EASA 25TH ANNIVERSARY FROM JIM LOOS’ ATC PERSPECTIVE
Twenty-five years ago, the European Union established the European [Union} Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) with the goal of consolidating the continent’s national authorities. Since then, the FAA and the world’s other CAAs have learned to work with this pan-European organization. The relations between the US and this new body have not always been agreeable, but trust has increased through years of diplomatic and technical consultations.
At the outset of EASA’s founding, the “gold standard” of aviation was applicable to the US agency. After a quarter century, the top carat measure may be shared? Recently, Bill Voss shared his perspective, as a US representative to ICAO, on this anniversary.
A frequent contributor and a well-known international aviation maven, Jim Loos adds his insights, particularly as to air traffic control, the subject matter with which he was most familiar:
EASA was only a gleam in the Commission’s eye when I left Brussels, so I will bow to Bill Voss for real time comments. However, I do have a couple of thoughts.
Just before I left, I attended a dinner sponsored by ECAC and happened to sit with a couple of JAA people. Understandably they were concerned about their job security. Hopefully they made out all right
At the time the FAA had a reasonably good working relationship with JAA and the hope was that it would continue with EASA. The fact that EASA used the joint certification (EASA and FAA) of the A-380 as an early highlight would show the cooperation survived. THE B-737 MAX PUT A STRAIN ON THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THE CURRENT STATUS WOULD BE OF CONCERN.
My interest is in airspace and ATM. There seems to be a reasonably clear distinction between the regulatory powers of EASA and the operational functions of EUROCONTROL. TOGETHER IT APPEARS THEY HAVE REDUCED THE INFLUENCE OF THE ICAO REGIONAL OFFICE IN PARIS. That is there used to be a work group called the European Air Navigation Planning Group (EANPG) which did region planning, some broad flow control, frequency management etc. I don’t see that group listed on the ICAO web site anymore.
I found the following interesting (from the EASA website) EASA:
…was empowered to take the necessary measures related to certification and oversight of Pan-European and third country ATM/ANS organisations, as well as for the air traffic controllers’ training organisations located outside the territory of the Community.
I take “…third country ATM/ANS…” to be the States, like the UK, with agreements with EASA[JL1] . I’m not sure what “…outside the community…” means.
With regard to safety, the EUROCONTROL website says:
Through our joint work programme with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), we make our expertise available to help implement a single European safety regulatory framework.
By doing so, we contribute to the safer evolution of the European sky.
The States have the initial responsibility for the safety in the system. EUROCONTROL has expertise and big picture to contribute and EASA has regulatory responsibilities (their promulgated rules are issued by the EU) to fixed the identified problems. Heck, maybe they will actually unify the airspace….after 60 years.
During my time in Brussels the European Union, specifically the Commission, was something of a wannabe in technical aviation matters, seeking competence in aviation safety and efficiency. It was overshadowed by the independent EUROCONTROL, ECAC itself, the ECAC created JAA, ICAO regional planning activities and even NATO’s Committee on European Aviation Coordination.
Back in the day ECAC (European Civil Aviation Conference) had significant influence on EUROCONTROL with regard to ATM matters. Today the organization limits itself to assisting States in accident investigation.
NATO’s Committee on European Airspace Coordination (CEAC) worked on civil/military coordination matters. Today there is an Aviation Committee that took the place of an ATM Committee.
During my time in Brussels I had a best selling chart on which States belonged to which organization. It was really fascinating.
TODAY 20 PLUS YEARS LATER THE EUROPEAN UNION IS CLEARLY THE MAJOR PLAYER.
As long as the techies can do their thing, it’s probably a better setup.
One small comment. EUROCONTRL has a special agreement with the German Government involving the Karlsruhe ACC. Interesting since Karlsruhe was originally a EUROCONTROL facility. Perhaps it should revert.
