Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) www.sassofia.com considers the key aspects of Aircrew Licencing.
Introduction
Within Europe, the European Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) system traces its origins to the Joint Airworthiness Authority (JAA). European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was given, under Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 2008 (Basic Regulation), full legal responsibility for aircrew (flight and cabin crew) licensing/attestation in Europe.
General Comments
- Competence-based modular instrument rating and en-route instrument rating introduced.
o Instrument rating achievable by general aviation pilots requiring only 10 hours of dual flight instruction at an ATO, compared with the 50 hours required for a standard rating.
o The competence-based rating allows prior instrument experience to be credited so as to permit easier qualification for instrument ratings by general aviation pilots (including TC IR experience).
- The LAPL is now valid in all EU countries with restrictions on aeroplane/helicopter weight (maximum take-off mass of two metric tonnes or less) and with no more than four people on board the aircraft (including crew and passengers).
- ATO (approved training organisation) for organisations providing flight crew training.
National Responsibility
Under EASA requirements aircrew licencing / attestation is a function of NAAs, EASA requires the NAAs of Member States to manage the implementation of EASA Air Crew regulations within member states.
Regulation 1178/2011
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 of 3 November 2011 (EASA Air Crew) and its subsequent amendments lay down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to civil aviation aircrew pursuant to the Basic Regulation.
Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, includes CC attestations as well as licenses for the operation of aeroplanes, helicopters, sailplanes, and balloons within the scope of the same regulatory framework.
The requirements have been formulated to:
- Ensure compliance with Annex III of the Basic Regulation
- Account for JAR-FCL 1, 2, and 3 requirements,
- Requirements of individual EASA Member States and
- ICAO Annex 1 Standards and Recommended Practices.
Air Crew Regulation Consists of Seven Annexes
Annex I (Part-FCL)
- Deals with flight crew licensing requirements for pilots flying EASA aircraft.
o Exceptions are: microlights, light gyroplanes, amateur-built aircraft, ex-military aircraft, foot-launched aircraft, vintage aircraft (collectively known as non-EASA aircraft & does not require a Part-FCL licence)
- Subpart A: General requirements
- Subpart B: Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) (A, H, S and B)
- Subpart C: Private Pilot Licence (PPL)
o (A, H, and Airship (As)),
o Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL),
o Balloon Pilot Licence (BPL)
- Subpart D: Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) (A)
- Subpart E: Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL)
- Subpart F: Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) (A, H)
- Subpart G: Instrument Rating (IR) (A, H, As)
- Subpart H: Class & Type Rating (A, H, powered-lift, As)
- Subpart I: Additional Ratings
- Subpart J: Instructors (Flight, Type Rating, Class Rating, Instrument Rating, Synthetic Flight, Multi-Crew Cooperation, Synthetic Training, Mountain Rating, Flight Test)
- Subpart K: Examiners (Flight, Type Rating, Class Rating, Instrument Rating, Synthetic Flight, Flight Instructor)
Annex II
- Annex II deals with the conversion of national licenses previously held under the JAR FCL scheme.
Note – The applicability of this annex ended on 8 April 2015, when an EASA Part-FCL license became mandatory to fly any EASA aircraft for any purpose.
Annex III
- Deals with the acceptance of Third Country (TC) licences (issued by NAAs of non-EASA Member States) with regard to the validation and the conversion of TC licences.
Annex IV
- Part-MED deals with medical requirements for flight crew licence holders and with requirements for the aero-medical assessment of cabin crews (CC).
- Part-MED requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:
o Subpart A: General requirements
o Subpart B: Requirements for medical certificates (class 1, class 2, and LAPL medical certificates)
o Subpart C: Requirements for medical fitness of CC
o Subpart D: Requirements for aeromedical examiners (AMEs), general medical practitioners (GMPs), and occupational health medical practitioners (OHMPs)
Annex V
- Part-CC deals with requirements for the issue of a CC attestation.
- Part-CC requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:
o Subpart GEN: General requirements
o Subpart CCA: Specific requirements for CC attestation
o Subpart TRA: Training requirements for CC attestation applicants/holders
Annex VI
- Part-ARA deals with requirements for EASA member states’ national aviation authorities with regard to the implementation and enforcement of Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011with regard to:
o The certification and oversight of approved training organisations (ATOs),
o Aeromedical centres (AeMCs),
o Organisations operating flight synthetic training devices (FSTDs),
o The issue of flight crew licences, ratings, and certifications.
- Part-ARA requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:
o Subpart GEN
o Subpart FCL
o Subpart CC
o Subpart ATO
o Subpart FSTD
o Subpart AeMC
o Subpart MED
Annex VII
- Part-ORA deals with organisational requirements for ATOs, operators of FSTDs, and AeMCs. Part-ORA requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:
o Subpart GEN: General and management requirements
o Subpart ATO: General requirements, additional requirements for ATOs training for CPL, MPL, ATPL and associated ratings and certificates and additional requirements for ATOs providing specific types of training (distance learning, zero flight time training, MPL, flight test training)
o Subpart FSTD: Requirements for organisations operating FSTDs and requirements for qualification of FSTDs
o Subpart AeMC: General and management requirements
Acceptable Means of Compliance, Guidance Material, and Certification Specifications
Acceptable means of compliance (AMC), guidance material (GM), and certification specifications (CS) to Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 are provided as follows:
- Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material to Part-FCL
- Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material to Part-MED
- Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material to Part-CC
- Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material to Part-ARA
- Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material to Part-ORA
- Certification Specifications for Aeroplane Flight Simulation Training Devices
- Certification Specifications for Helicopter Flight Simulation Training Devices
- Certification Specifications and Guidance Material for Cabin Crew Data
- Certification Specifications for Operational Suitability Data (OSD) Flight Crew Data Highlights
Next Steps
Sofema Aviation Services www.sassofia.com and Sofema Online www.sofemaonline.com provide EASA Compliant Regulatory and Vocational training. Please see the websites or email team@sassofia.com for training details
Tags:
aviation, EASA, AMC, European Aviation Safety Agency, Acceptable Means of Compliance, SAS blogs, Civil Aviation, Part-ARA, EU Regulation 1178/2011, Aircrew, Civil Aviation Aircrew, European Flight Crew Licensing (FCL), Joint Airworthiness Authority (JAA)
