Sofema Aviation schedules EASA ground handling compliance seminar in Sofia for March 2027

Sofema Aviation Academy will hold a two-day EASA Ground Handling Compliance and Safety Seminar and Workshop in Sofia on March 9-10, 2027. The event is aimed at ground handlers, airport operators and airlines preparing for incoming EU rules that will make ground handling compliance mandatory.

Why it matters: - The seminar is designed to help ground handling service providers, aerodrome operators and air carriers prepare for new European Union Aviation Safety Agency rules. - The incoming framework shifts ground handling from voluntary guidance to legally binding requirements with mandatory accountability and Competent Authority oversight. - Organizations will need to update internal operating models before enforcement begins.

What happened: - Sofema Aviation Academy scheduled an in-person EASA Ground Handling Compliance and Safety Seminar and Workshop for March 9-10, 2027, at the Metropolitan Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria. - The two-day event will focus on regulatory and operational changes affecting European ground handling. - Registration is open for individuals and groups.

The details: - The seminar will cover four operational areas affected by the new rules: Declaration of Compliance, Safety Management Systems, personnel competency, and equipment and ramp safety. - Declaration of Compliance sessions will address formal regulatory accountability and the documentation needed for legal readiness. - Safety Management Systems sessions will focus on data-driven safety frameworks for airport ramp operations. - Personnel competency sessions will address staff training, qualification and evaluation requirements. - Equipment and ramp safety sessions will cover Ground Support Equipment maintenance standards and Equipment Restraint Area boundary rules. - Day 1 on March 9 will focus on the regulatory framework, including Basic Regulation updates affecting ground handling service providers, legal obligations tied to the Declaration of Compliance, and scaling an SMS to meet EASA standards. - Day 2 on March 10 will focus on implementation and gap analysis, including GSE maintenance compliance, ramp Just Culture reporting principles and preparation for ongoing authority oversight. - Delegates will also take part in a Gap Analysis Workshop to compare current internal procedures with EASA requirements. - The speaker lineup includes Dr. Florin Necula, Accountable Manager at RAS Technic, as keynote speaker; Steve Bentley, CEO at Sofema Aviation, as keynote speaker; Dejan Dencic, Compliance and Safety Manager; and Tihomir Dzingov, Aviation Regulatory Trainer and FAA Dispatcher. - An on-site podcast studio will operate during networking breaks and lunch periods to record interviews and discussions with speakers and aviation specialists. - The studio will focus on operational challenges, technology integration and procedural standards across European ground handling. - Individual registration costs €99 plus applicable VAT and includes two-day access, lunches and networking periods. - Group registration for three delegates from the same organization costs €198 plus applicable VAT. - Hotel accommodation at the Metropolitan Hotel is available to attendees for €99 per night, including 9 percent VAT and city tax.

Between the lines: - The agenda suggests Sofema Aviation is positioning the event as both a regulatory briefing and a practical implementation session. - The gap analysis format signals that many operators may need to review existing procedures before the new requirements take effect. - The inclusion of a podcast studio points to an effort to turn the seminar into a broader industry discussion platform, not just a classroom event.

What's next: - Attendees will use the March seminar to assess readiness, identify compliance gaps and prepare for the new EASA oversight structure. - Sofema Aviation will host the event in Sofia on March 9-10, 2027. - More information is available through the company's announcement