UK/Ireland functional airspace block supervisory comittee holds first meeting

The Committee was established to oversee the arrangements for the Functional Airspace Block that has been set up covering the two countries, and to ensure that safety and performance criteria and targets are harmonised and achieved in practice by the two national air traffic control service providers. The UK and Ireland Governments announced the formation of a Functional Airspace Block (FAB) on 13 June in line with the European Commission's Single European Sky (SES) legislative package. The announcement followed intensive negotiations between the respective States (Department for Transport in the UK and the Department of Transport in Ireland), the two National Supervisory Authorities (NSAs) (the Irish and UK Civil Aviation Authorities) and the two air navigation service providers (the Irish Aviation Authority and NATS). The Supervisory Committee aims to work toward closer co-operation in the regulation of the rules and procedures emanating from the Single European Sky legislative package and to further enhance co-operation between the two authorities. Co-chair of the Committee and UK Director of Airspace Policy in the CAA, John Arscott, said: "The creation of this group is another important step in delivering the benefits that will flow from the UK/Ireland Functional Airspace Block. Building on our close relationship, we plan to improve the regulatory environment for the benefit of Air Navigation Service Providers and all airspace users." Fellow co-chair, Kevin Humphreys, Director of Safety Regulation in the Irish Aviation Authority, said: "The Functional Airspace Block provides the catalyst for even more co-operation between the two National Supervisory Authorities in terms of sharing knowledge, experience and best practice. This is good for users of the airspace and enables us to make the most efficient use of our respective resources."