Introductory text

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^f1, and in particular Article 7(6), 8(5) and 10(5) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011^f2 lays down detailed rules for certain pilots’ licences, the conversion of national licences and certificates, as well as the conditions for the acceptance of licences from third countries. In addition, Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 includes provisions on the certification of approved training organisations and of operators of flight simulation training devices used for pilot training, testing and checking.

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.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (the ‘Agency’) found that it was necessary to amend Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/2012^f3 in order to allow the Agency to approve operational suitability data as part of the type-certification process.

The operational suitability data should include mandatory training elements for flight crew type rating training. Those elements should be the basis for developing type training courses.

The requirements related to the establishment of flight crew type rating training courses 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.

The Agency prepared draft implementing rules on the concept of operational suitability data and submitted them as an opinion^f4 to the Commission in accordance with Article 19(1) of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008.

Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 should therefore be amended accordingly.

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: