The EASA has been accepting the International Standard-Business Aviation Operations (IS-BAO) process in applications by operators to meet the safety management systems (SMS) portion of the European Third Country Operation (TCO) requirements. In a recent memo, the International Business Aviation Council said “recent conversations with EASA officials indicate this process will not change.”

Non-EU-registered commercial operators, including those under U.S. FAR Part 135, seeking to fly into the EU after November 26 this year must file an application for approval with the EASA. While the TCO regulation normally requires applicants to have a state-sponsored SMS, this provision assumes all countries have adopted ICAO Annex 19, Section 3.1.3. However, not all states have adopted the annexes.

For example, the FAA does not have an SMS requirement for Part 135 operators. IBAC published new guidance information last week to clarify the use of IS-BAO registration as part of a TCO authorization application.