Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Icao PDF
Icao PDF
Global
Leadership
Safety and operational issues stemming from dramatic regional
growth and intensifying environmental concerns have created
challenging times for global aviation, bringing ICAO’s important
leadership role sharply into focus.
Vol. 62, No 4
Contents
Message from the Secretary General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Submissions
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individuals, organizations and States wishing to share
updates, perspectives or analysis related to global
civil aviation. For further information on submission
deadlines and planned issue topics for future editions
of the ICAO Journal, please forward your request to
NEWS IN BRIEF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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• Al Hamili Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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Tel: +01 (514) 954-8022
E-mail: sales@icao.int Speaking of Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
You Hold
in Your Hands
the New
ICAO Journal
The flagship publication of the Organization has been com-
pletely redesigned, from cover to cover. Its content will
focus increasingly on the Organization’s programmes,
policies and activities designed to assist its 190 members
and all stakeholders of the world aviation community in
maintaining the highest levels of safety, security, efficiency
and sustainability for the global air transport system.
With each issue, you will also discover how ICAO is transfor-
ming itself into a results-oriented and performance-based
organization, in line with fundamental changes in global avia-
tion and the evolving requirements of all of our constituents.
3
Introducing
the New ICAO Journal
ICAO IS RESPONDING TO THE GLOBAL CHANGES IN CIVIL
AVIATION AND THE NEED TO ALIGN ITSELF AS A MORE
STREAMLINED ORGANIZATION, HIGHLIGHTING ITS IMPOR-
TANT LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ALL AREAS OF AIR TRANSPORT
ACTIVITY. AS THE ORGANIZATION’S FLAGSHIP PUBLICATION,
THE ICAO JOURNAL HAS A NEW LOOK AND A NEW FOCUS
TO HELP IT REFLECT THE IMPORTANT CHANGES WITHIN
ICAO AND IN THE AIR TRANSPORT INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.
Cover image
As the Organization’s flagship publication, the
new ICAO Journal cover puts ICAO front and
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
4
EAD feature
Feature articles, such as this issue’s focus on the impor-
tant role of the ICAO Economic Analyses and Databases
(EAD) Section, will provide a closer look at the people and
processes behind the scenes that help ICAO maintain its
6
global perspective and representation.
New Section:
ICAO Implementation IATA Guest Feature
Additional international and regional aviation organizations
In line with its new focus, the ICAO Journal will include a regular
(in this issue, IATA) will be given a place and a voice in each
section on the activities of the new Implementation Support and
ICAO Journal to ensure that every voice and every viewpoint
Development (ISD) Branch, created to facilitate and coordinate the
has a means of identifying and communicating its important
provision of assistance to States in meeting their aviation safety
perspective to the Journal’s global readership.
and security obligations.
News in Brief
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
5
As Host Country of the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) and member of the ICAO Council, Canada has been working
with the Secretary General to create the new ICAO Journal, reflec-
ting the Organization’s successful renewal in the 21st century.
In the field of civil aviation, ICAO plays the lead role with regard to
environmental issues. Soon contracting States will be called upon
to structure their approach to the environment, and Canada is
working actively in this area in accordance with the mandate from
the international community to protect the environment while also
protecting economic viability, and civil aviation safety and security.
Canada will continue to work with ICAO to further mutual goals such
as the improvement of security, safety and environmental protection.
Global Aviation
Leadership
Aviation has recently experienced a phenomenal period of growth that
has created new opportunities and new challenges for States and air
transport organizations. Worldwide, the total number of annual passengers
has grown by 46 per cent in the past ten years, as the number of passengers
flying climbed from 1.457 to 2.128 billion per year. Freight tonne-kilometre
figures show an almost identical rate of increase.
The degree to which we collectively manage this growth effectively, uniformly
and consistently in all countries and regions will determine the safety, security,
sustainability and efficiency of the global air transport system for the coming decades.
