Paves The Way For A New Era In General Aviation, GA Industry Says

EASA Certification Director Trevor Woods presented EASA’s re-written CS-23 certification rules for small aircraft at AERO Wednesday, saying that the "EASA CS-23 are new, smart and flexible rules, prepared with and for a safe innovative GA industry." The reorganized CS-23 remove design limitations for manufacturers and thus open the way to innovation.

Also GA industry representatives emphasised its great potential. "These new rules will allow us to bring new aeroplane models with features using increased automation to market. We anticipate that these new features will not only help increase the user experience, but will help improve safety," stated Simon Caldecott, President and CEO of Piper Aircraft as well as Chairman of the GAMA. "The introduction of the new CS-23 paves the way for a new era in general aviation,"

The new CS-23 establishes objective and design-independent requirements. New designs will not be hampered by detailed prescriptive rules. This enables innovative solutions to enhance safety, while at the same time red tape, time and certification costs are reduced. The innovations are supported by better up-to-date industry standards which are continually developed in cooperation between manufacturers, users, EASA and other authorities.

"It’s revolutionary," added Ivo Boscarol, CEO of the Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel, "which is why we have been an active supporter of the CS-23 initiative. Right now, we see tremendous opportunities in electric and hybrid propulsion and increased automation. The new CS-23 will enable us to move at the pace of these developments and more readily leverage these innovations."

EASA has participated in an international effort and cooperation with the FAA (and others) to reorganise the CS-23/Part 23 in order to revive certified general aviation. Furthermore, a harmonised reorganization of both the related EU and US rules is vital for a global success.

"I am sure the result we see here today is a testament to what we can accomplish when government and industry work hand in hand to achieve a common goal," said Matthias Betsch, President of Flight Design. In fact, it might be the best example yet of global cooperation between aviation authorities."

(Source: EASA news release)

FMI: www.easa.europa.eu