On 4-5 November, EASA held their Annual Safety Conference, under the banner ‘The road to a safe and sustainable recovery’, A selection of experts from both EASA and across the aviation industry discussed several topics in relation to the return to operations post-COVID-19, health protocols, environmental sustainability and workforce wellbeing.

Held over two days , ERA participated in the Safety Conference which was held online for the first time as direct consequence of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

The conference provided a platform to discuss how EASA and aviation stakeholders can maintain the excellent safety record while also embracing the environmental challenges that today's world demands, as well as how to best manage the health safety aspects for both passengers and aviation staff.

Keynote speakers included Patrick Ky (Executive Director, EASA), Johann Friedrich Colsman, (Director General of Civil Aviation, German Federal Ministry of Transport), Johan Vanneste (President & CEO, Cologne Bonn Airport) and Piotr Samson (Director General of the Polish CAA an EASA Management Board Chair)

During the conference, the following panels were also presented:

• Panel 1: Operating Safely and Effectively – A Safe Return to Operations
• Panel 2: Welcoming Passengers - The Aviation Health Safety Protocol
• Panel 3: Enhancing Environmental Sustainability - Recovering Greener

In addition, the Data4Safety programme was introduced to the aviation community, presenting its objectives, and presenting examples of first results which demonstrate its contribution to an enhanced aviation safety.

Finally, with people in aviation going through so many personal challenges, the conference also addressed the role of leadership to ensure that the workforce is looked after, despite the challenges that we face.

An initial ‘flash’ report from the conference can be found here [1].

The video recordings as well as the presentation slides are now available on the EASA Website [2].