ICAO has sharpened its focus in how ultimate goal of this new way of doing At the heart of the Business Plan are six
it assists its 190 Member States to business is to increase the effective- strategic objectives derived from the
strive for the new benchmarks of 21st ness and efficiency of the Organization, Organization’s vision and mission of
century civil aviation: optimum safety to become even more performance- providing for the safe, secure and sus-
and security; the continued progres- based and results-oriented, and to in- tainable development of civil aviation
sive, worldwide liberalization of air troduce working methods that will lead through cooperation amongst its Mem-
transport; a globally interoperable, to increased efficiency while making ber States. The following pages report
harmonized and seamless air traffic prudent use of limited resources. on the evolution of the past three years
management system; maximum com- in four of these six areas, against the
patibility between the safe and orderly The Business Plan promotes a higher backdrop of the strategic objectives.
development of civil aviation and the level of functional integration between Objective E—Continuity—deals largely
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
quality of the environment; and further Headquarters and the Regional with aviation medicine and the spread
development of a unified global legal Offices. It is an excellent coordination of communicable diseases, subjects
framework. All are top priorities for the instrument for programmes and covered in the interview with Dr. Silvio
Organization and the industry as we activities, and it is dynamic. A built-in Finkelstein. Finally, the next issue of
assess our collective horizons. review process will ensure that the the Journal will feature the Legal Bureau
Plan is realigned periodically with the of ICAO, and all areas will be featured
Under the leadership of the Secretary changing external environment and regularly in upcoming Journal issues
General, ICAO began implementing its critical developments in the air trans- to keep readers abreast of the latest
first ever Business Plan in 2005. The port world. developments in each.
7
AIR TRANSPORT LEADERSHIP
global civil OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, INCREASED TRANSPARENCY, GROWING
POLITICAL WILL AND A PROACTIVE, COOPERATIVE APPROACH BY
aviation safety ICAO AND MAJOR AVIATION STAKEHOLDERS HAVE FOCUSSED ON
PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS.
A milestone was reached with the Directors General of Civil Avia- The Roadmap was subsequently integrated into the ICAO Global
tion Conference on a Global Strategy for Aviation Safety (DGCA/06) Aviation Safety Plan (GASP). Together, the two documents are a
held at ICAO Headquarters in March 2006. Participants from 153 unique and pragmatic resource for maintaining and improving
Contracting States and 26 international organizations identified safety worldwide. In effect, the GASP can be seen as a proactive
ways to make significant improvements in an assertive, coordinated planning methodology for ICAO, States, regions and the industry to
and transparent manner. fulfil, in a complementary manner, the requirements of the focus
areas listed in the Roadmap. The GASP also establishes a coordina-
The Conference reaffirmed the critical importance of transparency tion mechanism to ensure that the Roadmap and the Plan are kept
and the sharing of safety-related information as fundamental up-to-date in a synchronized manner.
tenets of a safe air transport system. Participants agreed unanimou-
sly that results of audits carried out under the ICAO Universal Meeting the Global Safety Challenge
Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) should be posted on
the Organization’s public web site, with the consent of States audi- The overall challenge for aviation safety is to drive an already low
ted, no later than March 2008. It was felt that such openness accident rate even lower, according to three targets for 2008–2011
would encourage States to correct outstanding deficiencies more set by ICAO: 1) to reduce the number of fatal accidents and fata-
quickly and make it easier for States and donors to provide those lities worldwide irrespective of the volume of air traffic; 2) to
in need with the required financial or human resources. This con- achieve a significant decrease in accident rates, particularly in
crete example of transparency and sharing of safety-related infor- regions where these remain high, and; 3) to ensure that no sin-
mation is also essential to make available data necessary to support gle ICAO region shall have an accident rate more than twice the
the implementation of Safety Management Systems, another recom- worldwide rate by the end of 2011—based on a five-year
mendation of the Conference. sliding average.
The Conference also issued a Declaration of high-level principles Global safety initiatives (GSIs) have been incorporated into the
and targeted actions for further improvements to aviation safety. GASP to support the overall implementation of these safety
Specifically, it called upon States and industry to closely coordi- objectives. GSIs are interrelated and each refers to one of the
nate their safety initiatives with ICAO in order to avoid duplica- focus areas of the Roadmap. The table on page 9 details the
tion and related inefficiencies in the implementation of global relevant GSIs applicable to ICAO, States, regions and the
safety initiatives. industry at large.
