Brussels, 05/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - Aircraft pilots are complaining of the pressure being put on the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) by airline lobbies. They say the EASA is proposing dangerous rules relating to pilot fatigue, despite three scientific analyses that shed light on the danger incurred by flights with tired pilots. Pilots are hoping that the EASA will adopt a more cautious approach according to the precautionary principle.
Three dangerous limits. The European Cockpit Association (ECA) draws attention to the fact that night flights are particularly dangerous. They should therefore be limited to ten hours in order to ensure they are safer, unlike the 11 hours recommended by the EASA, which is in line with the wishes of airline companies. Another grievance raised by pilots and cabin crew is that they are under an obligation to remain on standby, to be available for an airline in the event of emergency. The EASA proposal on this would like a pilot to be able to take off after being on call for 20 hours, and after having been awake for 22 hours. Standby is also an essential element for airlines that must be flexible in the way they work. Furthermore, long working days, composed of several take-offs and landings, increase the risk of accident. Although scientists consider that a working day should be reduced after two series of landings and take-offs, the EASA would prefer to fix the number at three - which only heightens pilots' discontent.
Ministerial responsibility? ECA nonetheless appreciates the fact that, during discussions with European transport ministers, who met on 22 March, the EASA proposals had led to many questions being raised. Pilots warn ministers that there are still governments that have not yet realised the risk entailed by tired pilots. Neither have they realised that, when all is said and done, the finger of blame will be pointed at them if they are not able to shoulder their responsibilities to provide European travellers with safe rules on fatigue, based on science, the organisation deplores in a press release. (MD/transl.jl)