The Agency today published the Comment Response Document (CRD) which contains replies to comments by stakeholders, together with the revised text for Part-FCL and related Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM). The Notice of Proposed Amendment NPA 2008-17 (b) detailing proposals for Flight Crew Licensing was open for public consultation between June 2008 and February 2009.

 "We are convinced that solutions were found that are proportionate and focused on safety", said the Agency’s Rulemaking Director, Jules Kneepkens. "We have gone a long way to meet the different concerns of pilots, industry and the Member States".  

Some of the main changes include:

Light Aircraft Pilot Licence:

• The name is changed from Leisure Pilot Licence to Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL);
• Basic LAPL for Helicopters is deleted;
• Rules for the Basic LAPL for aeroplanes were redrafted to exclude the possibility of carrying passengers (as distinct from the LAPL which permits up to 3 passengers);
• Crediting of flight hours on Annex II aeroplanes (those excluded from EASA’s scope of responsibilities) aeroplanes will be based on a pre-entry flight test according to which the Approved Training Organisation will evaluate the competencies and skill of the pilot.

"Competent Authority"

• The initial limitation that pilots could only hold one Part-FCL licence is changed so that pilots can now hold one Part-FCL licence per category of aircraft. All such licences are to be issued by the same competent authority.

Instructors for pilot training outside EU Member States:

• Flight instructors will have to hold at least a licence issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1; and
• will have to comply with the requirements of Part-FCL for the relevant category of instructor qualification.

Language Proficiency

• Balloons and sailplane pilots are excluded from the language proficiency rule.

Stakeholders can access these documents by clicking here and place reactions using the Comment Response Tool at http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt for a period of 2 months.

The Agency will take these reactions into consideration when developing its Opinion on pilot licensing, which is expected to be published and submitted to the Commission during summer 2010.

Note to editors:

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was set up by the EU in 2003 to promote the highest common standards of safety and environmental protection in civil aviation. Based in Cologne, the Agency currently employs nearly 500 experts and administrators from all over Europe