Steve Bentley, FRAeS and CEO of Sofema Aviation Services (with over 30 years of auditing experience), comments on the challenges of driving an effective compliance system Introduction As an auditor with over 30 years of experience, I firmly believe there are no truly “common” findings in EASA audits. However, there are areas of shortfall. Each…

Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) – Considers Best Practices to Engage Correctly with Media Questions and Challenges To support designated spokespersons or nominated emergency response team members to effectively respond to difficult questions in the wake of aviation incidents or accidents. Note: During this difficult time, it is important to preserve the organization’s credibility and empathy…

Sofema Aviation Services provides the following discussion regarding the challenge to become an EASA Lead Auditor, addressing regulatory compliance, best practices, and practical guidance Introduction: Prerequisites for Becoming an EASA Lead Auditor Regulatory Context – EASA does not explicitly define a single standardized qualification for “Lead Auditors” across all contexts. Instead, Lead Auditors typically operate within…

Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) Considers essential differences in design philosophy between FAR/CS-23 (small aircraft – typically ≤ 19 passengers or ≤ 12,500 lbs MTOW) and FAR/CS-25 (transport category aircraft), with a focus on the most technically rigorous, regulatory-aligned, and safety-driven perspective Introduction The design philosophy of CS/FAR-23 aircraft focuses on simplification, affordability, and accessibility, particularly…