Results General Aviation Survey 2021
We can present the final version of the first report from our data gathering work in Europe.
As you know the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), with the support of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), last year launched the 2021 European General Aviation Survey.
This was already the third edition, of the GA Survey which started in 2019. Kyle Martin, Vice President - European Affairs, GAMA said: "We are immensely grateful to the pilots and aircraft owners from all across Europe who take the time to share their flight hours and related data, as well as their views on the key issues facing our sector. This important information helps us focus our priorities to support the industry.”
Dominique Roland, Head of Head of Policy, Innovation & Knowledge Department, EASA,added: “I am convinced, since many years, that GA in Europe will develop when we can build-up a strategy based on the analysis of data. This is why we have welcomed the initiative taken by GAMA and IAOPA last year, and we are extremely pleased to see it reconducted this year. The buy-in of the GA community is essential, and I hope the repetition of the survey will convince more and more GA actors to contribute.”
And last but not least Dr Michael Erb, Senior Vice President of IAOPA: “Every GA pilot knows that it is not possible to navigate precisely and safely without reliable navigational data. The GA Associations and Aviation Authorities are in a very similar situation: One can't provide targeted support for the industry without fundamental data about its situation, in terms of the number of flight hours, annual revenues, equipage of the aircraft and without knowledge about where the pilots and aircraft owners see problems. Therefore, especially in the challenging times of the COVID pandemic, it is good to see that so many people participated again in last year´s survey.
Despite challenges presented by the pandemic, the 2021 survey was successful in gathering responses for over 2500 general aviation aircraft from 40 European countries. Its results are used by EASA in their Annual Safety Review to calculate accident rates for Non-Commercial Aeroplanes as well as supporting regulatory impact assessments and promoting the benefits general aviation brings to the European economy. Click here for the results of the 2021 survey, and don’t forget to participate (via the same link/page) in the 2022 Survey.
First AviAll (Aviation for All) event for inclusion and diversity
Thursday the 25th of January at 16.00. Mark this date and time in your agenda and join the first AviAll – Aviation for All event to create an Aviation Industry for All.
AviAll believes that there is (or should be) a world in which the aviation industry is diverse and inclusive for all. They are willing to take on the challenge of changing the world of aviation. Words like “Engage”, “Advancement”, “Diversity & Inclusion” and “Leadership” are the pillars that AviAll is building it’s foundation on. Diversity and Inclusion are high on everyone’s agenda in the Aviation Industry.
AviAll wants to build a platform that will raise awareness, where the best practices can be exchanged, where people are encouraged, and even where specific training to the aviation environment is developed and shared. The online event on the 25th of January must be seen as a start.
You are invited to participate in the event and to see what AviAll stands for. There will be a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion in the Aviation Industry that will bring diverse and inspiring views of distinguished industry professionals from the European Commission, EUROCONTROL, EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and two European ANSPs – Skyguide and LVNL. The event is held with the support of GAMA - General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Women in Transport and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.
AviAll: ‘We cannot make the change on our own, we need your support to take on this challenge!’ Therefore, if you are willing to dedicate some of your time to this important cause, join the event! Registration: http://shorturl.at/bwxM7 Love to see you there!
Discussion on Language proficiency
There is an ongoing discussion about the usefulness and requirements for Language Proficiency of GA pilots. Frank Hofmann, the IAOPA representative to ICAO, raised questions regarding Language Proficiency to the experts within ICAO.
Hofmann: ‘One of the questions I had was about the lack of proportionality in the rating scale, based on risk and type of operation. As well the variation of costs for the test and its composition was discussed. Then also the fact that because of the Cat 4 being pass-fail line, for ATCOS, A-380 pilots and LAPL pilots alike, there remained the question of why that line is not excessive for LAPL pilots and inadequate for Commercial pilots. I was offered that the existence of 1-3 is to let the applicant know what he has to do to get ready for cat 4, and for the 4-6 group what the frequency of re-examination is to be. It was also offered that GA pilots may in fact be in need of higher language skills because the pilots operate in less-controlled environments.’
ICAO headquarters is aware of the problem of pilots ‘test shopping’ for States offering cheaper tests or using more liberal standards, all made possible by on-line tests. ‘The on-line testing has proved to be a problem because discrepancies are easily created by on-line shopping of testing agencies. Apparently the proficiency problems pilots face do not originate in ICAO HQ but rather in States in the region who do not implement the standards equally. I was advised that if there are complaints that they should be notified to the ICAO Regional office in Paris.’
ICAO will send out another survey to determine what discrepancies in testing are experienced with the aim to get the States in the Region to cooperate on the implementation process and requirements. Apparently the implementation rate by States, according to ICAO audits, is 94%. That is based on 3 or 4 general questions the auditors ask. If a State responds with a ‘yes’ to requirement, no proof is asked for. The survey should be published on the ICAO website and we are asked to get our pilots to cooperate by taking part in this survey. We will forward the link to this survey to you when I receive it.
Apparently EASA is also drafting a survey document for EU pilots.
