Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 13 2021
CAA International (CAAi), the technical cooperation arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), has been contracted by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to develop a Safety Management Manual for the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC) of the Republic of Armenia. This project is funded by the British Embassy Yerevan at the request of the CAC.
Over the next three months, aviation regulators from the UK CAA will work with CAC to develop a Safety Management Manual to help manage Armenia’s ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Annex 19 and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) competent authority obligations. The manual will establish the steps for implementing and maintaining a Safety Management System and provide assurance that State aviation safety risks are managed effectively. The manual will also be critical in assessing the safety management systems of Armenian service providers, facilitating the collection and exchange of information on safety hazards and deficiencies. A workshop on the contents of the manual and new procedures will also be delivered.
The UK CAA’s assistance is part of a wider programme being conducted by CAC to improve the level of safety oversight capability in Armenia and improve international safety standards which will facilitate the growth of Armenia’s aviation industry and, in turn, Armenia’s economy.
The project was formally launched during a virtual kick-off meeting on Wednesday morning, attended by CAC, CAAi and FCDO officials, including Ms Helen Fazey, UK’s Chargé d’Affaires to the Republic of Armenia.
Speaking after the meeting, Rob Erskine, Head of Operations at CAAi commented:
“With more than 15,000 passengers from the UK alone flying to Armenia each year, we are delighted to be able to assist our Armenian counterparts with the experience and know-how of the UK CAA. Thanks to FCDO funding, we can build a stronger, more robust aviation regulator in Armenia. We are fully committed to supporting CAC on its journey to improve international safety standards and promote the sustainable development of Armenia’s aviation system.”
In her opening speech, UK’s Chargé d’Affaires in Armenia Helen Fazey mentioned: “The enhanced air connectivity will be key to unlocking Armenia’s significant economic growth potential and prosperity, in part because it will enable the country to attract more business investment, facilitate international trade and spur tourism. UK Civil Aviation Authority International is extremely well-placed to support Armenia’s aviation regulator: drawing on its experience of providing aviation safety, security and economic regulation in over 140 countries, and working hand-in-hand with the CAC in pursuit of the common goal of raising aviation standards in Armenia.”
Tatevik Revazyan, Director General at CAC concluded: “Armenia has one of the highest safety records at the International Civil Aviation Organisation with an implementation rate of 84.89% where the world average is 68.85 %. Despite this, safety gaps have been identified, leading to an institutional reform at our Civil Aviation Committee. The root-cause of these gaps are mainly related to the lack of an efficient Safety Management System. Therefore, we highly welcome the acknowledged expertise from the UK Civil Aviation Authority and are thankful to the UK Embassy and especially UK’s Charge D’affaires, Mrs Helen Fazey for enabling the implementation of this project.”
The project commenced on 8th January 2021 and is expected to last three months.