COLOGNE, GERMANY -- The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) today published on its website proposed implementing rules for air operations of community operators, including the corresponding acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) as well as certification specifications (CS) for flight time limitations. Following the Agency’s principles of broad consultation and transparency, interested persons worldwide now have the possibility to comment on this Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA 2009-02) by using the Agency’s web-based Comment Response Tool (CRT). The comment period ends on May 30,2009.
The draft implementing rules are developed following the Agency’s extension of responsibilities to rulemaking in the fields of air operations, flight crew licensing, and third country operators (Regulation (EC) No 216/2008). With the present draft rules, EASA establishes high level safety objectives binding to all European operators. They will be the common basis for the certification of commercial Community operators creating a level playing field. The draft rules for non-commercial operations on the other hand are tailored to the complexity of the aircraft used.
The NPA was developed in a rulemaking group with several subgroups. To allow a seamless transition and consistency, the draft rules are largely based on existing material such as EU-OPS, Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR-OPS 1 and 3, draft JAR-OPS 0, 2 and 4), as well as JAA Joint Implementation Procedures.
The Agency set-up a dedicated website (www.easa.europa.eu/flightstandards), to keep stakeholders up-to-date on the status of the extension of responsibilities. EASA is organising a two-day workshop in Cologne on March 10-11, 2009, to provide in-depth information on this NPA. Details about the workshop will be communicated on its website in due course.