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
The directives were quickly heeded and led to the Global Aviation The attainment of a safe system is the highest priority for air
Safety Roadmap—prepared by the Industry Safety Strategy Group transport. With the tremendous efforts being made by all
(ISSG) in close cooperation with ICAO. The Roadmap stresses part- stakeholders, as markets expand and growth continues un-
nership among all stakeholders, including States, regulators, aircraft abated, ICAO continues to provide increased global leadership
and airport operators, air traffic service providers, aircraft manufa- and coordination through the GASP and support for other
cturers, international organizations and safety organizations. It safety initiatives. Transparency, political will and a proactive
clearly defines roles played by the regulatory and industry elements, approach, coalescing under a spirit of global cooperation repre-
and presents a common frame of reference using 12 focus areas sent our best guarantee for success for reaching our common
and guidance on how to address them. safety goals.
8
Global Safety Initiatives Incorporated
into ICAO’s Global Aviation Safety Plan
For ICAO and States For Industry
GSI-1: CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS GSI-6: EFFECTIVE ERROR AND INCIDENT REPORTING
AND INDUSTRY PRACTICES AND ANALYSIS IN THE INDUSTRY
Scope: Full implementation of applicable ICAO SARPs and industry Scope: The development and maintenance of a “just culture” is one of the
best practices. primary means available to industry to understand where the hazards and
Strategy: Assessment of compliance through USOAP or equivalent means. risks lie within an organization.
Establish action plans to reach compliance and provide coordinated interna- Strategy: Industry commits to a “just culture” of reporting without fear of
tional support where necessary. If necessary, use coordinated international reprimand. Share incident/error databases across industry.
pressure on those unwilling to comply.
Strategy: Implement Annex 13 and ensure an adequately-funded, professionally- GSI-10: ALIGNMENT OF INDUSTRY SAFETY STRATEGIES
trained, independent and impartial investigative body. Protect and share safety
data for accident prevention and not assignment of blame. Scope: The efforts of all industry stakeholders to improve aviation safety at
the local, State and regional levels are more effective at a global level if they
are well aligned and based on shared goals and methods.
Scope: Industry and regulatory authorities ensure that they have access to
a sufficient number of qualified staff to support their activities.
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
9
AIR TRANSPORT LEADERSHIP
AVIATION SECURITY STATISTICS FOR THE PAST FEW In February 2002, the ICAO High-level Ministerial conference on
YEARS POINT TO A GLOBAL AIR TRANSPORT SYSTEM aviation security adopted a Plan of Action for Strengthening
THAT IS AS SECURE AS IT HAS EVEN BEEN FOR AIR Aviation Security in an effort to help States and industry address
TRAVELLERS, IN SPITE OF THE GROWTH AND INCREASING all forms of aviation security issues. The plan includes a Universal
COMPLEXITY OF OPERATIONS. BETWEEN 2004 AND Security Audit Programme to evaluate the level of implementa-
2006, THERE WERE FOUR SEIZURES OF AIRCRAFT ON tion of security standards and recommend remedial action to
AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 75 MILLION FLIGHTS. correct deficiencies.
10
the passport is authentic and that it be- The ISD’s mandate is based on the observation that problems identified through
longs to the rightful holder, without jeo- both safety and security audits are fundamentally the same: namely a lack of proper
pardizing privacy. By the end of 2006, legislation, regulations and infrastructure, as well as the ability to retain qualified
over 30 Member States had begun personnel. ISD will build on and better coordinate support already available from
issuing ePassports to their citizens. Pro- long-standing ICAO programmes.
active measures are being taken to res-
pond to new and emerging threats to ISD works with States to analyse five basic areas necessary for building an effective
aviation security. regulatory structure:
tions; facilitate and coordinate the pro- the sense that the fundamental perception of civil aviation as the safest and most
vision of assistance provided by States, effective means of public transportation remains intact, but, as with all safety- and
industry, international financial institu- security-related issues, continued vigilance is essential.
tions and other stakeholders, and; par-
ticipate in safety and security imple-
mentation support and development
activities aimed at enhancing the capa-
bilities of States to meet their aviation
safety and security obligations.
