IFA Secretariat: 14 Railway Approach, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 1BP, UK Tel. +44 1342 301788 Fax. +44 1342 317808 E-mail. [email protected] UK Registered Charity No. 296354 VAT No. GB 5052673 63 NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION Initiators of new military regulatory framework for Dutch Military Aviation are awarded prestigious Safety Award. The International Federation of Airworthiness (IFA) today presented the 2008 Whittle Safety Award to Lt-Col RNLAF James C W Mac Gillavry and Lt-Col RNLAF Rik J M van Zwol, Military Aviation Authority of the Netherlands, at a ceremony at the International Air Safety Seminar (IASS) in Hawaii, USA. The award which honours the co-inventor of the jet engine, Sir Frank Whittle, is the highest and most prestigious award the Federation can confer to recognise an advance in aircraft safety. ‘In recognition of their contribution to the formation of the Military Aviation Authority in the Netherlands (MAA-NLD) and the introduction of a new regulatory framework based on a total aviation safety concept. Significant and positive developments in military aviation safety in the Netherlands.’ Historically, military aircraft operate outside of the regulatory authorities, rules and regulations that civil aircraft must adhere to. Over the past decade several MOD’s have started to introduce a civil analogue regulatory safety framework to give an additional incentive (or boost ?) to the safety of military aviation. Lt-Col Mac Gillavry and Lt-Col van Zwol, both aeronautical engineers (Msc), working within the Dutch Military Aviation, have demonstrated excellent skills in developing a totally new regulatory framework for the Dutch Military aviation which is a military analogy of the civil regulatory framework of JAA and EASA. They have helped to create the Military Aviation Authority (MAA-NLD), which is positioned independently of the services directly under the Ministry of Defense. They started the development and introduction of Military Aviation Requirements (-145, -147, -66, Ops, STD, ANS and more to follow) for the Dutch services (Air Force, Navy and Army). Additionally they have contributed to the Netherlands initiative in taking the first steps of European co- operation of Military Aviation Authorities that resulted in founding the European Military Aviation Authorities Group (EMAAG), a very promising but also challenging development. Upon receiving the award Lt-Col Mac Gillavry, commented “We are both extremely honoured to receive this award, it has been a team effort to build the framework and to start the MAA activities to further improve the airworthiness of aircraft and the safety of passengers (cabin safety). We both saw the need for the adoption or adaptation of best civil regulatory practices on airworthiness, safety and quality within our organisation. It is great to be acknowledged for what we have achieved so far, now we can build, continue to improve and hopefully spread our theories and experiences.”