NPA 2020-10

Regular update of aerodromes rules

The objective of this Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) is to maintain a high level of safety for the aerodrome design and operations and to ensure alignment with Amendment 15 (ICAO State Letters AN/1.2.28-20/35 of 3 April 2020) to ICAO Annex 14, Volume I and Amendment 3 (ICAO State Letter AN /27-20/25 of 10 June) to ICAO Doc 9981 ‘PANS-Aerodromes’. In addition, the NPA addresses findings raised to EASA following the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Universal Safety Audit Programme (USOAP) and findings from standardisation visits conducted by EASA, especially in the area of aeronautical data related to aerodromes.

This NPA proposes changes to existing organisational and operational requirements of Regulation (EU) No 139/2014 and the related Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM), as well as the introduction of new ones. 

In particular, the proposed changes concern the following:

the implementation of the safety programmes and the establishment of safety committees by the aerodrome operator, by creating a runway safety team and assigning clear responsibilities and tasks;

  • the provision of certain aerodrome data by the aerodrome operator, aligning with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469, and transposition of the relevant SARPS in ICAO Annex 14, Volume I, including the introduction of the new methodology for evaluation of the pavement strength (ACR/PCR);
  • establishment of provisions regarding disabled aircraft removal and overload operations, to address ICAO USOAP findings to EASA;
  • establishment of certain provisions regarding aerodrome works safety and suspension or closure of runway operations in accordance with ICAO Doc 9981 ‘PANS-Aerodromes’;
  • provisions for the identification of (a) hot spot(s) at the aerodrome; and
  • revision of the rule related to the operation of higher code letter aircraft following the changes to the methodology of the aerodrome reference code.

Furthermore, the NPA proposes changes to the Certification Specifications (CS) of CS-ADR-DSN, stemming mainly from Amendment 15 to ICAO Annex 14 Volume I.

The proposed amendments are expected to enhance safety and improve alignment with ICAO. In addition, the provisions on aerodrome data will improve the quality of information published in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) and the provisions on disabled aircraft removal and overload operations will support the regularity of operations and the provisions related to aerodrome works safety, designation of hot spot(s), and suspension of runway operations will improve runway safety.