Welcome to the second edition of our eMCO newsletter. We begin with a thought-provoking question: Are you able to schedule all your physiological breaks while piloting an airplane?

Though this question may bring a few chuckles, it highlights the absurdity of eMCO quite well. Despite this, Airbus and Dassault are pushing for eMCO approval from EASA, even if it means implementing measures as absurd as scheduling your bodily needs.

You now have a limited opportunity to share your thoughts on eMCO with EASA. The survey assessing the feasibility of eMCO has recently become available. Before you fill it out, here are five key points to consider:

1. This is an EASA-commissioned survey, aiming to assess the feasibility of implementing eMCO & SiPO. While it is not an ECA initiative, we encourage your input and thoughts.
2. The survey explores topics such as pilot incapacitation, sleep inertia, fatigue, and breaks for physiological needs.
3. The survey is conducted by a consortium led by NLR, including DLR, ADSE, and Deep Blue.
4. Although the survey primarily targets European pilots, input from pilots worldwide will be taken into account.
5. The survey will close on December 14, 2023.

ECA firmly believes that any attempt to reduce the number of pilots in the cockpit will heavily impair safety, and we must therefore challenge and oppose this move. This is an opportunity for all 40,000 + European pilots to voice their input and thoughts. For more information, please visit SafetyStartswith2.com.

Additionally, we would like to draw your attention to the tight timeframe for the survey, which further indicates the rush to implement eMCO. Manufacturers have set their sights on achieving their goal by 2027.

To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the eMCO regulatory process, we invite you to watch the detailed outline provided in this video.

✈️ Further reading: Made in the EU: Reduced Crew Operations, by Capt. Otjan de Bruijn, ALPA Magazine