Dear Affiliates and Associate Members!

Aircraft Engineers International (AEI) has a lot going on but it is difficult to report on because we are not certain what the outcomes are going to look like. We will touch on some of the issues, other Executive Board (EB) members will provide more details throughout this newsletter. If you have questions or ideas to share, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Chris Burleigh - Secretary General

E-mail AEI

Annual Congress in Nashville, Tennessee (USA)

Book the dates for Congress. Congress this year will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The congress will run from 28 Oct until 30 Oct. An EB meeting will be held on the 27 Oct. Accommodation at congress rates is available from 26 Oct until 31 Oct. There is some more detail provided elsewhere in this newsletter.

The picture below is from the Annual Congress 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.

AEI Secretary Europe, Africa and Middle East

By Mario Moreira

In my capacity as Secretary for Europe, Africa and the Middle East of AEI, I would like to share a brief reflection on the current context of the sector and the challenges facing Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers. The international context has been marked by significant instability, with multiple ongoing conflicts directly affecting global air transport. Airspace restrictions, operational rerouting, and geopolitical uncertainty have all contributed to increased pressure on airlines. At the same time, the energy crisis, the rising cost of living, and the volatility of oil prices have led to a sharp rise in jet fuel costs, with direct consequences for the financial sustainability of air carriers. In response to this scenario, there has been a considerable increase in airfares, as airlines attempt to offset rising operational costs. This reality impacts not only passengers, but also significantly, Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, whose professional activity is becoming increasingly demanding in terms of mobility, operational pressure, and responsibility. In light of this challenging environment, AEI remains firmly committed to representing and defending the interests of Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers. We continue to work actively with the relevant Authorities, fostering dialogue and identifying solutions and best practices aimed at improving working conditions, as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks governing the profession. 

We want to learn about your situation

By Mario Moreira

I would also like to highlight that AEI holds several Executive Board meetings throughout the year, and, for some years now, has sought to organize one of these meetings in close cooperation with one of its affiliates. This initiative aims to promote closer engagement between the Executive Board and its affiliates, while also providing a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships and discuss specific challenges faced by affiliates and the aviation sector as a whole. In this context, it is with great satisfaction that we announce that, in June 2026, we will be in Malta to meet with our affiliate AAE Malta. I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of AEI, to express our sincere appreciation for their availability and their invaluable support in organizing the Executive Board meeting. We very much look forward to this meeting, confident that we will be warmly welcomed and that it will prove to be a highly productive and rewarding working session. Yours sincerely, Secretary for Europe, Africa and the Middle East AEI

We also encourage other affiliates to do the same. Do not hesitate to contact the EB on E-mail.

As far as technical affairs are concerned, the EU is running a Simplification programme.  

The deliverables of the EU simplification programme has changed the EASA rule making programme «EPAS» for 2027. It will now have a new criteria of "Rule modernisation" which aims to improve EU industry competitiveness in line with the mandate from the EU Commission. The traditional criteria’s of Aviation safety and Sustainability will be kept in the process as before.

AEI, together with other stakeholders, will be informed about the EASA plan June 26th and will have the opportunity to give input during the consultation phase that is expected to last until first week of September.

AEI is asking for involvement from affiliates that are willing to assist with the detailed knowledge they have on the maintenance related subjects.

Geir Eriksen - Technical Affairs Committee Chairman

AEI finances

Lastly, and the one issue that is often difficult to talk about – money. The good news is that we have cut a lot of costs out of our budget this year. We are getting a lot more “bang for your buck”. Unfortunately, Sanjeev (AEI Treasurer) has resigned from the EB due personal matters. We are still obtaining the census forms that were supplied during congress last year. Therefore, we have not been able to provide affiliate fee statements for this year yet. I realise that no affiliate is going to complain about that, but as a heads up, fee statements will be issued shortly.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for AEI, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Chris Burleigh

AEI Secretary General

E-mail Secretary General

Aircraft Engineers International, AEI

CG The Netherlands