Brussels, 11/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Aeroplane pilots and air traffic controllers have criticised the general approach on aviation occurrence reporting that ministers for transport put forward on Monday 10 June (see EUROPE 10863). The Council watered down the level of the Commission's ambition and pilots and air traffic controllers are fearful for air accident prevention given that voluntary reporting is not sufficiently encouraged.
The European Cockpit Association (ECA) and the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) regret that the provisions drawn up by transport ministers in their general approach do not contribute towards a “just culture”, namely that of a non-punitive mandatory and voluntary reporting system. The president of IFATCA, Alexis Braithwaite, said that “it is essential to allow safety professionals to report beyond what is legally required”, adding that “less stringent requirements are a setback which will significantly reduce our ability to identify further potential hazards”. ECA president, Nico Voorbach, regretted that ministers had weakened the provisions on confidentiality even though “air traffic controllers and all other safety-professionals in the aviation industry must be able to talk openly about safety incidents, mishaps or honest mistakes in a confidential environment, one which neither entails reprisals on company level nor leads to unfounded legal prosecution”. Both organisations are now turning towards the European Parliament in an attempt to reverse this course of action. (MD/transl.fl)