newstodate.aero
Aug 28, 2009 (newstodate): At least one Latvian operator of AN-26 aircraft in EU airspace sees no reason to worry about the issue of the aircraft type's EASA certification.
RAF-Avia, based at Riga Airport, Latvia, operates five AN-26 aircraft for integrators in EU and is confident of the aircraft's future.
-The certification process is progressing, and the decision will be announced by EU on September 28, 2009. We foresee no problems with this and expect to continue operating the aircraft as before, says a RAF-Avia spokesman.
-We have not heard anything about a "limited certification" and are confident that there are no problems. We see no reason for a contingency plan, he says.
According to industry sources, the Civil Aviation Authorities of Latvia, Poland and Hungary managed to secure a procedure with AN-26 operators allowing them to perform line and base maintenance while being exempted from the comprehensive EASA Form 1 requirements.
In contrast, operators in Lithuania were forced to ground the AN-12 aircraft pending the decision by the EU Commission in September, based on the recommendations of EASA.
As earlier reported by newstodate, EASA has so far recommended a "limited" certification of the AN-26 exempting engines and APU, which will probably render continued AN-26 operations in EU unfeasible.
RAF-Avia, based at Riga Airport, Latvia, operates five AN-26 aircraft for integrators in EU and is confident of the aircraft's future.
-The certification process is progressing, and the decision will be announced by EU on September 28, 2009. We foresee no problems with this and expect to continue operating the aircraft as before, says a RAF-Avia spokesman.
-We have not heard anything about a "limited certification" and are confident that there are no problems. We see no reason for a contingency plan, he says.
According to industry sources, the Civil Aviation Authorities of Latvia, Poland and Hungary managed to secure a procedure with AN-26 operators allowing them to perform line and base maintenance while being exempted from the comprehensive EASA Form 1 requirements.
In contrast, operators in Lithuania were forced to ground the AN-12 aircraft pending the decision by the EU Commission in September, based on the recommendations of EASA.
As earlier reported by newstodate, EASA has so far recommended a "limited" certification of the AN-26 exempting engines and APU, which will probably render continued AN-26 operations in EU unfeasible.