ICAO ANC Priorities for 2009
3 February 2009
In a recent ICAO press release Council President Kobeh noted that due to anticipated expansion of the air transportation system and personnel retirements that, “The industry will be looking for pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance personnel and managers capable of effectively meeting the demands of a challenging working environment… The industry will be looking for pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance personnel and managers capable of effectively meeting the demands of a challenging working environment.”
Since a majority of these aviation personnel receive their training and initial experience via general aviation and aerial work it is important to foster and facilitate those operations.
General aviation’s priorities have always been the same: the need for access to airspace and airports and lowering operational costs. Without access operational freedom suffers; unless operational costs are reasonable the advantages of personal air transportation are lost.
More specifically, we would like to see the following happen:
- Standardize requirements for closely controlled airspace and the classification of all airspace. The current lack of standardization has led to over-classification of airspace and the loss of freedom to fly for many VFR operations.
- Protect general aviation access to regional and small airports. Scheduled and unscheduled commercial air transport operations have been using smaller airports to avoid congestion and fees associated with large airports serving major metropolitan areas. While these regional and charter operators gain a significant advantage over legacy carriers when using smaller airports, general aviation may be either forced out due to slotting or excessive landing/handling fees.
- Costs associated with training, pilot currency, required equipment, airworthiness, air traffic routings and facilitation are all borne by the individual general aviation pilot or operator. This forces pilots/owners to fly less and may become less proficient as costs increase, thereby impacting safety. More importantly, these factors discourage potential pilots from pursuing aviation as a life opportunity. Therefore, carefully consider the cost-benefit ratio for general aviation when enacting SARPS.
- A good example of the above is the Annex 14 requirement to provide rescue and firefighting personnel and equipment for operations at all airports, including the smallest public use airports. The costs associated with maintaining equipment and personnel at small, low-traffic airports becomes prohibitive when applied to landing and handling fees. States with the most active general aviation activity have chosen file differences with ICAO that either eliminate this requirement or significantly alter it. We would like to eliminate this requirement for small airports that do not have commercial air transport service.
The International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations represents the interests of more than 470,000 pilots and aircraft owners in 67 countries. Formed in 1962, IAOPA is dedicated to promoting the peaceful uses of general aviation and aerial work worldwide.
