Role and remit
Francesco Gaetani leads EASA's Flight Standards directorate as Flight Standards Director since October 2025, with regulatory and standardisation responsibility spanning:
- ATM regulation — EASA's regulatory framework for air traffic management, including the Part-ATM rulemaking programme and the Common Requirements for ANSPs
- AI Roadmap — the EASA AI Roadmap governs how artificial intelligence tools can be certified for use in air traffic control, one of the most consequential open regulatory questions in ATM as AI-assisted decision support tools move into operational service
- Controller licensing — oversight of Part-ATCO, the EASA framework governing air traffic controller training, qualification, and recurrent assessment, including the transition to competency-based licensing frameworks
- Aerodromes and ATC operations — regulatory standards for aerodrome operations, published aeronautical information, and the interface between airport and en-route ATC services
- Standardisation — coordinating the standardisation inspections of EU National Aviation Authorities to ensure consistent application of EASA regulations across Member States
Why this role matters at ASW 2026
EASA's Flight Standards directorate is where the regulatory framework for AI in ATC is being written in real time. The AI Roadmap sets the certification pathway that will determine when — and under what conditions — AI-assisted tools can be authorised for operational use by licensed controllers. This is one of the most consequential pieces of pending regulatory work for the ATM industry.
About EASA
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is the EU's regulatory authority for civil aviation safety, based in Cologne, Germany. EASA's technical regulations apply across EU Member States and are adopted by many non-EU states under bilateral agreements. EASA's ATM-related work spans safety oversight of ANSPs, rulemaking for ATM systems and controller licensing, and coordination with ICAO on international standards harmonisation.