Society News

The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) this week signed an agreement to work together in partnership with a view to enhancing both safety and quality of air travel by seeking internationally-agreed pilot training, instruction and evaluation standards and processes.

Gunther Matschnigg and Lee Balthazor sign the agreement

RAeS President Lee Balthazor and Günther Matschnigg, Senior Vice President, Safety, Operations and Infrastructure at IATA, signed a statement of intent at RAeS headquarters, London, during the IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) Conference held on 15 and 16 February 2012.

The statement follows progress made at the 6th Annual International Flight Crew Training Conference in September 2011, when RAeS was asked to take forward work internationally on flight crew training, instructing and evaluation standards. This includes work by the RAeS Flight Simulation Group which culminated in ICAO Document 9625 Edition 3 on Flight Simulation Training Device Criteria and the International Committee for Aviation Training in Extended Envelopes (ICATEE).

Speaking after the conference, Lee Balthazor said:  “The quest for continuing improvement in safety is fundamental to aviation. This conference, organised jointly by the RAeS, ICAO and IATA was designed to accelerate the effectiveness of selecting and training flight operations, engineering and maintenance staff.”

Notes to Editors:

The full text of the statement is given below:
We the undersigned, representing the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), agree that our respective organisations will work together for the benefit of the flight training community worldwide in taking forward initiatives to improve the mutual recognition by national aviation authorities of pilot licenses and flight simulation training device qualifications, and to improve training practices and processes, subject to the work remaining entirely commensurate with our respective charters and legal frameworks and there being no financial liability on either organisation without a separate formal agreement.  The RAeS and IATA shall strive to agree within sixty (60) calendar days on a Memorandum of Understanding that shall define precisely their respective obligations and the terms and conditions of their collaboration on the initiatives described in this Statement of Intent. The RAeS will assist IATA with taking forward the components of the IATA Training & Qualification Initiative (ITQI). IATA will assist the RAeS with taking forward the work that seeks to assist the flight training community to reach agreement internationally on a common set of flight crew training, instruction and evaluation standards and processes.

Established in 1866, the Royal Aeronautical Society is the world’s only professional body dedicated to the entire aerospace community, it aims to further the advancement of aeronautical art, science and engineering around the world. Bringing together a wealth of expertise from across the industry, the Society aims to: promote the highest professional standards in all aerospace disciplines; provide specialist information and act as a central forum for the exchange of ideas and; play a leading role in influencing opinion on aerospace matters.

The ITQI Conference was attended by 140 delegates from 21 countries.

The Society holds a number of events and conferences throughout the year which cover all aspects of the aerospace and aviation sector. More details can be found at www.aerosociety.com/events or by following the Society’s Twitter feed @RAeS_Events

Media Enquiries to Mark Wheeler Tel: +44 (0)20 7670 4346 / +44 (0)7814 222531 / Email: wheelermarkj@aol.com