Page 17 - 2018-Issue3

“In the last few years, pilot IFALPA.ORG PAGE 17
associations the world over have The key findings of the RPWG were based on a

grappled with the issue of the representative sample of survey results from 13 Member
Associations with respect to their engagement with remote
professional, safety, and technical pilots in their country, and the level of sophistication of
RPAS regulation. The work of the RPWG coincided with
representation needs common to the promulgation by ICAO of the first Personnel Licensing
Amendments to Annex 1 of the Chicago Convention, which
remotely piloted aircraft and manned will serve to create a new international base standard for a
“remote pilot license”.
aviation.”

I was honoured to be invited to speak about the work
JOSEPH WHEELER MRAes, LLB, BA(Psy), GDLP, of the RPWG and present its results and recommendations
to the annual conference of IFALPA in Luxembourg on 18
GC Air & Space Law, is the Managing Principal of March 2018. The prudent approach taken by the RPWG
International Aerospace Law & Policy Group, and seemed to attract a positive reception. Certainly, there
Aviation Legal Counsel for the Australian Federation is much interest from many diverse pilot groups in how
of Air Pilots (AFAP). He is on both the IFALPA Legal remote pilots can gain from the industrial and safety and
technical expertise of manned aviation/airline pilots, and
and PGA Committees, and holds qualifications in vice versa.
air and space law from McGill University Institute There is always interest in how better engagement
of Air and Space Law in Montreal. Joseph advises between remote pilots and traditional pilots can lead to
pilots and other entities on medical, enforcement, better safety outcomes, especially the avoidance of aerial
conflict. What is perhaps less apparent is how the two
and international air law/litigation matters. groups can work together to manage the future potential
industrial needs of remote pilots, thus helping them
immediately, while simultaneously future-proofing airline
pilots’ own interests as their profession changes over
time and technological advances, particularly concerning
automation, emerge. Likewise, maximising the strength of
a unified lobbying power between the two groups can only
be pursued through joint engagement and agreement.
The Executive Board of IFALPA met in April to
discuss the proposals by the RPWG, among other things.
That meeting considered the joint efforts as presented
in Luxembourg in March and its outcomes. As work in
this field continues, we hope the ongoing focus by the
PGA Committee will go some way to preparing pilots in
all countries for the inevitable future professional and
technical challenges that will emerge through the rise of
RPAS and their applications in civil life.