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Whereas:
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China has graciously hosted the 27th World Assembly of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations in Beijing, China; and
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the leadership, staff and members of AOPA China have given generously of their time and talents to make this Assembly a success and have extended their warm friendship and hospitality to the delegates and guests; and
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the delegates assembled wish to express their sincere appreciation to these persons and entities; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
to extend its deepest gratitude to all of the dedicated AOPA China personnel and members for their work in hosting the Assembly, including
Whereas:
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China has graciously hosted the 27th World Assembly of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations in Beijing, China; and
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a number of organizations have generously sponsored special events; and
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the delegates assembled wish to express their sincere appreciation to these persons and entities; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
to extend its deepest gratitude to all of the sponsors which include:-
Whereas:
several government and aviation industry representatives have participated in the 27th World Assembly of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations hosted by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China from September 09 to 13, 2014 in Beijing, China; and
Whereas:
the delegates assembled wish to express their sincere appreciation to the representatives of China and to the officials and agencies who participated in the Assembly; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
to thank the representatives of China and other organizations for their cooperation, and especially the following officials for their generous and valuable participation:
Whereas:
EGAST, the EASA General Aviation Safety Team, reported recently the incident figures of 2013; and
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EGAST reported Abnormal Runway Contact (ARC) is the number on contributor to non-fatal accidents; and
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the reason for these accidents is reduced training options for GA due to high cost for touch and go training movement; and
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the touch and go flights are training flights for students as well as for licensed pilots; and
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in several countries there is no airfield charge or air traffic charge for these touch and go movements therefore reducing the cost to a minimum administrative cost of a few dollars per movement; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
to urge, in the interest of safety all national regulators and Departments of Transport, to promote all Airport Authorities and the Air Traffic Control organizations, to reduce the cost for touch and go movement to no charge thus serving air safety and airport safety.
Whereas:
Aeromedical safety is maintained because pilots properly assess their physical fitness to fly, prior to each flight
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Pilots value their own safety and that of their passengers which will continue to be true with or without the requirement for medical certification.
Whereas:
Due to the significant cost associated with obtaining a medical certificate, renewing it, the fear of being denied and sent through the bureaucratic hoops and extensive testing required to get it back, many pilots have chosen to stop flying for personal transportation and recreational purposes—no longer participating and enjoying the freedom to fly.
Whereas:
All pilots are required to undergo a flight review, conducted by a certificated flight instructor at least every two years in order to act as pilot in command. During these reviews, instructors continue to evaluate each pilot’s cognitive condition, as well as his or her physical ability to safely operate an aircraft. If either is in question they will not endorse the pilot.
Whereas:
The resources now being used on the medical certification process could be reinvested in ways that do far more to enhance safety, including increased proficiency flying and installing new safety equipment on aircraft.
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
That, national regulators should adopt requirements for private pilots similar to those currently being considered in the United States which expands upon the FAA’s successful Sport Pilot Rule and that ensures safety is maintained while significantly reducing burdensome regulatory barriers. This approach also provides regulators and the general aviation community with a responsible and appropriate approach to addressing medical fitness for pilots who are flying for private and recreational purposes.
Whereas:
responsibility for aerodromes are commonly left to regional and municipal authorities; and
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governments increasingly tend to divest of the responsibility of preserving general aviation aerodromes; and
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regional and community aerodromes close their operation when there is no scheduled traffic; and
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authorities recognize the importance of general aviation; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly resolves:
to urge the communities, states, regional and administrating authorities to:
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growth of General Aviation can be impeded through over-regulation; and
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operating rules are required for the safety of all airspace users; and
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the costs associated with regulation oversight can lead to lower levels of activity; and
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the ICAO Secretary General, in his opening statement to this assembly, highlighted the impact of over-regulation in deterring the growth of general aviation; and
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basis for regulation should be data driven; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly resolves:
that regulatory systems need to be risk based and proportionate to the activity and that regulators understand the risks that they seek to address and regularly review their existing regulations.
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ICAO separates the definitions of General Aviation and Aerial Work operations; and
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IAOPA has historically represented the interests of general aviation including aerial work operators and small commercial operators; and
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aerial work operations use typical general aviation aircraft; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
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ICAO contracting states apply the ICAO airspace classifications; and
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China is committed to opening up the lower altitudes of airspace in supporting the economic developments of general aviation; and
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the process needs to make quicker progress; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly resolves:
that opening of airspace in line with the requirements of ICAO Class G, China will further the development of VFR flights.
