7 February 2007
The European Commission has issued a discussion paper on ‘General Aviation in the European Community”‘. You can find it <a href=’http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal/internal_market/general_en.htm’ target=’_blank’>on the Commission’s website</a>.
The paper includes an overview of the state of GA both in the European Community and globally, and takes into account a number of new trends, including VLJs and UAVs.
The paper appears to be aimed at “analysing the possible need and means of
improving the EU policy-making regarding General Aviation,” by gathering information and comments on the current state of EU GA and improving understanding of the sector’s importance and statistics.
Some of the issues which emerge, according to the paper, are:
– More systematic data gathering regarding General Aviation, including safety
trends, necessary to improve the understanding of the sector and its economic and social value;
– Position of the European general aviation manufacturing industry in the world markets;
– Access to the infrastructure and airspace and balancing the needs of different categories of airspace users (with due regard to the possibilities offered by new technologies);
– Future impact of new aircraft types on the capacity of European air transportation system (Very Light Jets, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles);
– Environmental impact of General Aviation;
– The issue of definitions (“commercial air transport”, “general aviation”, civil aircraft etc.)
and new products on the market that rise questions as to their legal nature;
– Proportionality of regulations affecting different categories of airspace users.
The paper invities feedback and comments, which should be submitted by 1 April 2007.
