Luc Tytgat, acting executive director of EASA, has warned of limited resources and called for a larger role for the European aviation regulator to address systemic risks in the aviation ecosystem.
EASA has around 800 staff members and a budget of €248m for 2024, significantly less than the US Federal Aviation Administration which has over 40,000 staff and a budget of nearly $20bn.
Tytgat emphasized the need for a systemic approach to aviation safety, including monitoring the entire ecosystem, from runways to the skies, and collecting and analysing safety data from modern jets.
While EASA seeks increased resources, airlines like Ryanair and easyJet, as well as the European Commission, have expressed reservations about expanding the regulator’s role or budget.
