What is EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency)?
EASA is the European civil aviation authority responsible for safety. The agency is the European Union’s governing body and is closely connected to the European Commission.
The agency was founded in 2002 (15th July) and is based in Cologne, Germany. It took over the functions of the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), the civil aviation regulatory body established before the European Union.
EASA has jurisdiction over:
- New airplane type certification
- Airworthiness approvals for aircraft and aircraft parts
- Aviation organisations’ approvals (manufacturers, maintenance)
- Aviation standardisation across the European Union
- Advising the European Commission on the drafting of EU legislation
- Aviation safety rules
It works in close cooperation with all European national civil aviation authorities, for example IAA (Irish Aviation Authority). It also provides research, analysis and monitoring of safety topics related to civil aviation.
Most of the regulations related to pilot training and a career as a pilot are the result of EASA’s work. For example, Part-FCL (Flight crew licensing), Part-MED (Medical requirements for pilots) or Part-ORO (Organisation requirements for air operations).
As well as all European Union countries, the member states of EASA include Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.
Image: European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) logo.
