Comments on: Safety or Politics?

By: Jan Melkebeek

Jan Melkebeek — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:21:38 +0000

I do not agree on all comments of Stan. I got my Belgian PPL in 1978. After 17 years of flying I earned my FAA CPL with IR in 1995. But I had to re-train quite a lot, not only because of the higher level of a CPL. But because I missed some basics skills like serious crosswind landings. Thanks to my FAA instructor I am not afraid now to land my C172RG in crosswinds of 25 kt, or performing a short field landing on a dirt strip.
In my view, the JAA (or EASA) puts too much accent on the theoretical basis but forgets the practical stuff. And I know JAA (EASA) instructors who told me that the skill level of new EASA commercial (ATPL) pilots is indeed below everything.
The same is true for aircraft maintenance. In Europe they mainly check the paperwork, but do not spend much time on checking the airplane itself.

By: Stan van de Wiel

Stan van de Wiel — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:48:26 +0000

In the 80′s and early 90′s I was involved with an organisation responsible for sending on average 150 European students to the USA per year to gain their professional qualifications. On return after 2 years with 1500 hrs experience including CFI & IFR qualifications, only a few could pass their European PPL without extensive re training, discipline. This reflected poorly on a system of Juniors training Juniors and the underlying standards. Changes were then invoked restricting the acceptance of such experience meaning a more than doubling of the costs to European students. European colleges were then established in the USA with Euro qualified instructors to circumnavigate this restriction. Whether the requirements were set too high is a mute point. I tested to the required standard. As noted there are no “safety” statistics to prove a point. my observation is that accident rates are similar and relate more to attitude than experience.
I wholeheartedly agree with Bruce’s comment – “One of the biggest impediments to safety and common sense is politics”
In 1997 I returned to Australia to find the same deterrent to “safety” the CASA. We have no “N” aircraft flying in Australia!!! would require a per flight permit???

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:42:13 +0000

Thank you Bruce for researching this and writing about it. Over regulation really hurts aviation and need to be uncovered. It costs enough to fly without added regulations adding unnecessary expenses. There are many of these battles to fight. Thank you for leading the charge!!!

By: Bruce Landsberg

Bruce Landsberg — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:02:36 +0000

Jeff….

No promises but without getting entangled in the political effluent surrounding this or spending disproportionate time, let me see what info us available.

By: Jeff Boatright

Jeff Boatright — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:24:01 +0000

“concern was voiced from some U.S. labor sources that off shore repair shops might be substandard and hence would require FAA oversight.”

Bruce, who were the “U.S. labor sources” that voiced concerns? Seems like a start towards minimizing the politics in a situation would be clarity on who the players are and what their various motivations and concerns are. Did these “labor sources” specify which “off shore repair shops” are of concern? Surely not all European countries hold the same standards. Are UK, German, and French standards the same as those of Azerbaijan, Montenegro, or Albania? Not to pick on anyone, but Europe is not monolithic; different countries clearly have different technical standards.

By: William R. Rousseau

William R. Rousseau — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:13:31 +0000

This is yet another international mindset attempting to expand their domain of authority. There is likely no widely known compelling evidence for implementing such crap!

By: Jim Curlott

Jim Curlott — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:26:07 +0000

As Bruce has pointed out, this issue smacks more of geopolitical tit-for-tatting than valid concern for aviation safety. Politics, especially international, can be a rough and brutal business. The US would be well served by downplaying, if not abandoning altogether, what may well be a misplaced and unverified concern over sub-standard overseas repair facilities. Particularly if this concern is being promoted sans any valid data. Perhaps taking the concern over overseas repair facilities off the table would allow EASA to reconsider its position on the mandatory European IFR rating.

By: Mike Guckian

Mike Guckian — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:34:41 +0000

I hold a JAR PPL and an FAA PPL IR. I have been happly flying around Ireland for the last number of years and never had a problem with approaches into international airports. I have had situations where I have had to switch from VFR to IFR because of deteriorating weather ( we can have 4 seasons in Ireland in a few hours!!) . If I tried to continue under VFR I don’t believe the flight would have been as safe. Thanks to being a member of AOPA US that I knew about this, and have already contacted my MEPs to let them know of the issues and make them aware of the vote.

By: Robert Tompkins

Robert Tompkins — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 10:13:08 +0000

Having both a JAR PPL (German) and FAA PPL, IFR, SES, CPL, CGI, I feel I know both systems well. I am sitting in Frankfurt flight planning to do my six approaches, VOR tracking and Holds to keep my IFR currency. Frankly, Europe despises GA. Unlike AOPA, US, the pilot associations in Europe are impotent in the objective of justifying GA. Pilots are seen as rich boys and girls out to indulge in private hedonistic pleasures. For most Europeans, we are a noisy annoyance which disturbs dining on the terrace. I got my JAR PPL and was only 4 to do so in 2009. AOPA only has 4000 members in Germany with the average age of over 65 years. There are only 20 student pilots in AOPA Germany. We are in serious trouble. I have an “N” registered experimental aircraft which is fully IFR equipped with four places. The same aircraft with a “DE” registration can only hold 2 people, cannot fly IFR, cannot fly over cities and cannot fly at night. My avionics are better than most airliners and allow the highest degree of precision in instrument flying. However, I am American with an American aircraft and there is nothing hated more in Europe than that. Please provide guidance as to what we can do to bring sense to EASA.

By: Jeff Sponberg

Jeff Sponberg — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:29:29 +0000

It appears that international politics has put us into an inverted spin from which recovery may not be possible. Pehaps a contructive dialoge between the two parties might resolve some of the differences and put this issue to rest. New regulations with no basis in fact are unwaranted and foolish. Why not require life vests for cyclists? It makes just about as much sense.