11
AIR TRANSPORT LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS MAY TODAY BE BEST traffic in many regions of the world. Aviation’s carbon footprint is
DEFINED BY DECISION MAKING NOT ONLY BASED ON forecasted to continue to grow in the future.
SOUND TECHNOLOGICAL ACUMEN, CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
AND MARKET AWARENESS, BUT INCREASINGLY BY THE At the last meeting of ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environ-
CAPACITY TO FULLY COMPREHEND THE GLOBAL THREATS mental Protection (CAEP/7), held in February 2007, it was evi-
TO PLANETARY, SOCIAL AND COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS dent that environmental concerns now permeate the planning
RESULTING FROM INACTION IN DEALING WITH and actions of all global aviation stakeholders. Not only was
there marked progress on both noise and emissions issues at
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
the event, but a pronounced realization was evident that solu-
AS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED MANY TIMES IN THE tions must and will come from the aviation sector.
PAST, ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES SUCCESSFULLY
REQUIRES CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, WILLINGNESS CAEP/7, which concludes three years of intense work by the avia-
TO COMPROMISE AND A SHARED POLITICAL MOTIVATION. tion community under the leadership of ICAO, laid the ground-
THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK. AIR TRANSPORT, WITH ITS work for consensus on a number of critical areas and represents
UNIQUELY COOPERATIVE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE, HOLDS a fitting snapshot of where we stand in terms of the major efforts
THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A BEACON OF ENVIRONMENTAL to minimize the impact of aviation on the environment.
PARTNERSHIP, AWARENESS AND ACHIEVEMENT AS IT
COMES TO GRIPS WITH ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES Aircraft Emissions
IT HAS FACED.
Although enhancements were made to specific measures to
address aircraft noise, the main focus and achievements of the
Given the findings (now at 90 per cent certainty) from the Inter- meeting was on aircraft emissions.
governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that human
activity is a contributor to global warming, and in light of the Defining Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Goals
fact that the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol will
expire in 2012, the next few years are a critical moment for The first ICAO standard for NOx was adopted in 1981 and made
decisions and action and present a unique opportunity for progressively more stringent through the years. The latest stan-
ICAO, in cooperation with its Member States and the main dard in 2004 will be applicable to new engines certified after
aviation stakeholders, to identify how international aviation 2008 and is 12 per cent lower than the existing standard.
might participate in a future programme. CAEP/8 will review the NOx standard once more during its work
programme cycle ending in 2010.
Over the past decade, especially, there has been a substantial
evolution in our common understanding of the impact of aviation To complement the standard-setting process, an important
on climate change. The 1999 Special Report on Aviation and the development of CAEP/7 was the introduction of medium and
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
Atmosphere developed by the IPCC, as well as the recently pu- long range goals in the development of technologies to control
blished IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (4AR), have shed light NOx. At the request of CAEP/7, a panel of independent experts
on our understanding and provided best estimates of the contri- assessed the industry’s ability to reduce NOx emissions at
bution from aviation to climate change. From these reports, we source, provided information on possible trends in future emis-
learn that aircraft currently contribute about 2 per cent of man- sions reduction over the long-term, and considered possibilities
made carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and like other sources also for improvement.
emit other gases and particulates affecting climate. New aircraft
are 70 per cent more fuel efficient than four decades ago, yet total Using a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale, the panel
fuel consumption is rising with the dramatic growth of aviation developed medium- and long-term technology goals for NOx
12
that could offer the industry more clear- routing and, consequently, fuel burn and associated emissions. Studies suggest
ly defined objectives on a longer plan- that improvements in air traffic management could help improve overall efficiency
ning horizon. A medium-term NOx goal by 6 to 12 per cent, and that the potential for reducing fuel burn and emissions
refers to the level of emissions produ- by further optimization of other operational measures, such as aircraft speed,
ced by a specific engine thrust category aircraft weight, etc., is on the order of 6 per cent. In 2003, ICAO published gui-
in service in ten years’ time—TRL 6. The dance material on the subject for airports, airlines and other stakeholders and
estimated reduction was set at 45 per during CAEP/7 the third workshop to promote these measures was held at ICAO
cent from current standards by 2016. Headquarters. The CAEP/7 meeting also produced initial studies on the environ-
A long-term NOx goal refers to an im- mental benefits of the use of CDAs (continuous descent arrivals), basic rules of
provement of engine emissions perfor- thumb for assessing the environmental benefits of RVSMs (reduced vertical sepa-
mance in over 20 years—TRL 2. It is ration minima) and a new ICAO circular on noise abatement departure procedures
anticipated that by 2026 a 60 per cent (NADP) was developed to provide information on their noise and emissions
reduction from current standards (NOx and CO2 /fuel effects).
