COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 71/2014
of 27 January 2014
amending Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to Air Operations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency, and repealing Council Directive 91/670/EEC, Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 and Directive 2004/36/EC (1), and in particular Articles 8(5) and 10(5) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 dealing with airworthiness was extended to include the elements of operational suitability evaluation into the implementing rules for type-certification.
(2)
The European Aviation Safety Agency (the ‘Agency’) found that it was necessary to amend Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 (2) in order to allow the Agency to approve operational suitability data as part of the type-certification process.
(3)
The operational suitability data should include mandatory elements for Master Minimum Equipment List (‘MMEL’), flight crew training and cabin crew training which will be the basis for developing the Minimum Equipment List (‘MEL’) and crew training courses by operators.
(4)
The requirements related to the establishment of MEL, flight crew training and cabin crew training refer to the operational suitability data, however where the operational suitability data is not available there should be a general provision as well as transitional measures.
(5)
The aeronautical industry and Member State administrations should be given enough time to adapt to the new regulatory framework and to recognise under certain conditions the validity of certificates issued before the entry into force and application of this Regulation.
(6)
The Agency prepared draft implementing rules on the concept of operational suitability data and submitted them as an opinion (3) to the Commission in accordance with Article 19(1) of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008.
(7)
Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (4) should therefore be amended accordingly.
(8)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 65 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 is amended as follows:
(1)
Article 9 is replaced by the following:
‘Article 9
Minimum equipment lists
Minimum equipment lists (“MEL”) approved by the State of Operator or Registry before the application of this Regulation, are deemed to be approved in accordance with this Regulation and may continue to be used by the operator.
After the entry into force of this Regulation any change to the MEL referred to in the first subparagraph for which a Master Minimum Equipment List (“MMEL”) is established as part of the operational suitability data in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 (5) shall be made in compliance with point ORO.MLR.105 of Section 2 of Annex III to this Regulation at the earliest opportunity and not later than 18 December 2017 or two years after the operational suitability data was approved, whichever is the latest.
Any change to an MEL referred to in the first subparagraph, for which an MMEL has not been established as part of the operational suitability data, shall continue to be made in accordance with the MMEL accepted by the State of Operator or Registry as applicable.
(2)
A new Article 9a is inserted:
‘Article 9a
Flight and cabin crew training
Operators shall ensure that flight crew and cabin crew members who are already in operation and have completed training in accordance with Subparts FC and CC of Annex III which did not include the mandatory elements established in the relevant operational suitability data, undertake training covering those mandatory elements not later than 18 December 2017 or two years after the approval of the operational suitability data, whichever is the latest.’;
(3)
Annex III (PART-ORO) is amended in accordance with Annex I to this Regulation.
(4)
Annex V (PART-SPA) is amended in accordance with Annex II to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 27 January 2014.