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IAOPA is concerned with the supply of aviation fuel for operators of general aviation aircraft in China; and
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there is a need for wider distribution to airports serving the needs of private aircraft owners; and
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availability of fuel is linked to flight safety and operational efficiency; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly resolves:
that fuel supply needs to be available without restrictions.
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general aviation aircraft are being imported into China; and
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in future aircraft may be exported from China; and
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taxes and levies, when applied, may cause unnecessary restrictions; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly resolves:
that the burden of taxes/levies should not be at a level which restricts the individual’s freedom to buy and sell aircraft and should be fair and reasonable.
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the growth of general aviation in China is restrained by current government policies; and
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there is a desire to free up the general aviation market place; and
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general aviation can provide real economic benefits to the local and national economies; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly resolves:
to encourage all government to recognise the benefit that general aviation can provide to the economy of a state where there is minimum interventions from the state, fewer controls can speed up growth in this important sector of aviation.
Whereas:
airspace modernization efforts are underway around the globe transitioning from a ground based system to a satellite based system; and
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the implementation of Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and its European counterpart EGNOS, provide IFR capabilities to airports at a significant cost saving over ground based systems (ILS); and
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implementation of SBAS systems has been proven to improve aviation safety; and
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many States, in complying with ICAO resolution 37-11 have chosen only to implement BaroVnav APV approaches or a more costly Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS), both of which are cost prohibitive for general aviation aircraft to equip; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
that the safety needs of general aviation aircraft must be included in any airspace modernization plan by the development and implementation of a SBAS system providing LPV approaches at general aviation airports capable of instrument approaches.
Whereas:
ICAO establishes standards and recommended practices, it is not the only standards body that can affect the general aviation industry; and
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new regulations are being proposed throughout the globe for example EU regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH) (EC1907/2006), which impacts most industrial products. Whilst the intent of REACH is to provide a high level of protection for human health; and
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certain chemicals are used in aviation, some chemicals such as Halon are carried for the purpose of extinguishing fires; and
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there is a need to achieve the right balance particularly in the health of humans, the non-availability of key substances impact directly on aircraft and product sales, maintenance of in-service products plus the administrative burden of the legislation on individuals and SMLs; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
that aviation products critical to the safety of life needs to be exempted from this legislation and that ICAO should take a leading role in this debate to ensure the aviation safety is not adversely affected.
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IAOPA represents the general aviation interests in 73 countries; and
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IAOPA has a presence at ICAO in order to assure its relevance on the world stage; and
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your leadership of this world body is most respected; and
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your kind words conveyed to us in your video message were a highly valuable contribution to the success of our World Assembly; therefore
IAOPA, at its 27th World Assembly, resolves:
that the delegates deepest gratitude is expressed to you, Secretary General of ICAO for your interest and dedicated support evidenced by your insightful comments transmitted to our Assembly.
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the Israeli Association of General Aviation (AOPA-Israel)Â has graciously hosted the 25th World Assembly of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) in Tel Aviv, Israel; and
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the leadership and staff of AOPA-Israel have given generously of their time and talents to make this Assembly a success, and have extended their warm friendship and hospitality to the delegates and guests; and
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a number of organizations have generously sponsored the Assembly and its special events; therefore
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the delegates assembled wish to express their sincere appreciation to these persons and organizations; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, resolves: to extend its appreciation to the following individuals and organizations for their excellent services and sponsorship:
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representatives from a number of international, regional, national and industry organizations have participated in the 25th World Assembly of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations, providing a significant contribution to the success of the Assembly; and
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the delegates assembled wish to express their sincere appreciation to all of the representatives who participated in the Assembly; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, resolves: to thank the following representatives for their insight, support and participation:
Submitted by the Secretariat
Whereas:
non-type certified aircraft (ultralights, light sport aircraft, homebuilt, owner-maintained aircraft) are increasing in proportion to the total general aviation fleet; and
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general aviation has traditionally been the training ground for new pilots and mechanics; and
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the growing fleet of non-certified aircraft require a new set of mechanics, instructors and training curricula to be developed to assure continued safety of this growing sector; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, resolves: that affiliates work with their national aviation authorities to enact provisions which will assure:
Submitted by the Secretariat
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aerodromes are an essential resource for all general aviation operations; and
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the number of aerodromes in all States has been reduced significantly over years past. This diminished number has made it increasingly difficult to operate general aviation aircraft in an efficient and economical manner. Pilots and aircraft owners leaving aviation because of the resulting operational inconvenience; and
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the loss of aerodromes arises in large part from local governments, businesses and residents not realizing the value of general aviation to their community. Additionally, land values near metropolitan areas have risen to the point where property developers can easily outbid airport operators in purchasing the land on which they are located; and
Whereas:
local users of these aerodromes often do not perceive the threats to their facilities in a timely manner to prevent the loss of the aerodrome. This may be because the users are not adequately engaged with either aerodrome management or surrounding communities to realize the potential threats to their aerodromes; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, resolves: that all IAOPA affiliates:
Submitted by the Secretariat
Whereas:
ICAO Annex 14 Aerodromes requires rescue and firefighting services to be available at all aerodromes capable of serving international flights, regardless of aerodrome size or activity levels; and
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many States have chosen to adopt this requirement for all their aerodromes, significantly increasing aerodrome operating expenses, consequently levying increased landing fees to cover these costs; and
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very few accidents occur at small general aviation aerodromes requiring on-aerodrome rescue and firefighting services; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, resolves to: propose that ICAO and States remove the requirement for rescue and firefighting services at aerodromes classified as ICAO Class 1* or those with a runway length of less than 1,000 meters.
