Inauguration of EASA and AESA Fatigue Risk Conference

Madrid, 4 February 2025 (ESAA)

AESA headquarters has brought the international aviation sector together at the Fatigue Risk Mangement Conference, an event organized by AESA in collaboration with EASA with the aim of moving towards mitigating the risks associated with crew fatigue, reducing them to as low a level as reasonably possible.

Montserrat Mestres, director of AESA, has inaugurated this event welcoming both people who have attended an event hall with full capacity and all those who have followed the event online.

“The high safety standards we have achieved in aviation are not the result of chance, but of the constant commitment of all the actors in the sector. Mitigating risks such as fatigue is a key element in preserving these standards and continuing to build a reliable and resilient sector”, said the Director of AESA in her words.

^{Montserrat Mestres, Director of AESA}

During his speech, he also wanted to highlight the collective effort of the sector to protect crews and passengers, strengthening public confidence in aviation as a safe and reliable means of transport.

Florian Guillermet, Executive Director of EASA, wanted to be present at this session reaffirming the importance of these forums as spaces for participation and exchange of ideas and good practices among Member States.

 ^{Florian Guillermet, Executive Director at EASA}

After the opening of the Conference, Silvia Troncoso, coordinator of Air Operations of AESA; and John Franklin, Head of Safety Promotion at EASA, gave way to panel discussions as masters of ceremonies.

After presenting the 2nd Effectiveness Study of Flight Time Limitations, by Alwin van Drongelen (NLR) and Dorothee Fischer (DLR), the first Implementation of Disruptive Schedules roundtable started, where Irina Petrova (EASA), Flavio Santucci (ENAC), Nydia van Dijk (Transavia) and Cherie Butler (EasyJet) were able to discuss changes to arrival times, afternoon or evening, and share experiences on the application with all stakeholders.

^{Roundtable Implementation of Disruptive Schedules}

Micaela Verissimo (EASA) was in charge of offering a Flash Talk on how the regulations on flight and service time limitations (FTL) are elaborated, to give way to the second Main Challenges Implementing FTL panel moderated by Elena Carrera, coordinator of Air Operations and Airworthiness of AESA. In it, Luis Narbón (AESA), Santiago Oviedo (Vueling), Cherie Butler (EasyJet), Gerard Liarte (COPAC), Iñigo Martín Apoita (SEPLA/ECA/IFALPA) and Antonio Escobar (SITCPLA) participated to share experiences on how to address the problems and challenges of the FTL in daily operations.

^{Main Challenges Implementing FTLRoundtable}

Finally, to close the work of this first day, Robert Mora and Jaime Devine (SAFTE-FAST), Martin Hughes (EasyJet) and Sasa Janine Leal Tennberg (Air Europe), have presented different practical examples of how predictive tools are being applied in everyday operations and the scientific background of them.

^{PREDICTIVE TOOLS IN APROPPRIATE FRM & FRMS -The scientific and practical approach}

After this day, the conference will continue tomorrow through new round tables, presentations and working groups. This joint effort underlines the importance of international cooperation as a tool to address complex challenges and deliver effective solutions.