The SE-IMC (Single Engine-Instrument Meteorological Conditions) working group recently met to process comments on the Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) and passed a summary on to the maintenance, operations and regulatory sectorial teams at the JAA. Bob Crowe, md of Cessna Caravan representatives Bob Crowe Aircraft, said: “The NPA has not been substantially changed but has been amended to reflect the 367 comments made. 13 out of 16 airworthiness authorities are in favour of SE-IMC, while the following have raised additional questions: UK CAA, German LBA and Italian ENAC.”

Crowe added: “Safety data shows that in the last 10 years and 3.62 million (now probably 4.5m in 12 years) flight hours of commercial service in the western world, no single engine turbine (SET) aircraft has suffered an engine failure that has caused any fatality. The CAA statistics show that the comparable fatal accident rate for the failure of one engine in a popular range of piston twins in the UK could have resulted in approximately 14 fatalities.”

To date SE-IMC cargo operations are approved in Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Spain and Sweden. Whilest there are many cargo operations, there are a total of 128 SET commercial and private aircraft of any register flying in Europe. This compares with the total of approximately 155 active piston twins which are in regular air taxi service in Germany and the UK.

“As a result of the safety data presented with the NPA, the Swiss have now decided to approve SET operations for both cargo and passengers. The Danish, Norwegian and Swedish operations department have recommended to their management that they should now extend their long standing approval for cargo flights to include passengers. The Finnish CAA are waiting until the subject is discussed by the ICAO in September,” said Crowe.

According to the Caravan representative, the German LBA

has requested that as the piston twins are likely to disappear from operations within a few years, the SE overall accident rates should be compared with turbine-powered twins rather than SE twins.

“The SE-IMC Working Group does not agree with this. An analysis of the German air taxi fleet, excluding those used for aerial survey and special mission work, shows that there are still 60 piston twins in active service including 20 Cessna 400 series (which is double the number of those models in service in the UK). The UK passenger piston air taxi fleet is estimated to be about 95.

“The LBA must also take into account that on any one day, many UK piston twins do fly into or over German airspace. All of the authorities will be provided with statistics that show that a substantial number of ever ageing piston twins and turboprops will remain in service for many years and that the SET fleet will grow substantially whether or not they are on an EU register,” he added.

Speaking of the other two countries raising further questions, Crowe said: “The Italian objection seems to be based on the concern that if they granted approval and there were a fatality, then they could be held legally liable. The UK CAA, by their continued criticism and failure to play an active part in the negotiations, seem to negate their overarching responsibility that is the promotion and regulation of safe air transport.”

The next meeting of the SE-IMC is this month, when it is hoped that the matters raised by the operational sectorial team and regulatory sectorial team will be answered and the JAA headquarters hopes that the SE-IMC NPA will be accepted by its sectorial teams to enable it to be presented to the JAA committee at its next meeting in October.

Said Crowe: “The worldwide approval of SE-IMC is gaining impetus and should be on the agenda for the September meeting of the ICAO air navigation committee. Many authorities have expressed their wish that ICAO will make a recommendation for approval of

SE-IMC for passenger and cargo flights and if so, they are then likely

to alter their national regulations

to reflect this.”

The length of time it has taken to find a resolution is clearly fraying the patience of people in Crowe’s position: “It is frustrating for the purchasers and operators of SE turbine aircraft, the manufacturers and their agents to find that the CAA – whilst paying lip service to improving safety – seem to be using every delay tactic possible. Many feel that it is time for a judicial review,” he added.