Frequently asked questions

Ramp inspection results are recorded by the Inspection Test Inspection Team (POI). The usual practice is that the Commander/Pilot of the newly inspected aircraft command, or the representative of the designated carrier, be informed of the results in the event that the flight crew has been allowed to leave the aircraft, giving him a copy of the POI.

Subsequently, with the upload of the file in the centralised EASA database, the operator or the inspected individual will be formally informed of the conduct of the inspection and of the results of the inspection.

In addition, the results of categories 2 and 3 are communicated to the Aeronautical Authority responsible for the safety oversight of the aircraft or its Operator for information and to the Operator, with the request that it take appropriate measures to avoid recurrence.

In order to achieve the objectives of the EU Rampa Inspection Programme in the best possible way, close cooperation with the Aviation Authorities of all States whose operators and aircraft have been subject to ramp inspections is essential. As part of their responsibility for the safety oversight of their national operators in accordance with relevant international safety standards, these Aviation Authorities are requested to ensure the proper implementation of corrective measures in order to address reported discrepancies.

Non-compliances detected during a ramp inspection are called findings or findings. The absolute number of inspection findings represents an important result of the inspection process that provides valuable information about the aircraft concerned or its responsible operator. On the other hand, this should be carefully taken into account in relation to the “severity” of the findings. To that end, three categories of findings or findings have been defined as indicated in Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, ARO.RAMP.130:

finding “Category 1”: it is referred to as minor finding, and includes any non-compliance with applicable requirements or the terms of a certificate that does not have a significant impact on safety;
B) Finding “Category 2”: is a significant finding, covering any non-compliance with applicable requirements or the terms of a certificate that has a significant impact on safety, and (
c) Finding “Category 3”: a major finding, in this case any significant non-compliance with the applicable requirements or the terms of a certificate that has a significant impact on safety.

The terms “minor”, “significant” and “greater” refer to the level of influence on security. The main purpose of the categorisation of findings is to classify compliance with a standard and the severity of non-compliance with this standard.

Inspections and categories of findings are recorded in EASA’s centralised database for SAFA and SACA inspections.

When considering the findings established during a ramp inspection, Category 2 (significant) and Category 3 (important) findings require the greatest attention when it comes to the need for rectification.

Authorised inspectors use a checklist with 53 points to be inspected during ramp inspections, divided into four (4) Categories:

a) Flight cabin,
b) Safety elements/passenger cabin,
c) Status of aircraft,
d) Cargo, and
e) General aspects

The checks carried out in each of these categories include (without being an exhaustive list) the documentation of the aircraft which the operator is required to carry on board in accordance with the applicable regulations, the procedures, technical manuals and release documentation that are kept in the cockpit and which the flight crew and cabin crew are required to comply with, pilot licences, security equipment in the cockpit and cabin, the general condition of the hold, the cargo being carried on the aircraft and its associated documentation and the general external condition of the aircraft.

As the time between arrival and departure (stop time) may not be enough to review the complete checklist, all 53 points may not be inspected. The policy of the Rampa Inspection Program is not to interfere with the operator’s normal operation by avoiding delays except for safety reasons, as set out in Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, ARO.RAMP.125, as well as to avoid, as far as possible, contact with the existing passage.

a) SAFA: Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircrafts. These are ramp inspections carried out by a Competent Authority of an EASA Member State on operators (or registrations in the case of private aircraft) of a third State not belonging to EASA.

b) SACA: Safety Assessment of Community Aircrafts. These are ramp inspections carried out by an EASA Member State Competent Authority on operators (or registrations in the case of private aircraft) under the supervision of another EASA Member State.

The bodies and bodies with competence in the field of Aeronautical Safety (Air Safety) are:

the European Commission, as the maximum decision-making body of the Member States of the European Union;
the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the body established by the European Commission, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008, for the development of the European Union’s aviation safety strategy. (c
) At national level, the State Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), established by Royal Decree (RD) 184/2008 of 8 February, is the body that has the purposes, powers and functions in the field of aviation safety for civil aviation in the territory of the Spanish State.

AESA has (among others) the delegated powers to carry out inspections in Rampa in the national territory, which it will carry out on its own or through its own instrumental means.

In 1996, the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) launched the ramp inspection programme with the intention of ensuring that ICAO standards were being respected.

In 2004, Directive 2004/36/EC established an obligation for all EU Member States to conduct ramp inspections of aircraft belonging to third States operating at their airports.

Currently, ramp inspections are carried out in Spain on aircraft:

a) third countries (SAFA inspections);
b) of the European Union (SACA inspections); 
c) and national (SANA inspections)

Oh, yeah, yeah. The opening of new facilities would be subject to the same approval as the Spanish POA. Only EASA would be required to intervene in this case. It would be a significant change through the addition of a new factory, in which it would be necessary to revisit all the points of the standard, especially those relating to the quality system, as well as to see how this new factory is integrated into the Organisation ' s activity in order to verify its suitability. In view of the payment of fees, it would be necessary to repay the normal fee for opening a new file, as would be done with a view to obtaining the initial POA approval.

Civil aviation production organisations, which intend to produce products, parts and equipment accompanied by the certificate of release to service EASA Form 1. The production of these products, parts and equipment is to be appropriate under approval Part 21 Subpart G, as set out in regulatory point 21.A.133 of Part 21 Subpart G of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 748/2012. Only for direct delivery to final customer (e.g. air operator, maintenance workshop, etc.).

Approval of Production Organisation as described in Part 21 Subpart G of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 748/2012. Applicable for those production activities falling within the scope of work of EASA, as set out in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.

Through the telematic processor, which is the AESA application for the management by the inspected party of the inspection documentation (https://sede.seguridadaerea.gob.es/oficina/solicitudes/solicitudes.do).

  Please note that you must provide the documentation in the appropriate file, otherwise the response may be delayed.