In partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), CAA International (CAAi), part of the UK CAA International Group, has delivered an Aerodrome Certification course for 36 delegates from 14 African countries in Nairobi. The training was fully funded by CAAi under its Social Enterprise activity.
The training was delivered with the assistance and cooperation of the ICAO Eastern and Southern Regional Office and the support of the Government of Kenya and the Director General of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
As of December 2016, only 21% of aerodromes in Africa were certified to ICAO standards. What’s more, Aerodromes and Ground Aids in Africa represent the lowest level of the Effective Implementation out of all the ICAO Critical Areas.
The Chief Implementation and Planning Section of the ICAO Air Navigation Bureau proposed the project, and CAAi was delighted to support. Both ICAO and CAAi were keen to provide the training. Delivered by UK CAA Aerodrome Regulators David Macmillan and Tom Murney, the training covered the “Understanding of Aerodromes” contained in ICAO Annex 14, Safety Management Systems within Aerodrome Operations and Aerodrome Certification. The training aims to improve regulatory oversight capability in the region.
Kirsten Riensema, the Air Navigation Commissioner and UK Alternate Representative to ICAO said: “The ICAO Air Navigation Commission regularly reviews reports from the Regional Aviation Safety Groups (RASGs) and Planning and Implementation Regional Groups (PIRGs) and we note the need for aerodrome certification competence in regulators across the globe. It is forecasted that by 2036, Africa will see an extra 274 million1 passengers per year. It is therefore very important that we continue to support and create opportunities for development of aviation professionals in Africa, who can use their aviation skills to support this level of growth by creating and maintaining safer aviation regulatory framework”.
Working with ICAO, CAAi invited delegates from developing countries with the highest potential of creating a lasting impact on the safety in the African aviation. The course attracted delegates from Angola, Botswana, Chad, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Niger, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In September 2017, CAAi became a Social Enterprise committed to reinvest a substantial part of any profit that CAAi makes back into the global aviation community where it is needed the most.
For more information, please contact Stuart Coates, Senior Manager – International Marketing & Communications; stuart.coates@caa.co.uk
