19 Yakubitsa str., Lozenets District, Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofema Online collaborates with ARTSA.aero (Aircraft Regulatory Training Standards Authority), a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing aviation safety through regulatory training accreditation.

This collaboration helps SOL validate its course quality and delivery standards, providing confidence to clients and regulatory bodies. The accreditation process is based on ARTSA.aero’s rigorous criteria include a review of training content, compliance with industry standards, and the effectiveness of training delivery.

Challenges in Delivering Regulatory Training

  1. Complex Regulatory Environment: The aviation industry operates under complex international regulations (e.g., EASA, FAA, ICAO), which vary across regions and organizations. Training providers must continuously align their material with these evolving standards.
  2. Industry Misunderstandings: A common misconception is that EASA or similar authorities issue licenses to external training providers for regulatory training. Acceptance comes from the receiving organization (e.g., Part 145, CAMO, or CAO organizations).
  3. Customizing Training: Organizations have specific operational requirements and regulatory interpretations. Training must meet the regulatory requirements and align with an organization’s internal competence management systems.
  4. Organizational Obligations: Under EASA regulations, organizations are solely responsible for ensuring compliance and competence management. This requires quality assurance managers to evaluate the suitability of external training providers, such as SAS and SOL, against organizational needs.

Expectations of Accreditation by Receiving Organizations

The aviation industry prioritises organizations to assess and approve external training providers. Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) and Sofema Online (SOL) meet this expectation by:

  • Offering guest access to nominated quality managers and regulatory authorities to evaluate course content.
  • Designing courses based on comprehensive training needs analyses (TNA).
  • Continuously demonstrating effective delivery and regulatory compliance.

This model ensures that SAS and SOL courses remain accepted globally, with no record of rejection by regulatory authorities.

About Sofema Aviation Services (SAS)

Sofema Aviation Services (SAS), established in 2008, is a leading aviation regulatory and vocational training provider. It offers over 1,000 classroom and webinar courses and more than 250 online courses through its sister platform, Sofema Online (SOL).

  • SAS has issued over 120,000 certificates to delegates across multiple continents.
  • Courses cover EASA-compliant regulatory training, including areas like Human Factors, Safety Management Systems (SMS), Quality Auditing, and more.

Key Insights on Regulatory Training and EASA Part 147

  1. Role of EASA Part 147:
    • EASA Part 147 approval is limited to providing basic and type training for Part 66 licensed engineers.
    • It does not apply to broader regulatory or competence-based training, which is outside the scope of Part 147 organizations.
  2. EASA-Compliant Regulatory Training:
    • These courses support organizational compliance with EASA regulations (e.g., Part CAMO, Part 145, Part 21).
    • They add value to competence-building initiatives and meet internal training requirements.
  3. Receiving Organization Responsibility:
    • Compliance and competence management is the receiving organization’s responsibility.
    • External training providers like SAS and SOL act as service providers, with course acceptance dependent on the organization’s internal evaluation.

Why Misunderstandings Persist

  • A lack of industry-wide understanding of EASA regulations and obligations.
  • Limited clarity and communication from regulatory bodies like EASA regarding the scope of third-party training providers.

Conclusion

Sofema Aviation Services and Sofema Online are trusted partners in delivering EASA-compliant regulatory training. Their emphasis on empowering organizations to assess and approve training ensures compliance with regulatory and internal standards. By aligning with ARTSA.aero, SAS and SOL further strengthen their credibility, ensuring they remain at the forefront of aviation regulatory training.