A letter from Dominique Méreuze, the EMF President
When EMF was created, the creators were prompted by the resolution to allow the European pilots keen on microlighting, which is our common passion, to be able to carry on living their passion within a reasonable regulatory frame, likely to be shared by a vast majority. The EMF is one of the means to reach this goal, and we realize after several years that it is difficult to reach it in a Europe we did advocate for, but whose control levers are unfortunately too often in the hands of technocrats and politicians ignorant of our concerns.
One vital issue for our pilots is Annex II European Regulation 216/2008. Some of members at the EMF have travelled a lot across Europe to attend symposiums, meetings, conferences and workgroups, and today we can testify that, after experiencing several years of EASA work, the representatives of light sport and recreational aviation fully support us to help microlights keep their status in Annex II, at least as long as the European Regulation will not allow the EASA to deal with a declarative non-certified system. To achieve this aim, we must of course maintain our vigilance, keep our allies or find new ones, attend at all levels all the meetings which might jeopardize our future (many look covetously at the fixed-wings particularly).
Our struggle is far from being over and one should not think it is time to sit back and be satisfied by our achievements. There is always someone somewhere ready to raise a finger and propose solutions on our behalf without consulting us, but of course always for our well-being! Yet, it is obvious that the main trouble with Annex II is the lack of harmonization within the various regulations concerning the microlights in our different countries. It is absolutely necessary that the delegates of EMF concentrate their efforts on increasingly lobbying our national CAAs in order to obtain from them bi-lateral or pan-european agreements, like some countries have already done. This will facilitate exchanges and international flights, a statutory aim. We have known some successes, and no doubt this kind of success will be achieved in the future only through the cooperation and support of all the EMF members, particularly in some countries on the verge of modifying their Microlight Regulations.
For many reasons, the members of EMF have realized that, owing to their acknowledged competences concerning light aircraft, it was absolutely necessary to create a LSA Project Group within the EMF. This group is commissioned to design and propose the creation of a category of light aircraft separate from the Microlight-Annex II paragraph -e) and from the ELA 1 – 216/2008, if possible within the authority of the EASA. Concerning this LSA issue, it is very complicated to tackle. Contrary to microlighting, we are not the only ones concerned. The Paris meeting between EAS, EFLEVA, EPFU, and EMF (the organizer), was the first step. Different actions will probably have to be considered, We are working on many other issues. They testify to the dynamism of our movement and of EMF. Our common work will prove fruitful and will lead to technical progress and better regulations. And also our friendship and collaboration will be reinforced.
Dominique Méreuze
EMF President