On Air, Issue 3

Recent events have demonstrated the important role EASA has to play when emergency situations happen in the air space. In April 2010 EASA, like many others, had not foreseen the volcanic eruption in Iceland and the atmospheric volcanic ash drifting over Europe. At the time there was a total lack of co-operation at European level which resulted in the paralysis that afflicted almost all flying in European airspace for an entire week.

Since then, EASA has developed detailed advice about operations in atmospheric volcanic ash with the intention of avoiding the chaotic situation we all remember. The simple answer is to avoid visible ash, and to be guided by an ash-risk zoning system to be published by volcanic ash advisory centres. Also, the European Aviation Crisis Co-ordination Cell (EACCC) was set up by the European Commission following the 2010 event and EASA is a permanent member of the EACCC team.

EASA is also reorganising its internal processes in order to tackle the issue of flying over conflict zones. The Agency has been very active throughout the summer in disseminating the available information on the safe use of the airspace in Ukraine and other areas with armed conflicts (Israel, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan). But more needs to be done at the European level. A European alert system aiming at assessing and sharing the information available will be put in place in order to help airlines to perform their risk-assessment based on qualified information. In the interest of the passengers.

We have started to talk to the Military Committee of the European Union to see how to do this and share with European operators and authorities a uniform level of information. Based on our experience gained in the past ten years and position as centre-piece of the European aviation safety system, EASA is in a privileged position to conduct such a system.

Patrick Ky

EASA Executive director

Mr Al Blooshi, last year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) signed an extended cooperation arrangement on aviation safety with EASA, what was the idea behind this arrangement?
Following our strategic analysis for ensuring the highest safety standards for UAE aviation system, GCAA took the decision to “adopt and adapt” the European Union Aviation safety Rules. This decision is supported by the conclusion that, the EU safety rules framework developed by EASA, is the worldwide most advanced and capable approach for implementing an effective and efficient continuous balance between aviation business and safety assurance needed.
With this arrangement, EASA assists GCAA in the implementation of the European Union aviation safety rules in order to further enhance safety levels and to facilitate the exchange of aviation products, services and personnel in the UAE area.
Both of us (GCAA and EASA) are committed to enlarge our cooperation on aviation safety regulation, safety promotion and oversight, professional staff development, and coordination of technical cooperation projects.

How are GCAA and EASA going to effectively implement the working agreement?
We are ensuring to achieve the objectives of our safety cooperation through a detailed bi-annual working program.
During the April’s visit of Mr. Patrick Ky to UAE, he signed the GCAA-EASA 2014/15 working program, which includes a series of mechanisms for planning and governance. It set a working methodology based on coherent integration of GCAA in EASA regulation frame, mentioning some activities already implemented and mutual “ad hoc” agreements for any other issues that may come up.

What are the key aspects of the 2014-2015 GCAA-EASA working program?
The program is structured in three main areas: Rulemaking cooperation, Aviation Safety promotion and Sharing of Information and aviation training and professional staff development.
 

And the benefits for EASA and the EU in a deeper safety cooperation with the GCAA?
It is difficult to measure the benefit on a quantity basis, but focus on a quality analysis; we can picture the gains as follows:

• The UAE aviation system is a fully multicultural system with Global projection,
• The footprint of EU in UAE aviation system is very significant: Many high qualified Europeans are working for UAE, at the industry and the State,
• UAE aviation industry is one of the preferential customers of EU based OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) operating latest technology available and gathering very valuable experience on those products
• A bridge to access to valuable safety information from the UAE Aviation System which enlarges the vision that EASA has from the European operational context to the Middle East.
• UAE operators are operating multiple destinations in the EU and carrying thousands of EU passenger through the world

Those above characteristics are bringing a big box of synergies and benefits for the EU industry (OEMs, Airports, ATMS, etc.), as well to the EU citizens that chose to flight with UAE carriers which are operating within an harmonized set of safety standards looking for the best safety performance.

Last but not least, I am very proud to show a couple of GCAA achievements on this cooperation,
• Organization of the first international experts workshop on Safety Intelligent and Management with the participation of EASA
• To be granted as full member of the EU/EASA SAFA program, and make our contribution to the common goal of this program that is the safety of international passengers.

Eng. Ismaeil Al Blooshi holds the position of Assistant Director General Aviation Safety Affairs Sector at the UAE GCAA, being responsible of the whole safety oversight organization in compliance with ICAO requirements. He also chair the ICAO Middle East regional Aviation Safety Group following the ICAO GASP implementation.

