On 14 January 2016, at the invitation of the President of the Civil Aviation Authority Mr. Piotr Ołowski Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - Mr. Patrick Ky and the Chairman of the EASA Management Board - Mr. Pekka Henttu visited Poland.
During the visit a meeting with the Managment of the Civil Aviation Authority at the CAA Heasquarters was held. During the meeting the current issues related to the activities of the CAA and cooperation between EASA and Poland concerning, inter alia, the protection of civil aviation and air safety have been discussed. Mr. Patrick Ky underlined the importance of work on the draft Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Agency on Aviation Safety repealing Regulation No 216/2008 which just have started. The proposed regulation aims to adapt the European aviation safety system for future challenges, among others through the creation of adequate, separate regulations for the operation of the dynamically growing market for unmanned aerial vehicles. During the visit in Poland, Executive Director and Chairman of the EASA Management Board had a meeting with Undersecretary of State Mr. Jerzy Szmit. During the meeting at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction the current issues related to the cooperation with Poland and EASA and on rules governing unmanned aerial vehicles have been discussed. One of the main topics as well were in particular the issues related to the role and future of the European system of supervision over aviation safety. Guests also visited one of the training centers for operators of unmanned aircraft, wjere they had the opportunity to get acquainted with Polish training program for drone. operators. Visit in Poland ended with the meeting at the Air Force Academy in Deblin.
It was the first visit of Pekka Henttu in Poland and the second of Mr. Patrick Ky, who visited Poland in 2014. Both stressed that direct contact with the national aviation authorities is very important for the Agency and facilitate the adequate responding to their needs and increase the cooperation in the future. They especially emphasized a good cooperation with the Polish aviation authorities and also pointed to the significant potential of our country both in terms of market development of unmanned aircraft and creation of regulations related to the supervision of aviation safety in Europe.
The European Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union established to carry out specific supervisory tasks and regulations in the field of aviation safety. The Agency shall establish a key part of the strategy for the European Union to introduce and maintain a high uniform level of civil aviation safety in Europe. Poland participates in the work of the Agency since 2004. Since 2012 Mr. Piotr Ołowski President of the Civil Aviation Authority is a member of the Management Board of the European Aviation Safety Agency, and in 2014 was elected its Vice-Chairman.
Visit at Air Force Academy in Dęblin (courtesy of Air Force Academy in Dęblin).
