Germany – During the EASA Rotorcraft Symposium 2025 in Cologne, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has announced it is considering certifying single-engine helicopters for instrument flight rules (IFR) operations—marking a potential policy shift that could carry significant implications for rotary-wing training and safety in Europe.
- EASA has traditionally not certified single-engine helicopters for IFR operations, but it is now reassessing this position following multiple FAA certifications in the U.S. (Leonardo TH-119, Bell 407 GXi, Airbus H125).
- Applications for validation have been submitted by existing FAA-certified OEMs, prompting internal discussions at EASA to reconsider its stance.
- The potential approval of single-engine IFR operations is expected to reduce costs for IFR training, thereby making IFR ratings more accessible to helicopter pilots.
- EASA’s Juri Pauletti highlighted the safety benefits of IFR training—particularly the increased survivability in inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
- Beyond safety and training, the move may support innovations in hybrid operations and urban air mobility (UAM), expanding the operational use cases for light rotorcraft.
- From a technical standpoint, shifting from VFR to IFR introduces new avionics, autopilot, failure assessment, and operational limitations, all of which require comprehensive regulatory reassessment.
- A draft means-of-compliance structure has been developed to guide manufacturers and operators through the certification upgrade process.
- EASA is now seeking feedback from the industry to evaluate demand and define how the capability should be integrated into the broader regulatory framework.
Source: EASA
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