Every new type of airplane needs to obtain a type certificate before it can be delivered to an airline. This guarantees that the aircraft meets the regulatory safety requirements defined by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for Europe. EASA is responsible for  airworthiness and environmental certification since 2003. As an example, the current process for the certification of the Airbus A350 XWB is about to be finalised.

1st Step – Certification Basis
From the moment the aircraft manufacturer (Airbus or Boeing for instance) considers that its programme has reached a sufficient maturity, it presents its project to the certification organisations : EASA for Europe,  the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the United States. This certification authority establishes the “Certification Basis”, meaning the regulatory requirements applicable for this type of airplane.

2nd Step – Establishing the Certification programme
The aircraft manufacturer must demonstrate that the product complies with the regulatory requirements: this includes the structure,  the avionics,  the electrical systems and also the performances in flight The manufacturer has 5 years after the Certification Basis is frozen to carry out this demonstration. In case of delay this deadline can be extended.

3rd Step – Execution of the Certification Programme
The demonstration of this compliance is made through analysis and also during a series of ground tests (tests on the aircraft structure, bird strike resistance, fatigue…), in simulators, and in-flight tests where the flight envelope (1) and flight conditions are evaluated. . This 3rd step is the longest phase of the programme. , 5 airplanes have participated so far in the flight tests campaign for the A350 XWB.

4th Step – End of the process
The compliance findings resulting from tests and analysis are detailed in more than 2000 documents. EASA verifies the findings throughout the certification programme based on a risk analysis. EASA will particularly focus on technological innovations introduced by the aircraft manufacturer in the development its new programme.  The Agency also actively participates in some of the tests (ground or flight tests).

Once the certification of an aircraft is approved, EASA ensures that the type of aircraft remains safe and airworthy during its entire life cycle and mandates corrective actions whenever a safety issue is identified.

(1) – The flight envelope designates the limits of speed, altitude, weight,  configurations, etc, under the aircraft will be authorised to fly.

Trend of applications received
The amount of applications submitted to the Agency for the certification activities (5,081) is slightly below the 2012 level. The number of new type design applications has decreased while the number of major changes and derivatives has increased. The applications for certification of new type design covered mainly the general aviation and propulsion sectors. Regarding the large aviation sector, it is worth mentioning the Airbus A350-1000 and the Embraer ERJ 190-300 and ERJ 190-400 derivatives.

Major on-going multi-annual type certification programmes
The performance of a number of multi-annual type certification projects continued in 2013, such as the Airbus A350, Airbus A320neo, Falcon 5X from Dassault Aviation, Embraer EMB-545/550 business jets, Mitsubishi’s Regional Jet, the MRJ-200 and the large helicopters AW169 and AW189 from Agusta Westland.

Number of certificates issued
During 2013, 3,741 certificates were issued. Type Certificates were awarded among others for the Airbus A400M, the Gulfstream G280 business jet, the Trent XWB engine (designed to power the Airbus A350-800/-900 XWB aircraft) and the Trent 1000 C1 from Rolls-Royce.

Source: EASA Annual General Report 2013
(http://easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/general-publications/annual-general-report-2013)

The EU application deadline for third country operators is approaching!

On May 26th a European Regulation (EC) No. 452/2014, so called Part-TCO, has entered into force. This regulation requires all third county operators (TCO) engaging in commercial air transport to EU territories to apply to EASA for a TCO authorisation. The deadline for completing the application is 26 November 2014. All non-European commercial operators are strongly advised to initiate the TCO application as soon as possible. Comprehensive information and an FAQ section is available http://easa.europa.eu/TCO.

Since their coming into force in March of this year the body of harmonised European rules on aerodrome safety have now taken their next big milestone with the issuance of the first “EASA certificate” to a UK airport.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority issued on 28 July 2014 the first such certificate based on the European rules. During this conversion process Bristol airport has had all safety and design related aspects re-examined by UK CAA over a period three months so that it has now become the first European aerodrome to be applying Regulation (EU) No 139/2014 and all related regulatory material, such as acceptable means of compliance and the certification specifications for aerodromes. They represent the first harmonised requirements at the European level for over 700 of the largest aerodromes in the EASA region .
 

1 September 2014: EASA announces new organisation

2 September 2014: ADR technical publication published

16 September 2014: EASA together with the European Commission presented the latest developments towards simplifying EASA CS-23 aircraft certification rules during the ASTM meeting on 16 September 2014. EASA was praised for its progress so far, towards creating a more proportionate set of airworthiness rules.

1 October 2014: 10th EASA Standardisation Meeting on Aircrew Regulation

8 October 2014:  2nd Workshop on the implementation of the Air OPS Regulation (EU) No 965/2012

15-16 October 2014: EASA Annual Safety Conference
Towards simpler, lighter, better rules for General Aviation