FAA
/ JAA Harmonization Working Group
Spring
- 2000 Meeting in Chicago, Illinois
Operations
Group - Darrel Olberg
Flight Crew
Licensing Group - Aidan Fox, Brad Rasummsen
There
was very limited dispatch related discussions in the JAA Operations Group with
the exception of a couple statements IFALDA managed to get in.
We felt some progress was made on the agenda item that stated:
·
"En-route
operational control - JAA to consider the en route operational control concept
specified in 14 CFR part 121, subparts T and U regarding the accountabilities
and training of any person on the ground who is responsible for providing
information on weather, airfield conditions, NOTAM's, etc. critical to an
aircraft in flight."
The
JAA Operations committee has approved language requiring training pertaining to
this item. Because we are unsure of
the exact wording, Bjarne is going to follow up with Mr. Otto Kubin and attempt
to get a copy of what was approved.
Progress
was made in several “off line" conversations. One with Mr. Kubin started with him being firmly against the
concept of joint authority and operational control. During this conversation he seemed to gain a better
understanding of the concept of operational control and when the term joint
responsibility was substituted for joint authority, he seemed to soften even
more. Toward the end of the talk he
actually said that maybe operational control should be brought to the committee
for further discussion. We will see.
Because
most of the work is actually done in the Operations Committee meetings, Bjarne
is going to approach Mr. Kubin on how we can get a seat on that committee.
Other organizations are on it (namely AEA) so I don't see why we can't
be.
Another
conversation was held with Mr. Peter Malanik.
He is the General Manager, Technical & Operations with the
Association of European Airlines (AEA). AEA
is our biggest detractor in Europe. Their
line is that they DON'T have a safety problem and therefore DON'T need
operational control! Again we tried
to concentrate on the benefits to the airlines of having an operational control
system. We touched on money but
focused on the subject of operational advantages. Though he kept to the "company line" , he did go
away with a somewhat more open mind. He
has agreed to check with his members about a possible presentation.
We will have to check back with him to see if he really meant it.
Next meeting is scheduled for the end of November in Washington, D.C.