My contact who is on the June negotiating team states that both EASA and the FAA are serious about adding FCL to the existing Bi Lateral.
See my point about fuel taxes, industry put pressure on the government who just delayed the rise and then slipped it in later. We are still being hit by outrageous fuel tax and I bet it goes up again in the next budget.
My question re starting exams was met with a do nothing so we will see how genuine they are.
Same as the fuel tax, said by the haulage and lobbying firms.
Remember the whole thing nearly fell apart at Parliament stage where 5 MEPs were against were persuaded to vote the ship through with promises!
Yep, and they still got it through because its the dirty way that politics work.
You only have to look at the demands that EASA are making with regards to the bi lateral to realise the FAA are not going to give in. Can you really see the FAA agreeing to annual tests for everything or EASA giving into rolling currency?
We keep talking about the other bi lateral agreements with the FAA, but if you look at say the US-Canada agreement the revalidation requirements were already aligned, the TK was already aligned. At the moment we have a massive gulf between the FAA and the EASA requirements that I do not see a bi lateral overcoming. What we need to concentrate on is making or own system more proportional. It's the vast gold plating that needs to be pulled away and made in line with other countries that is going to foster proper bi lateral agreements.
At the moment we have an entire system that is just not fit for purpose. Look at the licences we now have 5 or 6 of them at last count to replace what my old UK CAA ICAO licence or my singe FAA certificate does. This is standardisation?