This Opinion addresses a proportionality issue related to training providers within the General Aviation (GA) domain, which deliver training for non-commercial pilot licences and associated ratings and certificates only. It takes into account the objectives of the General Aviation Road Map, as well as inputs from the task force established for this rulemaking task (RMT) (which comprised representatives from the GA community and competent authorities (CAs)) and the comments received both during the public consultation phase of NPA 2015-20 and after the dedicated workshop that took place in May 2016 with representatives from the EASA advisory bodies.
The specific objective of this RMT is to allow training for the issue of non-commercial pilot licences — in particular, light aircraft pilot licence (LAPL), private pilot licence (PPL), sailplane pilot licence (SPL) and balloon pilot licence (BPL), and associated ratings and certificates — to be delivered by means other than within an approved training organisation (ATO) certified in accordance with Annex VII (Part-ORA) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, whose provisions have been identified to suit large training organisations providing training for commercial licences but, at the same time, to be too demanding for small GA training providers mainly run by private flying clubs or even private individuals.
This Opinion proposes the introduction of a new Annex VIII (Part-DTO ‘Declared Training Organisations’) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 containing a regulatory framework which will allow training providers for the GA domain to deliver training for the above-mentioned licences, ratings and certificates without being approved as ATOs according to Part-ORA. Without seeking prior formal approval, a DTO can deliver training for non-commercial pilot licences once it has declared its training activities to the CA, giving detailed information about the organisation, its activities and the training programmes used. At any time DTOs will be required to comply with the requirements of Part-DTO, which also contains simplified provisions for internal compliance monitoring and safety management. During the declaration process, as well as while conducting oversight as part of a proportionate, risk- and performance-based oversight programme, the CA will be entitled to address any detected non-compliances by requesting supplemental information or corrective action and, finally, by taking appropriate enforcement measures including limiting or prohibiting, if necessary, the training activities.
The proposed changes are expected to relieve GA training providers — a need that was identified in the General Aviation Road Map.
