Subpart Q question EU Flight Time Limits

[VinRouge]

Hi all, a few questions about the upcoming europewide adoption of Subpart Q, in particular, how this applies to the UK. From a couple of documents it would seem that:

The EU were due to conduct a medical study into aircrew fatigue and ammend the existing Subpart Q released in 2008. Has this occurred?

The UK currently operates from CAP 371. The CAA indicated back in 2007 that they would be maintaining CAP371 rather than adopting Subpart Q as CAP 371 met (and arguably exceeds) the requirements of CAP371. What is the state of play with this? Will the UK manitain its own rules?

Do member nation defined under the basic regulation have to apply subpart Q? In other words, does the basic regulation define which states have agreed to follow subpart Q?

[Denti]

First of all, there will be a new "EASA OPS" coming in 2012, part of that is a new FDT scheme which will as far as i know replace all local FDT regulations within the EU. The commentation-phase for that just ended a couple days ago.

There was a study about the "old" subpart Q rules, the so-called moebus report (http://www.easa.eu.int/ws_prod/r/doc/research/FTL%20Study%20Final%20Report.pdf). It was one of many inputs into the draft of the new FDT rules, however sadly it didn't play a big part.

As far as i'm aware the UK cannot retain it's CAP 371 once the new rules are in effect, however i'm not really a legal expert. Probably not a bad idea to ask your union representatives or directly ECA for any info about that.

[777AV8R]

I have been working with regulatory authorities on some other issues and the proposed EASA FTDLs came up for discussion. I have reviewed desired articles desired to be kept by the UK and I've looked at the EASA regulations. A feeling that I'm getting is that the UK is not really willing to relinquish CAP371, in favor of the EASA regs. Only time will tell. The EASA scheme is a step backwards and will make life on the regulatory side a real 'headache'.