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ICAO SARP DevelOPment 101 17

Montreal to increase our effectiveness in Secretariat Task Forces (TF) or Study Groups International Industry Observers). As the
ICAO. Our increased involvement in the daily (SG). IFALPA has a panel member on 15 of IFALPA Representative to ICAO, I have the
activities at ICAO proved to be very effective these panels and a number of representatives responsibility to ensure IFALPA policy and
and by 2012, the entire IFALPA operation had on the TF/SGs. That representative is a positions are integrated into each new SARP
crossed the Atlantic with the exception of one committee member from one of our Standing that comes before the ANC and this
European based Technical Officer, Captain Committees with the full backing of resources “preliminary review process” is the last
Arnaud du Bédat, who continues close in the IFALPA Standing Committee structure opportunity to do that before the proposals go
cooperation with ICAO Paris and our and the Technical Team. This is our best out for State comment via State Letter. When it
European member associations in addition to opportunity to influence the development of a comes to safety and technical issues, IFALPA’s
his Technical Officer responsibilities. Montreal SARP with our unique operational perspective viewpoints are well respected and sought after,
today is host to the largest international from its very beginning in the formal and so despite having observer status (as are all of
aviation community in the world in which informal panel discussions. The panel member Industry), our input is well received.
IFALPA has the opportunity to interact with all draws from IFALPA policies, positions, and The next opportunity for input from
the major stakeholders on a daily basis. his/her own expertise as an operational line IFALPA is via the State Letter commenting
With all of IFALPA’s resources now in pilot to ensure they speak for the Global Voice period where a well-coordinated response to
Montreal, our opportunity to influence the of Pilots. Quite often our panel members are all relevant State letters is drafted. The drafting
development of ICAO SARPs and guidance accompanied by their relevant technical officer of these responses comes from multiple
material has greatly expanded. We work issues to ensure our tech staff is fully in the loop on resources which include the relevant Executive
from the bottom up and get involved at the the issues. The latter consideration is essential Board member(s), Standing Committee
earliest stages following the issues through the so that our Tech team can work with ICAO Chairmen, Technical Officer(s), committee
multi-layered process to the end when the informally between meetings as they have SMEs, existing IFALPA policy or positions,
SARPs are implemented to include guidance developed working relations with the ICAO and the Rep to ICAO. It is the response to the
material. Secretariat. This initial phase may take a State Letter that forms the basis for any
Safety and Technical issues are brought to considerable amount of time (including years) IFALPA interventions during the last phase of
ICAO through a variety of sources, including before an issue is mature enough to be put into SARP development.
IFALPA. When an issue is identified that has a draft amendment proposal, hence it is The final chance for IFALPA input into the
an effect on the global pilot community, we essential that we consistently send the same SARP development process takes place in a
approach it from many angles. It is first worked pilot representative to the panel meetings. final review of the proposals before the ANC.
through one of ICAO’s 17 panels of the Air When the proposals are mature, they come This chance is very limited in that no major
Navigation Commission (ANC), the Aviation to the ANC where IFALPA has one of two changes can take place without going through
Security Panel (AVSECP), or any of the permanent observer seats (there are a total of 8 the entire process all over again, but it is used
InterPilot | The Safety and Technical Journal of IFALPA ISSue 1 | 2016