IAOPA Europe Enews April 2023 - Welcome to the IAOPA Europe enews which goes to 23,000 aircraft owners and pilots in 27 countries across the continent

IAOPA present at AERO Friedrichshafen (19-22 April)

The AERO Friedrichshafen is an excellent opportunity for many AOPA members to meet again. IAOPA EU is therefore prominent at the AERO. Discussions this year will focus on the availability of unleaded Avgas 100. The 100-octane unleaded fuel from manufacturer GAMI, approved last year with a far-reaching additional type certificate, will soon be introduced at the first filling stations in the US. We report on the status of this approval in Europe, which other US manufacturers are also seeking approval for their fuels soon and what steps can be expected in the European market.

Another topic is how we can and should make our aircraft electronically visible in the future to be visible to drones. On the one hand, there is of course the cost issue here. But on the other hand, it is also about the safety gains if we can reduce the risk of collisions in airspace through reliable collision warning.

Come to our joint exhibition stand of the national and international AOPA in hall A5, we will be happy to inform you. Surprisingly, safety procedures on the AERO have been updated this year compared to 2022. The search of aircraft and surveillance of occupants by airport staff until taxiing will be dropped, as well as the very long waiting times that resulted. AOPA Germany could play its part in this improvement by drawing the attention of the responsible authority and the airport to the existing possibilities in EU legislation to introduce alternative security measures that guarantee a high level of protection.
 

The aviation trade fair AERO 2023 will take place from 19-22 April. Interest from international exhibitors is once again high. The importance of the show for the entire General Aviation industry is underlined by the high number of stand bookings from key manufacturers, service providers and organizations from around the world, including IAOPA EU.  We are well represented at the fair, with AOPA Germany, Austria and Switzerland leading the way. You find us in Hall 5, stand 201, next to the EASA stand.


AERO Conferences offer visitors added value

Naturally, all the halls at the AERO in Friedrichshafen (and there are quite a few of them) will again be filled with aircraft of all shapes and sizes, focusing on the latest developments and, above all, sustainable flying. And that doesn't just have to be electric flying, by the way.

In this newsletter, we briefly draw attention to the many conferences that will be held during the AERO. Never before has there been such an extensive conference program on the occasion of an AERO.
Safety has the highest priority in aviation. The exchange of information that can positively or negatively influence safety is therefore of paramount importance. With its extensive conference and lecture program, AERO 2023 is an ideal platform for the exchange of information for all those involved in General Aviation, Air Sports and Business Aviation. However, the AERO Conference program not only includes safety-related topics, but also presentations of new products and services as well as an inside of what the future holds for aviation stakeholders. Conferences have become an integral part of AERO that can no longer be done without and offer visitors considerable added value with more than 50 program items every day. As the  AERO Show director Tobias Bretzel says: ‘The high-caliber and international AERO Conferences alone would be reason enough to visit AERO 2023, and as part of the introduction of the new AERO Safety category, we have combined all conferences and presentations on this important aspect.’ 

At the inaugural AERO Hydrogen Summit (April 21, 2023), experts will present the latest findings on hydrogen as an aviation fuel and report on the current state of research and development.
The SETOps conference (April 21, 2023), which will be held for the first time in cooperation with Emerald Media and GAMA at AERO in Friedrichshafen this year after its premiere in Oxford, UK, is aimed particularly at existing and potential operators of single-engine turboprop aircraft, airfields from which these aircraft mainly fly, and authorities, to provide these groups with a common platform for exchange.’
In the Helicopter Hangar in Hall B5, there will once again be a packed program of presentations on many aspects of helicopter topics on all days of the trade show. The program is organized by the German Helicopter Association (DHV).

Further highlights in the conference program are the panels ‘Future of AvGas’ by Fliegermagazin on Wednesday, as well as the AviAll event ‘Diversity in Aviation’ event taking place on Saturday, but also the presentations on careers in aviation as part of the AERO Career Day (April 21, 2023), with which companies will provide information on requirements and prospects.

 

Changes in German airspace

In whatever way you look at it, Germany is an important country for European GA pilots. Many people fly to and from Germany. A number of changes have been made there. Changes to the regulation for VFR flights when flying through areas with fixed transponder obligation (TMZ).

As of 23 March 2023, there has been a change to the procedures in TMZs with listening readiness. This change applies to pilots who are already on the FIS frequency. Here, there will only be one standard procedure throughout Germany - change to the TMZ code and listening standby on the published radar frequency.

