Brussels, 05/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Cockpit Association (ECA) was highly critical, on Tuesday 3 February, of the opinion given by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in favour of new rules for air operations by Community operators (see EUROPE 9827) in so far as it does not include the conclusions of its own study demonstrating the adverse impact of current EU flight time limitation (FTL) rules. In a press release published on Tuesday, ECA reproaches the EASA for adopting an approach that is less and less strict with regard to aviation rules, giving preference to flexibility rather than security. It also criticises the fact that the conclusions of the study published on 22 January (see EUROPE 9825) are not included in the opinion, although European legislation currently in force (Regulation 3922/91) imposes modification “without delay”, on the basis of a scientific study to appear by 16 January, of the rules relating to limitation of pilots' flight time. “EASA's own Basic Regulation 216/2008 obliges the Agency to base its proposal for air operations rules on 'latest scientific and technical evidence'”, stresses Philip von Schöppenthau, ECA President, in a press release. He goes on to say: “EASA has four months (the end of the public consultation exercise is foreseen for 30 May) to assess the scientific FTL study and to take it into account”, immediately rather than, as it would like, initiate a new legislative process on this subject. The ECA, which challenges current legislation on this (see EUROPE 9706) fears that this last solution will considerably and “unnecessarily” delay the prospect of having a “complete set of science-based FTL rules” on flight time in Europe. There's much at stake, mainly for airline companies that consider that the change in the minima FTL negotiated at European level will entail additional costs - no less than €1 billion annually. The Association of European Airlines (AEA) has recently questioned the scientific grounds of the EASA study. (A.By./transl.jl)