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Newsletter - March 2019
Published on: 12 March 2019New EASA roadmap on ground handling
The scope of the "New Basic Regulation” (NBR) (EU) 2018/1139 has been extended to the ground handling industry: aviation safety-related elements of ground handling are now included in the remit of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). From December 2018 to March 2019, EASA worked with a group of ground handling experts from authorities, GHSPs and associations, to elaborate detailed concept papers on key industry issues.
These concept papers were presented on 7th March at the EASA Groundhandling Conference in Cologne, with each topic introduced by a member of the Expert Group and followed by a Q & A. I noted with pleasure that attendance to the event was full (in fact EASA were unable to accommodate demand!), a testimony to the fact that stakeholders are engaging in a productive dialogue towards raising the profile of our wonderful industry.
The topics reflect a consensus among stakeholders and the Expert Group that EASA’s action should focus on the following areas, with an eye to developing pan-European standards for the GH industry:
- Management system, including SMS elements
- Operational standards
- Training
- Ground support equipment (GSE)
- Oversight
- Staff turnover
The proposed actions in these key areas are a mix of rule-making and safety promotion activities. The next few months will entail significant work to flesh out the proposed issues into practical recommendations.
As part of the Expert Group, ASA was and will continue to be directly involved in the process, thus delivering on our commitment to advance the interests of our members and our sector. There has never been a better time to join a ground handling trade association: in the increasingly complex and regulated aviation landscape, we want to make your voice heard.
We are with you every step of the journey.
Yours Sincerely,
Jon Conway.
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