New Bill to upgrade regional aviation safety

By John Oyuke

East African Community (EAC) States have made a major step in tackling aviation safety and security issues by passing a key bill on air transport.

The Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (Cassoa) Bill, 2008, will ensure partner states develop programmes for a safer air transport industry.

"East African Legislative Assembly passed the proposed law after adopting a report by the Committee on Communications, Trade and Investments," the EAC Secretariat said.

The Bill, passed last week, is awaiting presidential assent in the respective member states, before becoming an Act of the Community.

The law will regulate matters of air safety and security oversight in the industry, within the EAC region.

Article 92 of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community, requires the EAC Partner States harmonise policies on civil aviation to promote the development of safe, reliable, efficient and economically viable sector. This, they are to do by developing infrastructure, aeronautical skills and technology, as well as using civil aviation in support of other economic activities.

Maintain standards

The Bill seeks to consolidate efforts to establish and empower a regional body that will streamline and ensure the highest international standards are maintained.

Last month, Cassoa in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States, conducted a two-week seminar on the re-certification of key air operators from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda at its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The agency initiated the re-certification process, to assist the partner states’ Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) in August last year, by convening a pre-application meeting of the airlines.

Re-certification is a five-phase process, through which the air operator has to fulfil requirements of the new harmonised East Africa Community Civil Aviations Regulations.

In pre-application, the operator informs the relative CAA of the intent to be re-certified

Another stage is the document evaluation, where the operator’s documents and manuals are evaluated by the CAA for compliance with the harmonised regulations and guidance materials.