For too long in Europe, authorities have based many of the regulations for general aviation on what was developed for commercial aviation. This top-down, one-size-fits-all approach makes no sense, and has stifled general aviation’s growth in Europe.
Recently, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and European Commission have recognized this problem, and are seeking to resolve it by embracing a new spirit of proportional, risk-based regulation.
Officials are now focused on moving away from applying similar rules and toward developing proportional, risk-based regulation that not only differentiates between general aviation and large commercial airline activity, but also acknowledges the differences among GA aircraft and operations. (After all, our industry ranges from two-seat recreational airplanes and training helicopters to large-cabin, long-range business jets that can easily cross oceans.)
As EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky told GAMA’s board of directors in February, this new approach will ensure regulation is appropriate to the type of aircraft and operations. Better regulation will help ensure greater safety through improved training and maintenance as well as the introduction of new safety-enhancing products and technologies.
General Aviation Roadmap
A primary example of this new outlook is the General Aviation Roadmap, which was introduced in 2013 and is currently in development between industry and Europe’s authorities. The Roadmap includes six core commitments to create “simpler, lighter, and better rules for general aviation.” GAMA has been actively involved in working on several elements that have been included in the Roadmap, including the reorganization of Part/CS-23 by the Federal Aviation Administration and EASA, and the implementation of industry-led standards for the light end of general aviation. This effort will establish greater efficiency and flexibility for manufacturers as they seek to bring new products and technologies to the marketplace.
Some of the other commitments include enabling pilots to more easily obtain an instrument rating, improving pilot training, providing a simpler framework for maintenance (part-M “light”), and facilitating the introduction of new technologies. All of these represent major steps forward for general aviation in Europe, and will help our industry as we continue to recover from the recent worldwide economic recession.
Other hopeful signs for general aviation’s growth in Europe are the FAA and EASA’s efforts to accept each other’s parts and appliances approved under an E/TSO, or Technical Standard Order. In addition, the two authorities are seeking to streamline recognition of one another’s Supplemental Type Certificates to make FAA-approved products and modifications more readily available to the European general aviation community, and vice versa. Both are significant steps, and would represent an enormous opportunity for the general aviation industry.
As a global association, GAMA is pleased to see EASA take these steps toward better regulation of general aviation in Europe, and we look forward to working with our partners there to ensure the Roadmap is completed and other progress is made. It’s truly a new day for general aviation in Europe, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
Pete Bunce is president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), which represents more than 85 of the world’s leading manufacturers of general aviation airplanes and rotorcraft, engines, avionics, components, and related services. GAMA’s members also operate repair stations, fixed based operations, pilot and maintenance training facilities and they manage fleets of aircraft.
