EASA Commits To ‘Better, Cheaper, and Safer’ GA

Future goals, opportunities, and challenges for European general aviation operators, manufacturers, and regulators were the focus of this year’s annual European Aviation Safety Agency’s industry conference last week in Vienna. EASA executive director Patrick Ky closed the meeting by setting out the agency’s commitments for “a truly innovative, better, cheaper, and safer general aviation in Europe.”

More than 300 people from across the European general aviation community came together to engage with the agency on the evolution of GA in the face of technological developments. Participants ranged from airframe, engine, and avionics manufacturers, to developers of hybrid and solar-powered aircraft, to air taxis and UAVs, to GA associations and policy representatives.

The successes and challenges of the GA Roadmap—EASA’s general aviation action plan of the past four years—were reviewed. Panel discussions focused on how to develop more affordable modern aircraft, the latest innovations, how to share the airspace of the future, and how new business models can be encouraged to improve safety.