Europe and United States discuss safety in challenging times

Improving aviation safetyin times of economic hardship requires the cooperation of all aviation players,regulators and industry. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) have therefore put this cooperation atthe top of the agenda for this year’s Europe/US International Aviation SafetyConference, which takes place in Athensfrom 2-4 June.

Some 300 international aviationexperts will be examining the current situation and the relationship betweenindustry and regulators, so as to identify potential areas for improvement.Representatives from industry and aviation authorities have been invited to presenttheir views towards achieving a more harmonised implementation of rules and eliminatingglobal disparity. “Together with the FAA we have put together anagenda that addresses the impact of the current economic situation on theaviation sector”, said Patrick Goudou, the Agency’s Executive Director. “We havelearned from our day-to-day business with the industry that new regulatoryapproaches are needed to help the sector better address this challengingsituation without compromising safety”, he added.
Three series ofworkshops will cover the areas of airworthiness, interoperability/interfaceissues and operations, while a range of information sessions will focus oncurrent issues of aviation safety, such as Very Light Jets, Fuel Tank Safety,repair stations and the Operational Suitability Certificate. Following up onthe last two Conferences, updates in the areas of data sharing and SafetyManagement Systems (SMS) are also on the agenda.

Speakers include, amongothers, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the InternationalAir Transport Association (IATA), EUROCONTROL, aviation authorities from aroundthe world and industry representatives.

The annual Europe/US Conferenceis jointly organised by EASA and the FAA. Its aim is to promote co-operationand mutual recognition of safety standards. The conference location alternatesbetween Europe and the UnitedStates. This year’s Conference is held in Greece, withthe support of the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority. Next year's venue will beannounced in Athens.