I N T E RV I E W thats not our job. When it comes to things such as flight-time limitations (FTLs), however, each operator has to have an approved FTL scheme within its operations manual, and it has to comply with that. We make sure it is monitoring its compliance of that, and take action if it is not monitoring or adhering to it. The difficulty there is that one size doesnt fit all when it comes to the regulations, so each operator has to have approved an FTL notation system thats bespoke to them. One of the things that probably hasnt happened as well as it should is that, when the EASA FTLs came in, there was the FTL part and Fatigue Management which probably wasnt done as well. For me, one of the big things we want to satisfy is clarification of FTLs, because everybody picks up the regulations and reads them in a different way. Weve done some clarification work and were going to have to do some more, because we get the same questions from various organisations, including BALPA, CHIRP, the UK Flight Safety Committee, operators and pilots. As part of any new regulations that come in, we do a post-implementation review. Were doing that at the moment and were expecting the outcome in December. Were looking at whether the FTL scheme is fit for purpose, and what changes we might need to make. Theres a variety of things that come out of that. It might just be an education piece, a clarification piece, or it might be changing the regulations. It might be rewriting them completely. L: A big concern in pilot organisations, including BALPA, is the reduced-crew operation or single pilot operations leading to longer short-haul duty periods and a loss of relief pilots on long- There are two sides we need to consider. We need to protect people and to enable aerospace to develop haul flights. What is the CAA position on this? GB: This is where the role of the regulator is not to tell people what they should be doing. If theres a proposal around reduced-crew operations, there are two sides we need to consider. We need to protect people and we need to enable aerospace to develop. If theres a proposal from the industry around reduced crew operations, we have to ensure theres an equivalent or better safety outcome. I always use the example that, if we tell you all to use Betamax and the industry wants to use VHS, that doesnt work and then weve become the problem. So its a case of enabling what aerospace needs. That way, when people come to us and say we want to do something different, but were not sure that regulations allow it, we can say well, that is a better way of doing things, or we can provide an exemption or an alleviation to do something thats better. L: How far along this process is the UK? EASA is proposing to roll out RCO operations by 2028. GB: To implement reduced-crew operations, we would have to change the regulations. Its not part of any rulemaking task right now. So that means its about two years away, at an absolute minimum, from when it starts. Weve still got the flight-time limitation review to complete anyway, so its not going to happen overnight. As I said, there needs to be an equivalent safety case in there, but its not for us to decide whether it should or shouldnt happen [or] how the operators should run. Its our job to ensure that it is run safely so they are operating safely. L: Presumably youll be talking with stakeholders in the industry; will BALPA be consulted? GB: Theres a consultation document that would have to go out, so youll be part of all that. We have to look at this holistically, and not just at aircraft operations. 30 THE LOG Autumn 24 pp14-23 CAA.indd 18 13/11/2024 14:38