* Aerodromes capable of accommodating aircraft with a maximum length of 9 meters or fuselage width of 2 meters.
Submitted by the Secretariat
Whereas:
the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) symposium held earlier this year concluded that there will be shortfalls of well-trained pilots and technicians for the commercial air transport industry over the next decade; and
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requirements within these occupations have been estimated as follows:
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individual self-funding for qualification as an airline pilot or mechanic is expensive and beyond the reach of the average young person; and
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training for pilot or mechanic certification begins with general aviation; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves to: work with States, ICAO, commercial air transport organizations and aviation training operators to:
Submitted by AOPA-Botswana
Whereas:
the cost of training pilots has escalated over the past few years due to continuing and rapid increases in fuel and oil prices, maintenance costs and landing and navigation fees. These increased operating costs are passed on to the student pilot through increased hourly training rates; and
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many young student pilots cannot afford flight training costs over a short period of time. Therefore, the total amount of training time required to obtain a private pilot license (PPL) increases due to the necessity of reviewing previous lessons. As a consequence, the number of student PPL course completions is falling each year due to the expense involved. Furthermore, the number of hours flown each year by new pilots is also decreasing due to these escalating costs. This results in reduced pilot proficiency and ultimately affects safety; and
Whereas:
with fewer pilots being trained each year there are fewer PPL holders progressing to receive a commercial pilot license. Therefore, fewer pilots are able to become airline pilots when the demand for them is increasing worldwide; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, resolves: to urge States and responsible authorities to:
Submitted by AOPA-Philippines
Whereas:
with the introduction of advanced technology devices in aircraft, operators become complacent and reliant on technology, thereby compromising the need to concentrate on basic airmanship skills and procedures; and
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technology has obscured the need to emphasize airmanship through retraining activities and regular evaluation; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves: to urge State licensing authorities to:
Submitted by AOPA-Sweden
Whereas:
responsibility for aerodromes are commonly left to regional and municipal authorities; and
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governments increasingly tend to relieve themselves of the responsibility of preserving general aviation aerodromes; and
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the international general aviation community recognizes the importance of general aviation airports; and
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the European Community recognizes the value of general aviation aerodromes and urges governments and member States to ensure the viable network of general aviation aerodromes; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves: to urge States and administrating authorities to:
Submitted by AOPA-USA & IAOPA
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all IAOPA members seek to attract more individuals into aviation; and
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all IAOPA members have the ability to share flying experience with non-pilots throughout the year; and
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IAOPA will be strengthened through efforts to grow the pilot population; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves: that IAOPA affiliates:
Submitted by AOPA-UK
Whereas:
within EASA there are a number of national pilot ratings for which there will be no equivalent under the 2012 EASA member State harmonization program. This will result in the loss of established valuable national ratings based on an administrative change; and
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an example of this is the UK Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) rating, with over 20,000 issued to date. This rating offers the privilege of flight in IMC outside controlled airspace with approach privileges without the requirement of a full instrument rating with its associated training requirements, cost and ongoing currency commitments. The benefit of this rating is improved flight safety; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves:
Submitted by AOPA-UK
Whereas:
it is necessary to ensure that pilots do not lose license privileges as a result of regulation evolution (grandfather rights) particularly with the regulatory changes and harmonization at present taking place within European region; and
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certain types of licenses issued by national authorities have no equivalent under the 2012 harmonization proposals which will deprive pilots, in some cases, of an ability to earn a living (a human rights issue as well); and
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an example of this is the UK Basic Commercial Pilots License (BCPL) which was introduced to allow UK PPL instructors to continue to instruct for remuneration under JAR when it became a requirement to hold a CPL to instruct for remuneration; and
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there is no equivalent of a BCPL within present EASA proposals. Whilst it is a basic human right to earn a living it cannot be right that new European rules take away the right to continue earning a living on the same basis; and
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a similar issue is the proposal for overseas flight training instructors to hold a full EASA Instructor Certificate in order to teach for the issue of a European license. This requires completion of an approved EASA flight instructors course, with associated costs, particularly where there is no credit for existing instructor qualifications; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves:
Submitted by AOPA-UK
Whereas:
EASA is proposing requirements that an aircraft owned under a Trust agreement must demonstrate that the aircraft meet all aspects of the FARs equivalent to European regulations in excess of those already applicable to N-registered aircraft that are permanently based in Europe; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves: that Europe should recognize that the FAA complies with ICAO standards, has a fully compliant registry with a safety record comparable to that of Europe while offering adequate oversight, and should therefore accept properly N-registered aircraft as compliant to operate without further requirements in Europe, where the aircraft is being used for private purposes only.