would be attainable.
Market-based Measures: Emissions Trading
Despite the fact that improvements in technology and more efficient air traffic ma-
nagement solutions hold promise for additional emissions reductions in the future,
market-based solutions are also an important part of this solution.
sion modelling and airport air quality integration of foreign aircraft operators under a mutually agreed basis, and continue
measurement, should be ready by 2010. to analyze further options. In adopting this guidance material, the ICAO Council deci-
The third section will address mitigation ded that the guidance should be published as a draft guidance and should include an
and interrelationships. introduction emphasizing that the majority of the ICAO Council members favoured a
mutually agreed approach.
Operational Measures
The next issue of the Journal will report on the outcome of the discussions at the 36th
Efficient management of aircraft opera- Session of the ICAO Assembly, which will set the ground for participation of the aviation
tions helps reduce delays and optimize sector in the global effort on environmental protection.
13
AIR TRANSPORT LEADERSHIP
efficiency improvements. For its part, the CNS/ATM Systems, the revised Plan is
aviation community must respond ac- based on recommendations of AN/Conf/11 ICAO is assisting States to enhance their
cordingly when designing, planning, im- and two related industry roadmaps crea- knowledge and comprehension of tech-
plementing and operating the global air ted subsequent to the Conference. In nical, organizational, economic and safety
navigation system in order to respond to essence, it is part of an integrated set of issues related to the implementation of a
expectations linked to safety, efficiency, tools and guidance material, which inclu- performance-based air navigation sys-
access and equity, capacity, global inte- des the Global ATM Operational Concept, tem. There is recognition of the essential
roperability, cost-effectiveness, security ATM Systems Requirements and Perfor- role of the Organization in advancing
and protection of the environment. mance-Based Transition Guidelines that work in the operational, technical, safety
14
and economic areas, as well as securing global interoperability ICAO published another study in 2005 arising from the work
between major air navigation initiatives. of ATConf/5, this one on an Essential Service and Tourism
Development Route (ESTDR) scheme. In cooperation with the
Another dimension of ICAO’s role will be to develop and pro- World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the study elaborated
mote minimum performance reporting requirements for ANS on a support mechanism which could be incorporated into
providers, develop a methodology for measuring performance an ESTDR scheme for the development of tourism routes,
expectations, and develop guidance material on facilitating particularly to Least Developed Countries. In November, ICAO
collaborative decision-making. This will also entail accelera- and UNWTO announced the launch of a programme of trai-
ting work on performance-based navigation (PBN). PBN pro- ning courses, in collaboration with Airport Strategy and Mar-
vides for more direct and precise flight paths, increased keting (ASM) Limited, to enable States to implement an
safety, reduced fuel burn, more efficient traffic flows and ESTDR scheme efficiently and effectively.
reduced ATC communications.
Adding to the substantive guidance for States in air transport
This includes the implementation of area navigation (RNAV) matters, ICAO also published a study that same year on the
and required navigation performance (RNP) in accordance Economic Contribution of Civil Aviation. Based on the study,
with the PBN concept, integration of the ICAO Global Air Navi- ICAO organized, together with the World Bank and the Air
gation Plan in performance-based transition planning, collabo- Transport Action Group, the first joint development forum on
ration on establishing performance indicators, use of ICAO- Maximizing the Economic Contribution of Civil Aviation—Chal-
defined key performance areas for performance management, lenges and Potentials. The objectives were to promote air
and application of the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) transport as a catalyst for economic development, to advocate
as a basis for meeting safety performance objectives. private/public sector partnerships, to review changes in poli-
Liberalization
As a follow-up task of ATConf/5, the ICAO Secretariat conduc- field has been prominent in guiding States, in the absence
ted a study on the safety and security aspects of economic libe- of internationally accepted Standards and Recommended
ralization to identify areas which could have implications for Practices, towards appropriate policies on liberalization.
