GAMA today welcomed the European Union’s acceptance of commercial air transport (CAT) operations using single-engine turbine airplanes at night or in instrument meteorological conditions (SET-IMC) in Europe. The operations take effect today with publication in the EU’s Official Journal, the association said. Notably, this marks the end of a 20-year effort by industry and regulators and aligns Europe with the ICAO standards for CAT operations.

“The EU’s acceptance of CAT [SET-IMC] operations has been a long-awaited moment for general aviation,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. “We are very pleased to see Europe joining other regions in permitting this important form of transport.”

The new regulation is based on “rigorous safety analysis,” GAMA said, and contains “all of the necessary safeguards” to facilitate this form of passenger transport. According to GAMA, the SET-IMC ruling will greatly facilitate overnight cargo delivery and help provide connectivity to Europe’s most remote regions.

GAMA, and several of the association’s members, participated in a rulemaking group created by EASA in 2012 to help develop the agency’s regulatory framework.