BALPA’s campaigning work is being ramped up to ensure that the available science is taken into account in the writing of the new European FTL scheme which will supplant national schemes come 2012.

Despite the release of an independent scientific review sponsored by the European Aviation Safety Agency – EASA – the rule-writers have ignored the science; and this despite the International Civil Aviation Organisation – ICAO –stipulating that regulations on flight and duty time limitations must be based on “scientific principles and knowledge”.

BALPA’s Scheduling team is very busy in support of a European Cockpit Association led project to look at the various national Flight Time Limitation (FTL) schemes across Europe and how they tie in with the scientific review of FTL. Early signs are that CAP 371 sits well with the science, but that will be no comfort when 2012 arrives and airlines are able to pick a scheme from anywhere in Europe that conforms to EASA guidance.

BALPA’s concern has been heightened by comments from the Association of European Airlines who are suggesting that EASA should disassociate itself from the scientific study. AEA communications have used words such as “flawed” “unconvincing” and “lacking”.



John Stembridge-King, BALPA’s Head of Professional Affairs, raised this concern during a recent visit to the Department for Transport where he argued that the UK Government and Regulator must support the case for the scientific study being implemented by the European Aviation Safety Agency, the adoption of robust measures to assure compliance and ignore the AEA’s attempt to kick the report into the long grass.

The risk of poor standards of enforcement is also coming to light with some real concerns emerging over how rules can be effectively monitored when CAA ramp inspections are the only mechanism for conducting checks; and that in a country with a relatively advanced auditing process. Some carriers have very quick turn arounds, which barely give time for inspectors to conduct the briefest of checks. DfT claim the EASA led standardisation teams will provide quality assurance to effectively regulate FTL and assure compliance in the future. BALPA is not convinced.

BALPA’s message is clear. The UK Government should take the lead in championing our standards as the future standards of Europe and should not allow any dilution as we move towards EASA integration. This is one of a number of campaigning areas that BALPA will be raising with UK policy makers in Westminster on 5th May. We will be writing to all BALPA members asking for their support in getting their MP to this event. At a later date we may also be asking members to write to EASA on the absence of science in their new rules.