safety and security. The study identified various situations that This has been done hand in hand with encouraging each
warrant closer attention by States and provided clarification on State to determine its own path and own pace of change in
how relevant ICAO provisions should be implemented to ad- international air transport regulation in a flexible way and
dress some of these situations. It was distributed to States in using bilateral, sub-regional, regional, plurilateral or global
August 2005. avenues depending on circumstances.
15
REGIONAL UPDATE
Africa:
The Way
Forward
ICAO has been instrumental
in the development of the
new Comprehensive Regional
Implementation Plan for Avia-
tion Safety in Africa (AFI Plan).
The Plan adopts programme
management methodologies
contained in the Global ICAO and its Contracting States have cooperated for years in
dealing with the complex challenges facing the African Region.
Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) In 2006, following an exploratory visit to Africa, members of the
in order to achieve sustained Organization’s Air Navigation Commission (ANC) recommended
a revitalization of ICAO’s presence in Africa, in an effort with all
improvements in safety levels stakeholders to reduce the accident rate and increase the over-
throughout the continent. It all level of safety. Under the direction of the Council and with
the assistance and guidance of government and industry groups
represents the most coordi- concerned, the ICAO Secretariat developed what is now known
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
nated and inclusive effort yet as the Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Avia-
tion Safety in Africa—the AFI Plan. As its name implies, the AFI
to deal with AFI regional Plan is based on a holistic approach. It calls for greater coordi-
challenges. ICAO Journal nation of ICAO safety-related programmes and projects with
those of national and regional organizations in Africa, as well as
reviews the genesis and with concerned international bodies.
major features of this timely Above all perhaps, the AFI Plan reflects ICAO’s overall strategy
and strategic initiative. and methodology contained in the performance-based GASP and
16
the industry Global Aviation Safety Road-
map, which both focus on activities with
the highest return for improving safety.
Accordingly, the Plan adopts a discipli-
ned, programme management approach.
It will include specific key stakeholders,
identification of risks, performance of a
gap analysis, development of prioritized
recommended actions, and continuous
monitoring and evaluation. It will also
clearly stress defined objectives, out-
puts, activities and metrics. Accounta-
bility will become the overall considera-
tion at every stage.
Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme A decision on the continuation of the Plan will be made by the
(COSCAP) and Implementation Support and Development Council based on a three-year progress assessment. In addi-
(ISD) safety-related activities. tion to current regional programme resources that will be allo-
cated, investment estimates for the initial phases of the plan
Taking advantage of the holding of the 36th Assembly, the fall into the US $3.8 million range over the scheduled four-year
Council convened a high-level meeting in Montreal for 17 Sep- period. The Air Navigation Commission, through the Secretariat,
tember, the goal of which was to obtain firm political commit- will be monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the
ment from African States to implement the AFI Plan, and tangi- Plan every six months and will report to the Council on the re-
ble expressions of support from States, industry and other sults achieved at every autumn session.
17
REGIONAL UPDATE
Headquarters personnel providing sup- NEW AFI RNP-10 ROUTE PAIRS first steps I undertook when I got invol-
port from Montreal. ved was to hold a weekly teleconference
“When the AFI PIRG, acting on IATA’s with all the stakeholders. This has
Coordination throughout the project original request, suggested that the tremendously improved accountability
was provided by the AFI PIRG, one of region begin to transition towards more and overall efficiency. ASECNA men-
the regional planning and implementa- efficient routes free of ground-based tioned recently that it used to take it
tion regional groups (PIRGs) establi- navigation aids, ICAO ATM put together years to get a single new route in place,
shed in various regions around the the right team and got the job done,” whereas we accomplished Red Carpet I
world by the ICAO Council in order to Gardilčić emphasized. in just six months.”
