EASA Puts Operational Control Competence in the Spotlight

New proposals by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) look to strengthen training and assessment requirements for airline operational control personnel, with competency-based training set to play a growing role.

The significance of those roles is clear: operational control sits at the heart of every flight decision. Somebody plans or contributes to the planning of a flight, whilst others monitor it en-route. Yet those carrying out these functions do not always carry the same title, follow the same training path, or hold clearly defined decision-making authority from one operator to the next – differences EASA’s proposals seek to address.

At the heart of EASA Opinion 01/2026 is a focus on the substance of the role, rather than prescribing new job titles: the tasks performed, the competencies required, and the training needed to sustain them over a career.

Persons designated by an air operator to exercise a certain degree of operational control must have their roles and responsibilities clearly defined in approved operations manuals to ensure the decision-making process for clearing, continuing, or even terminating a flight is understood, explains Stuart Fox, Director of Flight and Technical Operations at the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

“In the case of a single aircraft operated by an owner, the person making these decisions would be the pilot-in-command. However, in more complex operations, multiple parties are involved. Persons designated as dispatchers would be part of the operational control process,” he says.

“According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements, dispatchers are authorised personnel, while EASA does not license dispatchers; these operational control personnel would be required to complete both initial and refresher training. Training under the new rules would require demonstration of knowledge and competency.”

Operational control functions

Operational control is organised differently by airlines depending on their size, network, and business model. Similar functions may have different titles, while individuals with the same qualifications may perform different responsibilities, explains EASA.

“This opinion focuses on the functions and responsibilities performed, rather than the titles. It proposes a clearer framework to ensure that operators identify those performing operational control functions and that these personnel possess the appropriate skills for the role,” an EASA spokesperson says. “When the various roles within an operator’s operations control centre (OCC) are not clearly defined by specific tasks and duties, with the associated decision-making authority, there is a risk that the individuals performing these tasks will have overlapping responsibilities and that lines of accountability will blur.”

The training provided to these individuals, if not based on the specific roles and tasks defined, may be inadequate to support them in performing their work as described in the operator’s standards, says EASA.

“It may not provide them with the skills necessary to properly assess the risk of a particular operation. Since training is one of the most crucial mitigation tools, the negative consequences of inadequate training can result in accidents or injuries during flight,” the spokesperson says.

‘Continuing competence’

In 2021, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) revised the training requirements for dispatchers, making them competency-based or competency-based training and assessment (CBTA), in line with all aviation disciplines requiring licensing, says Fox.

“This requirement has been in force for our IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) carriers since 2024. ICAO has published very specific guidelines for the new training of CBTA dispatchers,” he says, referring to ICAO doc 1006 Manual on Flight Operations Officers/Flight Dispatchers Competency Based Training and Assessment. “Regarding the impact of the new EASA requirements, a transition period is foreseen to allow carriers to appropriately review their initial and refresher training programmes.”

The proposal goes beyond a one-time qualification, aiming to maintain competence throughout a career. Operators will be required to provide or ensure initial training, refresher training, and periodic assessments appropriate to the operational control functions they perform. “The term ‘continuing competence’ is used to refer to all types of training applied to an individual after initial qualification training. This concept is not new to operators,” the EASA spokesperson says. “For many operators, the greatest challenge will be demonstrating competence in operational decision-making, rather than simply confirming training completion. The framework is designed to be flexible, so it can be adapted to different types and sizes of operations.”

Many large operators already have well-established training programmes for operational control personnel, so implementation will often involve aligning existing systems with the new regulatory framework, rather than creating an entirely new system.

“The novelty, and likely the most challenging, will be the development and implementation of a comprehensive CBTA programme by operators wishing to train their personnel using this method,” the EASA spokesperson says. “Given that this method is still relatively new for operational control staff and therefore requires more guidance and experience sharing, the opinion proposes a transition period of three years, plus an additional year to apply differentiated training to personnel already qualified at the date of entry into force of the amending regulation, particularly when the chosen method is CBTA.”

Competence, not paperwork

The goal is to improve operational competence, not simply create additional documentation, something that should be readily identifiable in a CBTA context.

“Regulators will not only examine training records but will also assess whether personnel possess the knowledge, skills and judgment necessary to effectively carry out their operational control responsibilities,” the EASA spokesperson says.

What is clear is that the objective is not more paperwork, but better-equipped decision-makers: personnel who can demonstrate, under scrutiny, that they have the judgment to control air operations safely.

As the industry moves through the transition period, the operators that treat this as a competency development exercise will be the ones best placed to meet the intent of the new rules.