Story ID: 
EASA Proposal Aims To Reduce Runway Excursions
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: Proposal would increase the required landing distances for turbine business airplanes by allowing these aircraft to use a landing factor of 80 percent.
Word Count: 185
A Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) from EASA aims to reduce runway excursions by revising several performance requirements for commercial air transport operations in Europe. The NPA proposes amended standards for runway surface condition reporting, airworthiness standards for landing performance computation at time of arrival, and an in-flight assessment of landing performance at time of arrival. 

The proposed changes are also intended to improve harmonization with corresponding U.S. FARs, namely regarding increasing the required landing distances for turbine business airplanes by allowing these aircraft to use a landing factor of 80 percent, as permitted by FAR Part 135 and 91K under certain conditions. Current European Union rules require either a factor of 60 percent for jets or 70 percent for turboprops. To consider an 80 percent factor, the NPA proposes to add conditions under which aircraft could be approved. In fact, these conditions virtually mirror U.S. requirements.

Comments are due by Jan. 9, 2017. After considering the comments, EASA expects to publish a regulatory opinion by the third quarter of next year and issue a final regulation no later than the third quarter of 2018.