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EA aviation agency approves qualifications for flight operators
2008-02-15 09:38:56
By Novatus Makunga, PST, Arusha
The East African countries have approved minimum academic qualifications and experience for one to qualify in airworthiness and as a flight operations inspector.
These qualifications of aviation industry were recommended during the third Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA) board Meeting held at the EAC headquarters here, yesterday.
The standardised requirements will enable the region to have inspectors who meet the international standards in the professions and facilitate the sharing of the expertise.
The Board also agreed on the criteria of determining the required staffing in relation to the level of civil aviation activities in the partner States.
It considered the report on the preliminary analysis of available airworthiness and flight operations experts in the region, which indicate gaps in both the required staffing levels and in knowledge and skills.
The initial analysis shows that the region has about 19 and eight qualified airworthiness and flight operations inspectors against the required 27 and 15 respectively.
In this context, the Board directed CASSOA to carry out an in-depth analysis and suggest both long-term and short term solutions to alleviate this shortage.
The board also directed CASSOA to coordinate the implementation of English language proficiency within aviation industry in the region to come into force from next month.
Civil Aviation Personnel Licensing Regulations respectively of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania requires a holder of a pilot, air traffic controller, flight engineer or radio telephone operator license to demonstrate the ability to speak and understand the English language.
The Board has also approved the aviation security technical guidance materials for adoption by partner States` Civil Aviation Authorities and directed the agency to coordinate and facilitate the finalisation of aerodrome technical guidance materials.
The meeting approved the agency`s 2008/09 programme of activities together with the budget of USD1,215,790.30.
The Board meeting was attended by Heads of civil aviation authorities of the three first partner States, Ambrose Akandonda (Uganda), Chris Kuto (Kenya) Mrs. Margaret Munyagi from Tanzania and Executive Director of CASSOA of Tanzania, Mtesigwa Maugo.
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