Submitted by AOPA-UK
Whereas:
EASA has taken over the initial certification and continued airworthiness rules for aviation in Europe in order to reduce costs; and
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the FAA has for many years fulfilled the role of certification of aircraft and equipment and has had many bilateral agreements with a number of States. No such agreement exists between the European Commission and its agency EASA, and the US Department of Transport and its agency the FAA; and
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this lack of bilateral agreements affects AOPA members when, for example, STCs are not automatically accepted; and
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this increases costs to members as they need to apply for an STC and pay for the involvement of a design firm.
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves: to pursue at the highest political level the need for Europe and the USA to enact bilateral certification and airworthiness agreements as they may apply to general aviation.
Submitted by AOPA-Canada
Whereas:
airports are under significant threat of closure, due in large part to a lack of understanding of their role in the national transportation infrastructure; and
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a network of airports that serve general aviation is an essential requirement for general aviation to be a viable part of a State’s national transportation infrastructure; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves: that States be encouraged to include in their Air Transportation Policy a statement that defines an appropriate network of airports to serve general aviation so that it remains a viable mode of transportation for the State.
Submitted by IAOPA-Secretariat
Whereas:
the expenses associated with operating training aircraft have grown to the point where the cost of training the next generation of aviation professionals is prohibitively expensive; and
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these costs will limit the number of students that could afford to learn to fly, as well as those owners and pilots that could continue to fly; and
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there are no aeroplanes on the market that are lower in cost to operate and these aeroplanes are a growing segment of general aviation; and
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recognizing that these new aeroplanes or light sport aeroplanes (LSA) are now highly capable, and have the capacity to meet the need for lower cost general aviation aeroplanes; and
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recognizing that the production and certification of LSAs is not globally harmonized and that in accordance with Article 33 of the Convention of International Civil Aviation that this may place a barrier on the recognition of the pilot’s license and certificates of airworthiness; and
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recognizing that the lack of international regulatory framework to support the multi-national recognition of LSAs and associated pilot licenses may raise the cost of operation of LSAs and the resulting cost to operators, pilots and trainees; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly resolves to:
Submitted by AOPA-Italy
Whereas:
general aviation needs two essential resources (other than money) with which to operate: aerodromes and airspace. A persistent threat concerning airspace access plagues general aviation, especially those operating under visual flight rules (VFR). This is the random, unplanned and non-standardized placement of tightly controlled airspace in areas frequented by general aviation, generally areas not requiring a high degree of control; and
Whereas:
little guidance is provided to States regarding airspace design and justification. The result is that airspace segments are designated at the whim of the regulatory authority, yielding little standardization among States, even contiguous ones; and
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enroute navigation while avoiding restrictive airspace makes VFR operations increasingly complex. This complexity aggravates a number of other potential hazards: marginal weather, dwindling fuel, rising terrain and apprehensiveness about a possible airspace violation all conspire to increase risk and reduce safety for the VFR pilot; and
Whereas:
little or no consistency in airspace standardization exists from one State to another, especially with regard to the airspace above 3,000 feet AGL or within terminal areas. One State’s Class D airspace becomes another’s Class C or another’s Class B. Since many States erroneously equate a high degree of air traffic control with safety, much airspace is over-classified; therefore
IAOPA, at its 25th World Assembly, reaffirms its 24th World Assembly resolution: to urge ICAO, State and military regulatory authorities responsible for classifying airspace to: