Regulations and Government
New flight crew rules coming soon for EU
New European rules on flight crew licensing (FCL) could und

New European rules on flight crew licensing (FCL) could undermine business aircraft operators who depend on being able to use pilots trained in the U.S., according to the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). The group has protested the final FCL proposals from the European Aviation Safety Agency ahead of a final European Commission (EC) vote on the issue, which has been pushed back until some time this month due to disagreement among officials over the issue.

The EC itself has indicated that it cannot accept EASA’s draft rules, which are intended to create a single European pilot’s license, on the grounds that they would abandon the long-standing agreement whereby Europe and the U.S. recognize each other’s FCL structures. EBAA has joined NBAA and the International Business Aviation Council to persuade EC officials that it would be impractical, and contrary to sound safety practice, for Europe to stop accepting U.S. licenses.