European Regulators Move Forward on Commercial SET-IMC

Commercial single-engine turbine operations in instrument meteorological conditions (SET-IMC) took one step closer to reality in Europe after several key countries endorsed the proposed regulatory change and agreed to prepare the draft rule for a final vote.

The European Aviation Safety Agency Committee, comprising European Commission and European Union member states, discussed the commercial SET-IMC proposal (EASA Opinion 06/2015) during a closed-door session in late February in Brussels. The opinion was accepted as a “good basis” for further discussions, and the committee tasked the EC with developing the legal text for a rule change.

The proposal received a critical endorsement from Germany, which has long had reservations about the concept, as well as the UK and France. Italy is believed to be the only state to raise concerns during the session.

Development of the legal text would pave the way for a final vote later this year. Such a vote could come up at the EASA Committee’s next meeting in June, if the schedule permits. The committee already is scheduled to discuss changes to the EASA’s Basic Regulation, which might push commercial SET-IMC consideration to the following meeting in October. Either way, the actions put commercial SET-IMC on pace for implementation early next year.

This would culminate a nearly 25-year effort that began with a study by the EASA’s predecessor agency, the Joint Aviation Authorities, and for years had met with substantial opposition from some of the European member states, including some that had endorsed the EASA proposal. Europe is the last major aviation region that does not authorize widespread commercial SET-IMC. The International Civil Aviation Organization released an international standard on such operations more than 10 years ago.

The EASA opinion, released in October, includes specific requirements covering equipment, flight planning, flight procedures and crew training for the operations. The opinion reflected the recommendations of a government/industry commercial SET-IMC rulemaking committee.