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What is the issue?

Since 16 July 2008, new European framework rules for air operations (so-called "EU-OPS") apply throughout Europe, based on the EU Regulation 1899/2006. In addition, in 2008 the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) acquired a new mandate to create rules in this area. Based on this mandate, the Agency is working to create "Implementing Rules" which will replace the current EU-OPS rules by 2012 at the latest. These new "EASA OPS" rules will have a direct impact on the pilot's future operational environment. Practically speaking, this means that the former JAR OPS and the EU-OPS rules will be transposed into a new EU legal text. Whereas JAR OPS was an "operational" text, easily understood by aviation professionals such as pilots, the new EASA Implementing Rules will be in legalistic language, more difficult to read and more difficult to apply.

How is ECA involved?

In the former JAA days, ECA pilots worked to ensure that JAR Ops reflected the pilots requirements. Now that the EASA develops new OPS rules, the Agency invited a selection of ECA pilots to participate in working groups to effectively transpose JAR-OPS. These working groups contributed to the draft Notice of Proposed Amendments (NPA) for the future Implementing Rules, which will be subject to a wider stakeholder consultation process.

Why is the issue important to ECA?

Pilots have to work on a daily basis with the OPS implementing rules. The pilot representatives in EASA working to make sure that the new rules do not result in a lowering of safety standards. EASA is creating new non-binding rules to allow for more flexibility and to avoid the consultative and administrative burden involved in the changing of rules. The pilots aim to ensure that there are no substantial changes in content and that the future EASA OPS rules fully meet the pilots' safety and operational requirements.

Who is responsible?

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