As is well known, during transit through a TMZ, the pilot is obliged to switch to the transponder code published on the ICAO chart and to remain on listening alert on the associated frequency, which is also published on the ICAO chart. If the pilot is in contact with the Flight Information Service (FIS) prior to entering a TMZ, the obligation to log off to FIS before switching to the frequency specified for the TMZ shall apply. Deviating from this regulation, up to now there has also been the possibility for the TMZ areas in the area of the FIR Langen and FIR-Bremen to remain on the frequency of the Flight Information Service upon request and after confirmation and to retain the transponder code assigned by FIS. This deviating regulation will now be cancelled. This means that a uniform regulation will apply to all TMZ areas in Germany (with the exception of the TMZ Egelsbach, as this is also designated as an area with compulsory radio communication/ RMZ): When flying through a TMZ, the pilot is obliged (without being asked) to switch the published transponder code for the corresponding TMZ and to maintain listening readiness on the associated frequency. - If there is voice radio contact with FIS before entering a TMZ, the pilot must report to FIS that he is leaving the FIS frequency. Only then will the pilot switch to the published frequency for the TMZ and set the appropriate transponder code. The change has been published in NfL 2023-1-2700.

SafeSky Traffic Awareness Embedded in EasyVFR

EasyVFR 4 now featuring a fully integrated version of SafeSky Premium for optimal traffic monitoring | Enhanced safety and seamless navigation with SafeSky.

The leading provider of in-flight traffic information services, and the proactive situational awareness app EasyVFR, have announced a breakthrough in their quest to offer the most comprehensive in flight information service for pilots. They announced the launch of the fully embedded version of the SafeSky Premium app with EasyVFR 4. This means that pilots can now enjoy the best of both worlds in one seamless service, without needing separate apps.

This new integration is a step forward in delivering the highest standard of safety and comfort with in-flight traffic and navigation. The ability for pilots to access real-time traffic information, weather updates, airspace activations, and accurate navigation data all in one place.

In addition, the SafeSky community now also receives EasyVFR pilot’s positions, which further reinforces SafeSky’s unprecedented traffic awareness and ambition to make the invisible visible.

‘EasyVFR’s mission is to give pilots peace of mind by enhancing situational awareness,’ says Tim Peter, Product & Marketing Lead at EasyVFR. ‘The new EasyVFR 4 Essential app delivers to that. Offering the essential features and official data, always up-to-date – for free. Ensuring confident navigation across all European countries for all airspace users. We are extremely proud to collaborate with SafeSky to now introduce the first navigation app ready for e-Conspicuity and ADS-L.’

‘Our goal at SafeSky has always been to provide our pilots with the most comprehensive and convenient in-flight traffic information services,’ says Tristan Fily, CEO of SafeSky. ‘This new collaboration with EasyVFR offers pilots safety and navigation comfort. Pilots can access both platforms without the need for separate applications. They no longer need to think about launching SafeSky, it will happen automatically.’

 

The GAMA-IAOPA Europe General Aviation Survey is a step forward to gather European General Aviation data every year

In order to make General Aviation in Europe safer, more affordable and more accessible to the wider public, GAMA and IAOPA have undertaken, with the support of EASA and AERO Messe, to improve the understanding of the size, scope and changes happening in GA across Europe. Accurate data about the aircraft and their operation is a fundamental enabler for both regulators and industry to successfully target safety improvement initiatives, promotion and rulemaking. Furthermore, more accurate data about General Aviation in Europe can be used to quantify the economic benefits this sector brings to European society and the economy. This is particularly valuable to support political advocacy, such as encouraging grants for new equipment, maintaining local airfields and advocating for more proportionate safety rules.

The aim of this survey is to reach the maximum possible number of aircraft owners/operators in the majority of the 32 EASA Member States every year to allow accurate and representative estimates to be made about General Aviation aircraft operation. Individual Responses are confidential and will not be shared with either the public or regulators, nor will they be used for marketing or any other commercial purposes.
Aggregated Data (European, National or by aircraft category or operation category) will be made publicly available free of charge and shared with regulators such as EASA to support regulatory impact assessments and other uses. Link to the 2023 survey and pasts reports

Dornier Seastar finally entering production

Dornier Seawings expects its Seastar amphibious aircraft to be certified in the course of this year, with first deliveries to customers in 2024. The German aircraft manufacturer announced this in December 2022. 

The Dornier Seastar is a one-pilot, eleven-passenger amphibian aircraft powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops, made largely of composite materials. The aircraft was developed by Claudius Dornier Jr. of Germany and first flew in 1984. After several bankruptcies, the development of the aircraft was repeatedly shelved, but restarts always followed, followed by repeated announcements that production would start. In November 2018, the Dornier Seawings company received $170 million in funding from Chinese lenders to start a production facility and build a prototype. This prototype flew for the first time on 28 March 2020.

Please keep us informed about the aviation news in your country

If you have any news or things that you would like to share with pilots in other countries - for instance if you organize a Fly-in that might be of interest or if there is news about airports or new rules and regulations in your country that other pilots should know. 
Please don't hesitate to send all your news to me: Gerrit Brand | Netherlands | email: newsletteriaopaeu@hotmail.com, telephone or whatsapp + 31 6 50831893