Down with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). So says the voice of another dissatisfied customer, Richard Dawney (Flight International, 28 Feb-6Mar) and we saw plenty of them at the 4th EASA Industry meeting, in Cologne last November.

Richard Dawnay is calling for a return to the days of NAA/JAA configuration but we would go further and say, "Let's get back to the days of the NAA only and fast."

We believe the reported under funding and under staffing are just the tip of the iceberg as far as problems go with EASA. When JAA was first mooted it was decreed that it would operate to the highest standard. We now believe that EASA is bowing to commercial pressure to lower those standards to appease the European companies. There are moves afoot to remove the requirement for Licensed personnel and replace them with cheaper "appropriately authorised" personnel - company YES men?

As another minister with the aviation portfolio at the Department for Transport resigns, the second in the past year, we have to ask, when will the government wake up to the clarion calls of people like Richard Dawnay and ourselves, that there are grave concerns about EASA and the European aviation industry. Let's hope it is soon and before those concerns are turned into graves.

Keith Rogers
General Secretary, Association of Licensed Aircraft Engineers, Bagshot, Surrey, UK

Source: http://www.flightglobal.com/Home

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