Aircraft Pilot License
(LAPL) which will be valid for aircraft below 2000kg. The term
Recreational Pilot License is thankfully no longer used, after pressure
from IAOPA. IAOPA is represented in the subgroup by Jo Konrad. The group
had its first meeting on April 23rd. The group’s first task is to
evaluate existing national licensing systems in Europe, including
medical requirements.
Initial
Airworthiness:
The MDM032 group is working on
a concept for a simplified type certification process which might be
based on industry standards such as ASTM or others. Type certificates
and airworthiness directives will continue to be issued by EASA.
Spanish rally
Good news from Spain, where
authorities in the province of Jaén show signs of becoming more
air-minded and aviation-friendly. The long weekend of the first of May
was chosen by the Aeroclub of Barcelona-Sabadell and the authorities of
Jaén to organise an air rally for light airplanes and microlights. Jaén,
in the heart of Andalucia, has been declared “Province of the Air” and
is holding a series of events throughout 2007 to promote air sports. The
Rally of Jaén had the support of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and
Commerce.
The programme included guided
tours to some of the most beautiful cities in Jaén, the museum of olive
oil, which included an oil tasting, local flights to discover the beauty
of the country from the air, and very good food.
As part of the programme,
AOPA-Spain was invited to give a presentation of the latest news from
EASA, Eurocontrol and ICAO affecting general aviation, and about how
AOPA in Spain and IAOPA at international level is working to protect GA.
Marlies Campi, President of AOPA-Spain, had the opportunity to talk to
the Minister of Industry, who is an active private pilot and an Honorary
Member of AOPA-Spain, and to the President of the provincial government
of Jaén, about promoting GA in the area. Jaén offers a great potential
for soaring, gliding, mountain or bush flying, with miles and miles of
hills and medium-sized mountain ranges and good weather all year round.
There is one single aerodrome accessible to GA aircraft in the whole
province, and no airport. A proposal made by AOPA-Spain to Jaen’s
authorities is to establish a network of small airfields, aerodromes and
grass strips to allow GA in all its forms to develop: soaring,
microlights, light airplanes, flight training. These airfields could be
made with public and private funds, should have fuel, and should offer a
taxi service or car rental. The idea is to start small, paving the way
for future growth. AOPA-Spain will continue to advise the local
authorities on the implementation of this plan.
SPONSOR'S MESSAGE
Pay 0% VAT on your
next aircraft
If
you are buying, selling, importing or operating an aircraft - THINK
ABOUT THE VAT. We can assist private or corporate aircraft owners and
operators inside or outside the EU and have handled more aircraft than
all other providers combined.
Call us for the best solutions and
references available. Tel: +45 70 20 00 51.
|
