Meeting of the FAA / JAA
Harmonization Management Team
(HMT) Meeting
November
28 - 30, 2000
Washington,
D.C.
Representing
IFALDA - James Ford, Brad Rasmussen, Norm Joseph
The
Federal Aviation Administration and The Joint Aviation Authorities held a joint
public meeting on November 28 and November 30, 2000 to allow public input and
review of the ongoing harmonization process. These public meetings alternate
between JAA and FAA locations and this meeting was held in Washington D.C.
The
format of these public meetings is to advise both government representatives and
interested industry representatives of the various ongoing harmonization tasks
and projects as directed by the Harmonization Management Team (HMT). New tasks
and projects are also presented along with other issues of common interest.
The
aircraft dispatcher was not discussed at this meeting. Mention was made of
several related issues including operational control, all weather operations,
performance, ETOPS and flight crew licensing.
While
there are occasionally discussions dealing directly with dispatcher or
operational control issues, this venue typically is one where contacts and
relationships are developed and information is gathered concerning issues that
may at some point affect the aircraft dispatcher. Our profession was well
represented by IFALDA President James Ford along with Brad Rasmussen and Norm
Joseph.
The
current number one FAA safety issue is Runway Safety and Incursion. A
comprehensive presentation was made by Mr. John Mayrhofer of the FAA explaining
the FAA program and encouraging both the JAA and ICAO to develop similar
priorities. The JAA promised a
similar program.
The
JAA Chairman reported that a proposal is under way for the JAA to reorganize to
provide better oversight and more timely response using a corporate type format.
If this proposal moves forward it is possible that a European Safety Agency,
under the European Commission, may result in a 3-5 year time frame.
The
internal procedures used by the FAA and various JAA members were widely
discussed with many commitments for standardization from the government
participants. The FAA committed to
rewriting the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee's policy and procedures
manual (The Green Book) to bring it more in line with JAA rulemaking procedures.
One
issue of interest to dispatchers is the beginning effort to harmonize Master
Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) and
related documents. IFALDA President James Ford asked how this would be done
since the JAA does not have a requirement for dispatchers to handle the
"dispatcher approval required" items. Mr. Jim MacDonald and other FAA
representatives were quick to reply that they planned no change to current FAA
MEL requirements for "dispatcher
approval" procedures.
Several
industry presentations focused on "A Better Plan for Harmonization".
The theme appeared to be more timely tasks and resolution, completion of
outstanding tasks, more industry input and recognition of industry resources.