Brussels, 10/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Air Safety Agency (EASA) is preparing rules for airworthiness and risk assessment for safe flight in airspace contaminated by volcanic ash, Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn announced to the European Parliament on Thursday 10 March. Speaking during a debate on the volcanic ash crisis of last April (see EUROPE 10122), Hahn added that “by April”, the Commission hopes to finalise work on extending the EASA sphere of competence to security certification for air traffic control. The debate was held at the request of MEPs (EPP, ALDE, S&D and ECR groups) who feel the Commission is too slow in implementing the approach adopted last year to prevent the reoccurrence of air traffic disturbance further to volcanic eruption.
From an operational point of view, it is the airline that is responsible for the security of its operations, Hahn said, setting out the guiding principles for the European approach. Before flying over an area affected by ash, the operator should prepare, and have approved by the oversight authorities, a risk assessment on the aircraft that plans to cross that area. This process is expected when important changes in the situation occur, Hahn said. Also, Hahn said on behalf of the Commission, the operator should: - show that the sources of any information used for the risk assessment are correct; - demonstrate its own competence for the correct interpretation of the data; - and obtain information from the aircraft manufacturer relating to the aircraft's sensitivity to ash particles, to be included in the risk assessment. A key element of this approach would be “collaborative” decision-making between member states and the aviation industry, he said, pointing out that, to achieve this, the Commission has set in place a European crisis coordination unit (EUROPE 10145). This body has already held several meetings and will play a major role in volcanic ash management. It will be organised on 13 and 14 April under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the commissioner said. He also underlined the need for adequate implementation of the European Single Sky which aims to modernise and harmonise air traffic control in Europe, while underlining that, in the Commission's eyes, measures taken with a view to facilitating operations for airlines in the event of volcanic eruption must not be detrimental to safety.
MEPs, who asked the Commission what progress has been made for setting in place measures to ensure similar crises do not happen again, above all stress the need to improve technical means allowing for ash clouds to be forecast and for adequate training for all involved. According to Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania), Europe must ensure better follow-up by investing more in ground and air equipment and by ensuring that weather forecasts provide reliable data in real time. Brian Simpson (Socialist, UK), who chairs the EP committee on transport, called for the plan adopted by member states in May to be implemented in order to manage the displacement of volcanic ash clouds (see EUROPE 10132). Artur Zasada (EPP, Poland) was also adamant about bringing systems in to allow the thickness of volcanic ash clouds to be measured. The Icelandic volcano's eruption last year led to the cancellation of 100,000 flights and losses for the aviation sector of up to €2 billion, he said, calling on the Commission to present concrete solutions to counter such situations. His compatriot, Bogdan Macinkiewicz (EPP), highlighted the need to develop alternative connections for air travel, including high speed rail links. (A.By./transl.jl)