What industrial role for BeCA?

Our last Cockpit Flash magazines were mainly dedicated to hot safety topics. Indeed, with its Air Safety Committee, BeCA is not only the expert in safety in our country, but we are progressively becoming unavoidable partners for our CAA and for the airline Safety Departments. We don’t always tell them what they would like to hear, but they know continuous improvement is the only way to make the system work… and to keep it working.

Our current issue is mainly focused on industrial topics.

I cannot introduce this Cockpit Flash without mentioning the terrible terrorist attacks of 22 March at Brussels Airport, and expressing, once more our deepest and sincerest condolences to all the victims’ families. This was a sad reminder that airport security is not yet guaranteed and that more work is needed, involving all stakeholders, including BeCA.

Secondly, we must acknowledge the intensive work that has been carried out by our Pension Working Group since it was relaunched in autumn 2015. In only a few months, they drafted a green paper – which was approved by our July executive committee meeting – explaining in details BeCA’s “flight plan” for the establishment of a new pilot specific pension system. We have already been in contact with the minister of pension and this green paper – on which you can read further in this Cockpit Flash – will be our main advocacy paper.

A third issue of interest for BeCA these past months has been the 2016 social elections. For BeCA, we feel it is an excellent opportunity to renew our collaboration with unions and to formalize it in a cooperation agreement. We will shortly contact the newly elected representatives, as we believe that BeCA and unions are complementary and that BeCA can bring expertise and experience to support their work on all pilot specific topics.

Other issues that are dealt with include the reopening of our Jobseekers’ working group, which has already done much work in helping our colleagues find a decent job; the safety risks related to the introduction of drones in our environment, as well as updates on airline specific issues, national, international and European developments (including fighting unfair competition from Gulf carriers).

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Simonne Charles for her commitment and hard work these past 20 years at BeCA and to wish her all the best for her well-deserved pension! Isabelle de Gandt joined the team in February and has already proven she is a great asset for the association. Welcome Isabelle!

As you can see, BeCA has, once more, been very active on all fronts these past months and this is only part of all the work that is carried out on a daily basis. Should you wish to get involved in any of these files, please let us know!

Wishing you a good reading,

By Capt. Alain Vanalderweireldt, BeCA President