BUSINESS AVIATION SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
(EX BA SAFETY MEETING)

NATS SWANWICK - 7 JULY 2008

· I attended the BASP in view of the rapidly expanding Business Aviation sector, the need to spread UKFSC influence and safety concerns across the broader aviation industry, the interest expressed in joining the Committee by Business Aviation attendees at the FSO course and to keep the Membership informed on related flight safety developments, concerns and initiatives.

· ITEM 4. Main points arising from the previous meeting were as follows:

- The CAA will imminently publish their Business Aviation Safety review.

- A scratchpad survey to obtain evidence on increasing problems with language proficiency amongst overseas business aviation crews has been undertaken by NATS. Flight Safety Int Rep explained that training providers were able to issue level 6 upgrade certificates to nationally issued level 4 proficiency in English without training or competence to assess. The practice was widespread amongst European training schools.

- The DfT Rep indicated a willingness to conduct Ramp Checks on foreign BA crews which included English proficiency although clear MOR evidence would be required to undertake the procedure. He then stated that Ramp Check numbers would be increasing in the next 2 years from 250 now to 1000 in 2010.

· ITEM 6. The CAA reported on a Eurocontrol trial which is evaluating the effects on ATM of the growing Business Aviation community, VLJs in particular, and the potential advantages of mandating TCAS. Aircraft and avionic manufacturers are involved in a trail on TCAS installations to take place in the Budapest area which reports back to Eurocontrol in 2009.

There is serious concern in the CAA and in Europe on single pilot operations in busy European airspace where bad weather is a regular feature. The meeting debated where the action lay to address this issue, especially since there are business aircraft already operating with single pilot – 624 aircraft operators have been identified in Europe. Insurance companies were looking closely at these operations and the impending arrival of the VLJs; operational safety generally and maintenance and repair of composite aircraft are being carefully scrutinised.

The importance of appropriate and comprehensive training and licensing requirements for complex aircraft, the possibility of introducing some form of mentoring pilot was also discussed.

· ITEM 9. Concern was expressed about the planning for the 2012 Olympics from an aviation perspective. The lack of aircraft parking in the South-East had already been identified but there was a question mark on who was actually involved in the detailed planning. The CAA contact for the Olympics is Richard Taylor.

· ITEM 11. The Group went on to discuss the formulation of Action Plans against the issues that the Partnership could sensibly address. Four major topics were identified:

· To improve language proficiency and phraseology amongst UK crews through the introduction of an RT exam to be taken every 3 years.

· To agree a position on solutions to address the serious concerns with single pilot operations on complex aircraft in European airspace.

· To address serious concerns about illegal public transport by re-iterating the rules and regulations to the industry.

· To seek improvements on the use of and reactions to TCAS amongst the Business Aviation community through training and publicity.

· TORs and attendance list for the Group.

· Notes from the previous meeting.

· Agenda for the meeting.

Rich Jones

Chief Executive

UKFSC