Inadequate regulation, enhanced pilot training, pilot fatigue and the need for a true safety culture to prevent accidents are the four most pressing emerging issues identified by European pilots. 

The BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig explosion, the Alaska Airlines flight 261 crash and the 2008 financial crisis are at first glance three unrelated tragic events.

Following a 2010-survey by the Norwegian public service broadcaster, NRK, which revealed that half of the pilots have fallen asleep or dozed off while on duty, ECA Member Associations have taken up the challenge of surveying pilots in Europe.

The "Compass" was published in 2013, gathering the expertise and insights of pilot training experts from Europe and all across the globe, and is an open invitation to all stakeholders to have a fresh look at pilot training and to discuss with pilots what “learning to fly” really entails.

This ECA position focuses on the safety case resulting from a fume event, as we wait for more research on the possibility of long term health effects. It proposes to strengthen existing safety barriers to further mitigate the safety risks related to fume events.