Air Transport

The European Aviation Safety Agency's vision for unified general aviation across Europe was clarified on 25 April at AeroExpo Prague following publication of its Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) on Initial Airworthiness on 17 April.

The agency focused on how it intends to amend Part 21, proposing a simplified process for European Light Aircraft (ELA).

ELA is divided into two sub-processes: ELA 1 (covering aircraft with a maximum take-off mass less than 1,000kg [2,202lb]) and ELA 2 (covering aircraft with a maximum take-off mass less than 2,000kg). Under ELA 1, EASA is proposing to create a Certification Specification - Light Sport Aeroplane (CS-LSA) to complement existing certification specifications (CS-22 for sailplanes and powered sailplanes, CS-VLA for very light aeroplanes, etc). CS-LSA would define the applicability (criteria would include maximum take-off mass of 600kg) and refer to the ASTM standard that is used in the FAA light sport aircraft rule.

The proposals made by EASA working group MDM.032 have generated vastly more public comments than any other EASA initiative. The parliamentary process and executive approvals required to grant EASA competency across all Europe after its founding in 2003 have largely been pioneered by these GA proposals.

NPA No. 2008-07 describes EASA's intention to "create a lighter regulatory regime based around a new process for the European Light Aircraft (ELA) and to introduce a concept of standard changes and repairs". EASA states that "ELA is not a new category of aircraft defined by criteria such as stalling speed or certification code, but is a substantially simpler, new process for the regulation of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances. The intention is to issue type certificates for the type and certificates of airworthiness for the individual aircraft."