Cockpit News online Visit our website Data, facts & follow-up We recently were told by the European Commission that “more data is needed”. More data on problematic industry practices that make use of ‘social engineering’ to circumvent national labour, tax and social security laws, and which distort competition on the European aviation market. Such data is now available – contained in the comprehensive study report from the Ghent University on ‘Atypical Employment in Aviation’. But is seems many don’t like what they see in this report – albeit for different reasons. For sure, we as pilots do not like the study outcome because we see that dramatic (and possibly detrimental) changes are taking place in our profession! We see that these so-called ‘atypical forms’ of employment will soon be rather typical for the aviation industry. Especially our young colleagues experience a completely different start of their flying career. “Pay-to-fly” schemes, bogus selfemployment and zero-hour contracts are today's sad reality. The time, when the relation between a pilot and his/her airline was meant to be a direct one – and maybe even a lifelong – belongs to the past. Dirk Polloczek MORE + If you ever thought that aviation is protected against ‘mala fide’ management and practices. It's not. The pilot profession has often been glorified as one of the most prestigious: high pay, professionalism, respect, high social status. The qualifications and skills required to become a pilot, and the enormous responsibility they carry, somehow, let us think that aviation – and its employees – are protected against mala fide management, exploitation and bad labour conditions. Well, they are not. Pilots have not escaped the perverse logic dominating the entire industry – cheap, cheaper, cheapest, and if possible – for free. MORE + Drones in sight After publishing a proposal for rules for small drones on 15 February, the US Federal Aviation Administration is gearing up to collect comments by industry and drone enthusiasts alike. Judging by the initial strong reactions – both negative & positive – busy days are ahead for the FAA. The proposal made Amazon rather unhappy.But does that mean is it time for drone fans to celebrate? Perhaps not yet. Safety (and security) of the ‘unmanned’ or ‘remotely piloted’ aircraft systems (RPAS), and the way they are operated, keep prompting new questions globally, including in the EU. MORE + ECA Releases EU FTL Calculator On 18 Feb. 2016 latest, one year from today, all European airlines will have to apply new Flight Time Limitations (FTL) for their pilots and cabin crew, in line with the FTL rules developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). To mark the start of this countdown, pilot experts from ECA developed an online ‘EU FTL Calculator’. This new calculator – launched today – allows air crew, airlines, national authorities and other stakeholders to calculate their flight duty times under EASA’s new rules. MORE + Invitation: Lunch Briefing on Atypical Employment in Aviation - 27 March 2015, Brussels Save the date: 5-7 May FRMS Forum, Luxembourg ECA Annual Report 2014 Want to know more? Connect with us on LinkedIn GET SOCIAL WITH US: European Cockpit Association AISBL Rue du Commerce 20-22 B-1000 Brussels Phone: +32 2 705 32 93 eca@eurocockpit.be / www.eurocockpit.be unsubscribe