EAS technical meeting of 29 October 2022 in Vienna

Federation news8 November 20222 min read

News from 8 November 2022. Last updated on 9 November 2022: some information may have changed. Latest news

There were about thirty of us, from various European countries, at this in-person meeting after several years of successive video meetings.

EAS (Europe Air Sports), chaired by Andrea ANESINI (Italy), is an organisation bringing together all the European air sports federations, which in turn bring together the national organisations or federations in each discipline: free flight, model aircraft, parachuting, aeroplanes, gliders, amateur building… and microlighting, represented by the EMF (European Microlight Federation). Representatives of EASA also took part in our work, since European general aviation is represented by EAS in several EASA bodies.

EAS’s role and presence within EASA is essential, because that is where the European texts are prepared that are presented and discussed at the Commission (DG MOVE), then submitted to votes of the Parliament (EP) and the Council (EC). These European texts then apply in each of our national regulations.

This means constant vigilance is needed to follow the various stages of this long and complex legislative process. And even if microlighting remains under national regulation, do not think that what is discussed in Cologne (EASA) and Brussels (EU) does not concern our ultralight activities. If we do not pay enough attention, lobbying by certain countries could soon bring microlighting under EASA. In this area, our differences mean preserving our freedom!

But we also share many European issues with all the other federations, starting with the regulation of civil airspace. One of our major topics on the discussion table is the announced arrival of U-Space airspaces, which will be shared low-altitude spaces for coexistence with civil drones (UAS). It is with this in mind that technical means of “electronic visibility” (E-Conspicuity) are being discussed, with, for example, the envisaged use of simple apps on our mobile phones (ADS-L).

Among the other current topics covered in our discussions: the ability to travel from one country to another within Europe, the EASA GA roadmap, tomorrow’s Green Aviation, electric aviation, the phasing out of 100LL, Part 21L…

As you will have understood, the future of European General Aviation is not a pre-set path, and European discussions between federations are essential, as is our representation within EASA through EAS, mandated for that purpose.