Comment by Dr Michael Erb (vice-president IAOPA):
Indeed I still believe that the Level 4 language-requirement is not proportionate for GA pilots who want to fly VFR in Europe. The level 4 requires from pilots “the ability to fluently communicate on common topics". We believe that a pilot should be able to communicate fluently on aviation topics, and that more emphasis should be put on the ability to apply standard-aviation phraseology.
Many pilots, especially of the older generation, are somewhere between level 3 and 4, if they are not used to speak English in their working-life.
Some European states are overdoing it with language-testing and with the requirements for test-facilities, that´s why IAOPA-EU actively supports “test-shopping”.
AOPA-Germany offers language examinations in cooperation with an Austrian organization, because the Austrians are more flexible and user-friendly, and last but not least much cheaper in meeting the standards. In a market society this is called competition, and we now have it between authorities. But authorities are not used to competition, only monopolies, and try to fight it. I simply fail to see that we have a problem with the competition between authorities. And we are not aware of problems occurring because GA pilots are not trained well enough in English.
Also EASA´s European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS) states that there is no issue:
Raw safety data shows only a very low number of incidents related to a lack of language proficiency, whilst a significant number of accidents are related to a lack of situational awareness because the radio communications were only in the local language. See also page 29 on https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/epas_2021_2025_vol_two_final.pdf
After Brexit
Pilots flying G-planes and maintenance technicians servicing G-planes take note!
Until December 31, 2022, it remains possible to continue to fly on a UK registered aircraft with an EU Licence and Validation (downloadable from the CAA website). It is also possible for a maintenance technician to exercise his privileges. After December 31, 2022, this is no longer possible. The provisional validity ends on that date. The CAA's website ( https://info.caa.co.uk/uk-eu-transition/ ) states what actions are expected of the licence holder to keep valid the licence or maintenance certificate.
After December 31, 2022, these certificates are no longer valid!
This information is particularly important for: EU licensed pilots flying on UK registered aircraft . Aeronautical technicians with EU privileges performing maintenance on UK registered aircraft . Maintenance organisations with EU (EASA) approvals to carry out maintenance on UK registered aircraft . Part CAMO/CAO organisations supporting maintenance on UK registered aircraft.
Talking about ADS-B for Electronic Conspicuity (EC)
Emmanuel Davidson (AOPA France) gave a presentation at the (online) IAOPA Regional Meeting in the end of last year. In detail, he discussed IAOPA's preference for using ADS-B for Electronic Conspicuity (EC). As before, this file has links to other files such as U-Space and Airspace Infringements. There appear to be steps being made at EASA regarding iConspicuity for manned aviation.
In the U-space regulations, it will become a requirement that manned aviation be visible to other airspace users.
EASA evaluates three technologies, ADS-B, devices working on unprotected frequencies (like FLARM, OGN, …) and devices based on mobile-telephone networks.
IAOPA fully supports ADS-B, especially based on the UAT-technology like in the USA, which is low cost, reliable, fully certified and last but not least it offers a link for receiving weather and AIS-information.
But we are not in favor of devices that either work on unprotected frequencies or of devices that work based on mobile-telephone networks; as long as important legal and technical questions are not yet resolved.
Research has shown that 4G/5G providers do not want to take responsibility for the reliability of applications for which these networks are not primarily designed. In terms of coverage, they do not want to give figures for competitive reasons. Nevertheless, EASA is in discussion with manufacturers to design or adapt systems on which the data coming from 4G/5G networks, among others, is displayed and can thus be merged with ADS-B data.EASA is now preparing regulations. They want to use the ADS-B technique for this, perhaps with an additional frequency for non-certified low power transponders or using 4G/5G techniques.
New date Amsterdam Drone Week Hybrid: 29-31 March 2022
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions, Amsterdam Drone Week - in close consultation with its partner the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - has decided to move the three-day conference from mid-January to March 2022. This new date will provide partners, speakers and attendees from all over the world with more security to travel to the event and meet again in person.
'We have decided to postpone the event until the end of March, in the hope that by then the pandemic will allow for the event attendance that so many in the drones community have been longing for,' said Patrick Ky, Executive Director EASA.
ADW Hybrid and the EASA High Level Conference on Drones will take place from March 29-31, 2022. The event will remain hybrid, meaning it will be accessible live (in-person) and online. During the three-day event, there will be a comprehensive program around the main theme: Adding value to society with urban air mobility. Two stages from which there will be daily livestreams and live and online matchmaking via the ADW Virtual platform. In the exhibition hall, attendees can visit the Showcase area, the ADW Xpert Theatre and the hospitality lounges.
The first day of the conference is dedicated to the theme: UAM becomes reality. After the welcome and official opening by Patrick Ky, Executive Director at EASA, Adina Vãlean, European Commission Commissioner for Transport and Henrik Hololei, Director General for Mobility and Transport, three panel discussions on the central theme are planned in the afternoon. The second day of the conference will be devoted to technical workshops, where attendees will have the opportunity to discuss their questions in an open question-and-answer format.
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.
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