On 1-Jan-2021 Britain will be leaving the EU and also (regrettably) will leave the EASA union.
This will have profound consequences in the regulatory environment in Aviation and will complicate industrial relationship between EU and Britain. Likely there will be amendments in the near future; to be watched closely.
As was clear from the news; the negotiations were finally settled days before the end of the transition period, resulting in Aviation Safety Agencies being deprived of guidance on terms of withdrawal.
Unfortunately EASA and UK CAA did not issue a joint transition document that would exclude inconsistencies in interpretation but created pages with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sections on their respective websites. The European Union did issue a transition document which is downloadable below. UK CAA published slides, summarising the effects of the terms of withdrawal.
On a personal note; the UK CAA has contributed greatly to the development of EASA and its regulatory content and transparency of information. It is regrettable that this cooperation has come to and end caused by political reasons.
Basically the UK CAA will be a completely independent Civil Aviation Authority with bilateral agreements with USA (FAA), Canada (TC), Brazil (ANAC) and Japan (JCAA).
UK CAA commits to maintain ICAO standards which are the bedrock of any signatory country's Aviation Regulations.
UK CAA has created a "microsite" dedicated to questions and queries pertinent to the transition
See Link below:
UK CAA has published summary slides outlining the transition scenario for different functional sectors in the industry. Downloadable below:
The European Commission has published a withdrawal summary document. Downloadable below:
Also the link to the EASA website addressing the Brexit consequences
In Summary (EASA document):
All existing certificates and authorisations issued before the withdrawal datewill be invalidated:
Certificates issued by EASA to holders located in te UK: State of design tasks for British design and production organisations, type certificates, parts and appliances. Products,parts and appliances previously approved and certified by EASA will no longer be certified.
Certificates issued by UK CAA; The following categories of certs will no longer be valid in the EU after the withdrawal date:
Certificates of Airworthiness
Restricted Certificates of Airworthiness
Permits to fly
Organisation Approvals for production, of products, parts and appliances, maintenance training, personnel certificates for release of products parts and appliances after maintenance
Maintenance Engineers Licences.
Pilots licences, medical certificates, aeromedical organisations and examiners. Flight training
Certificates for aircraft operators and cabin crew attestations and several other approval documents (beyond the scope of an engineering website) will no longer e valid.
UK operators with EASA AOC's will have to apply for EASA TCO (Third Country Operators) approval. EASA AOC's located in the UK will no longer be valid after the transition date.
Wet Leasing G-reg aircraft will require full safety assessment before being allowed to use such aircraft for commercial transport by EASA operators.
Many currently EASA approved organisations located in the UK have applied for EASA foreign approvals and EASA indicated they will process these applications with priority.
After 1-Jan-2021, more amendments will, no doubt, become necessary and this post will be amended