GAMA and IAOPA Launch 2021 European General Aviation Survey

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), launched the 2021 European General Aviation Survey. The annual survey will contribute to a better understanding of the trends in general aviation flight activity and aircraft equipment, and fleet composition trends to support safety analysis in Europe.

Despite challenges presented by the pandemic, the 2020 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.

“Now in its third edition, our aim for the 2021 European General Aviation Survey is to further increase participation across the general aviation community and better understand the impacts that the pandemic has had on GA operations across different countries. 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,” said Kyle Martin, Vice President – European Affairs, GAMA.

“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,” said Dominique Roland, Head of Head of Policy, Innovation & Knowledge Department, EASA.

“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 important to participate again in this year´s survey,” said Michael Erb, Senior Vice President of IAOPA.