Aircraft affected
This Agency responsibility is exercised for aircraft registered in the EU Member States, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, for which a permit to fly is required in line with the relevant provisions of the Basic Regulation.
Cases where the Agency is not involved
When the approval of flight conditions is not related to the safety of the design, the Agency is not involved, but only the Competent Authority of the Member State of Registry, or of the Member State prescribing the identification marks. Examples of such conditions are:
- production flight testing for the purpose of conformity establishment;
- delivery/export flight of a new aircraft the design of which is approved;
- demonstrating continuing conformity with the standard previously accepted by the Agency for the aircraft or type of aircraft to qualify or re-qualify for a (restricted -) certificate of airworthiness.
Applicable regulations and procedures
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 contains the applicable provisions for the approval of flight conditions.(see also the associated change to Regulation (EC) 2042/2003). Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material have been published simultaneously by the Agency, in ED Decision 2007/006/R.
Appropriately approved organisations (DOA and POA) may have the privileges to approve the flight conditions and issue the permit to fly, under certain conditions.
DOA and POA
DOA can apply for an extension of their privileges with an EASA Form 82 and POA can apply for an extension of their privileges to their Competent Authority. Please contact the relevant National Aviation Authority, or EASA for POA it has issued, for further detail
In the absence of privileges, an applicant has to follow the following process to obtain a permit to fly:
- Send an application form to EASA in order to get an EASA approval of the flight conditions proposed to support the issue of a permit to fly by the Member State of Registry, or by the Member State prescribing the identification marks: EASA Form 37
Important advise The EASA Form 37 includes also the Approval Form 18b as
In order to ensure a fast processing of your application for approval of flight conditions for a permit to fly, it is highly recommended to completely and correctly fill in both the EASA Form 37 and the Form 18b. Form 18b may be provided at a later stage, however, an approval of flight conditions cannot be issued before all forms have been filled in by the applicant and provided to the Agency in time. In order to ensure a fast processing of your application it is highly recommended to send the application forms in electronic form either by E-mail or by Fax which is redirected to the E-mail Inbox.
Both the E-mail address and the Fax number are stated on the application EASA Form 37.
- Simultaneously or following EASA approval, send an application for a permit to fly to the Competent Authority of the Member State of Registry, or of the Member State prescribing the identification marks, together with the EASA Form 18B approved by the Agency, using EASA Form 21 or any acceptable form prescribed by that Competent Authority. Please contact the relevant National Aviation Authority for further details.