The concept of remote provision of aerodrome air traffic services (ATS) (commonly known as ‘remote towers’
or ‘remote tower operations’, sometimes referred to as ‘digital towers’) enables the provision of aerodrome
ATS from locations/facilities without direct visual observation. Instead, provision of aerodrome ATS is based on
observation of the aerodrome and its vicinity through means of technology. The term which is used to describe
this concept within this ED Decision is ‘remote aerodrome ATS’.
This Decision addresses operational, procedural, technological and human resource aspects of remote
aerodrome ATS, as well as the management of change, with the main objective of facilitating its safe
implementation and operation, in accordance with the objectives of ATS. Other objectives are to support costefficient and proportionate ATS, to facilitate harmonised implementation, and to provide a level playing field
for the stakeholders.
This Decision issues ‘Guidance Material on remote aerodrome air traffic services’ — Issue 2, as well as an
updated set of Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Commission Regulation
(EU) 2015/340 concerning ATCO licensing. Both parts are expected to support ATS providers and aerodrome
operators implementing remote aerodrome ATS, as well as to support their competent authorities.

The objective of this Decision is to address a safety and regulatory coordination issue related to aeroplane loss of
control in-flight (LOC-I). The following initiatives are linked to this Decision:
— various accident safety recommendations (SRs);
— safety actions deriving from the European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS); and
— amended International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
The specific objective is to improve the level of safety by ensuring that pilots have the competencies to prevent LOCI and the resilience to recover from aeroplane upsets.
On 20 December 2018, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1974 entered into force. Said Regulation amends
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 (the Aircrew Regulation) by introducing new requirements for upset
prevention and recovery training (UPRT) for pilots in its Annex I (Part-FCL). This Decision contains the related
acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) as well as revised AMC & GM to Annex VII (PartORA) to the Aircrew Regulation regarding the implementation of UPRT in type rating training programmes of approved
training organisations (ATOs). Additionally, this Decision amends the AMC & GM to Annex I (Definitions) and Annex
III (Part-ORO) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (the Air OPS Regulation) in order to align the existing UPRT
provisions for operator-related training with the new UPRT regulatory framework in Part-FCL.
The Annexes to the Decision are the following:
— Annex I: Amendments to the AMC & GM to Part-FCL of the Aircrew Regulation;
— Annex II: Amendments to the AMC & GM to Part-ORA of the Aircrew Regulation;
— Annex III: Amendments to the GM to Annex I (Definitions) to the Air OPS Regulation; and
— Annex IV: Amendments to the AMC & GM to Part-ORO of the Air OPS Regulation.
The amendments will be applicable from 20 December 2019 and are expected to increase safety and ensure alignment
with ICAO standards. They outline the detailed content of basic, advanced and type-specific UPRT to be provided at
various stages of a professional pilot’s career. The qualification requirements for instructors to provide each type of
UPRT are also described.
Passengers will benefit from an improved level of safety and, specifically, from a reduction in the frequency of
aeroplane accidents caused by LOC-I.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/133 was issued on 28 January 2019. It introduces
additional airworthiness requirements for operations applicable to certain large aircraft that are
newly produced on the basis of a design which has already been certified by EASA. Some of those
requirements are also applicable to certain large aeroplanes that are already in service. The new
requirements that are introduced into Part-26 are intended to address the issues of the:
— crashworthiness of passenger and cabin crew seats (16-g seats);
— flame propagation and flame penetration resistance characteristics of thermal or acoustic
insulation materials; and
— replacement of halon in lavatory waste receptacles and handheld (portable) fire extinguishers
for use in cabins and crew compartments.
This Decision amends CS-26 by providing means to comply with the new requirements.