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Dry-lease in of foreign aircraft

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AIRE is currently revising its position on the dry lease-in of foreign aircraft. Please see below for the historic information and contact us in case you want to receive an update.

Dry lease-in of foreign aircraft

To cope with seasonal effects, AIRE carriers lease-in aircraft from third countries, but these aircraft do not hold a certificate of airworthiness in accordance with EASA Part-21 as required by EU-OPS.

The related proposals made by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for continuing airworthiness (NPA 2010-10) and air operations (OR.OPS.110.AOC), confirms that dry lease-in of a third country aircraft would no longer be possible. It is important for AIRE carriers to offset seasonal capacity by leasing-in third country aircraft. As a result, AIRE has requested AIRE to review and amend its proposals to enable the continuation of safe operations by EU operators of dry leased-in third country aircraft for a seasonal period:

First letter to EASA on 2 September 2010
Second letter to EASA on 6 December 2010
Meeting of small IACA delegation with EASA on 18 February 2011

At a first “Fitness Check” organised by the European Commission on 27 June 2011, AIRE advocated the explicit inclusion of dry lease-in in Regulation 1008/2008. In parallel, AIRE provided EASA with a proposal to manage the continuing airworthiness of aircraft registered in a third country and operated on a European air operator certificate (AOC). To view the proposal, click here.

On 3 April 2012, EASA published the 2nd CRD-2 to NPA 2010-10 (Part-T) dedicated to leasing of third country aircraft and providing some simplification (http://www.easa.eu.int/rulemaking/docs/crd/2012/CRD-2%202010-10.pdf). EASA accepted the AIRE comments (#60 on page 40): the EASA proposal has been amended to include requirements for third-country registered aircraft being dry leased-in by EU operators. These requirements are complementary to the requirements of OR.AOC.110 (d) for dry lease-in.

CRD-2 introduces a new Part-T for the continuing airworthiness requirements of third-country aircraft operated by EU operators. The Part-T requirements comply with the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation (216/2008) and will make it again possible to dry lease-in foreign aircraft. Part-T has been drafted taking into account the proposals made by AIRE and more or less reflects the current practices and procedures for dry leasing-in foreign aircraft. AIRE has developed an analysis of CRD-2 to NPA 2010-10. To view it, click here.

The CRD-2 is open for public consultation till 4 June 2012. The IACA Safety Standards Committee (SSC) will soon meet to discuss CRD-2. AIRE will comment positively and express its satisfaction with the proposed Part-T and the continued possibility to dry lease-in foreign aircraft.