Story ID: 
EASA Extends Comment Periods on Key Proposals
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended the comment periods for three key notices of proposed amendments (NPAs) under which it will assume 
Word Count: 195
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended the comment periods for three key notices of proposed amendments (NPAs) under which it will assume responsibility for regulating aircraft operations. The deadlines for the industry to respond to both NPA 2009-02a-02g (air operations) and NPA 2009-1 (operational suitability certificate) have been pushed back by two months to July 31 and June 30, respectively. A further six weeks, until May 30, has been allowed to comment on NPA 2008-22a-22e (authority and organization requirements). The NPA documents are available at the EASA Web site. The European Business Aviation Association welcomed the move as “a step in the right direction.” However, it indicated that it might push for further concessions in the approval process for the new legislation, which EU transport ministers are not expected to approve until October 2010, after the documents are introduced as new legislation to the European Parliament before the end of this September. This would give operators less than 18 months to be fully compliant by the April 2012 implementation deadline. In a statement issued last week, the EASA gave no indication as to whether this legislative timetable can now be adjusted to allow more time.