18
INTERVIEW
Medicine Man
WINNER OF THIS YEAR’S EDWARD WARNER AWARD, BUENOS
AIRES NATIVE DR. SILVIO FINKELSTEIN HAS DEDICATED A
HALF-CENTURY TO THE FIELD OF AVIATION MEDICINE. AFTER
JOINING ICAO IN 1971 AS AN AVIATION MEDICINE OFFICER,
DR. FINKELSTEIN WENT ON TO BECOME CHIEF OF THE
AVIATION MEDICINE SECTION BETWEEN 1975 AND HIS
RETIREMENT IN 1994. HIS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE
INCLUDED THE WORLDWIDE INTRODUCTION AND EXPANSION
OF REGIONAL AVIATION MEDICINE TRAINING SEMINARS; THE
INTEGRATION OF MEDICINE AND SAFETY IN INTERNATIONAL
CIVIL AVIATION; THE PIONEERING WORK FOR THE ADOPTION
OF ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION A29-15 RESTRICTING SMOKING
ON INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER FLIGHTS; AND MOST
RECENTLY THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTIVE AND RESPONSE
METHODOLOGIES RELATED TO THREATS FROM BIO-TERRORISM
AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES. ICAO JOURNAL HAD THE PRIVILEGE
TO SIT DOWN WITH DR. FINKELSTEIN.
As an introduction for those of us less Did you face any challenges in achie- and wanted to maintain the status
familiar with the subject, what is it ving this victory? quo. They could not understand or
that distinguishes aviation medicine imagine the possibility of being a pas-
from other medical fields, and how is Over the course of a decade, starting senger on a long-duration flight with-
it related to aviation safety? in the 1980s, ICAO’s Aviation Medi- out smoking.
cine Section brought to the attention
Aviation medicine is a branch of medical of ICAO’s deliberative bodies the Outside of the aviation community, the
science aimed at preventing, or providing health and safety risks posed by tobacco industry questioned whether
solutions to, problems that might affect smoking on international passenger prohibiting smoking onboard an air-
human beings due to air travel opera- flights. There were many challenges craft would indeed improve flight safety
tions and conditions. In other words, it along the way, both internal and exter- or, on the other hand, would affect it
attempts to foresee and prevent medical nal. Internal challenges came from the significantly. Our investigation into this
situations affecting passengers and crew opposition of individuals in executive question centred on a number of condi-
that develop as a result of the unique positions who were heavy smokers tions. Would prohibiting smoking lead to
environmental and operational conditions
experienced in aviation. Lately this defini-
tion has expanded somewhat to include
airport situations due to the need for
increased pre-flight precautions arising
from biological and infectious agents.
Aviation medicine and aviation safety go
hand in hand in the sense that healthy
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
20
an increase of clandestine smoking, that is, WHO’s Director of the Finkelstein and fellow members of a search and
people smoking in the toilets? And if so, Tobacco or Health Program- rescue team with their Sikorsky S-51 helicopter.
would it increase the likelihood of an acci- me, Dr. Juan Menchaca, and
dental fire? The other was whether there I presented the first joint pa-
would be a deterioration in the inflight per at the 8th World Confer-
performance of crew members who were ence on Tobacco or Health
smokers. Fortunately for all, new and youn- in Buenos Aires in 1992. In
ger generations of aircraft crew members the end, we managed to
were more aware of preventive medicine. achieve the desired results
The International Federation of Air Line —a Resolution prohibiting
Pilots’ Associations responded positively to smoking onboard commer-
the question; this, added to the States’ res- cial aircraft.
ponses, allowed ICAO to proceed with the
adoption of Resolution A29-15. You were very much involved with the doctors that their contribution to aviation
Regional Education System for Aviation medicine will have an enormous effect on
Did ICAO work with any other organi- Medicine that is in place today. How did operational safety.
zations when tackling the issue of that programme develop? What were
onboard smoking? some of the objectives? What were the challenges faced by
international civil aviation during the
Yes, we worked in concert with the World When I joined ICAO, the Manual of Civil SARS epidemic several years ago, and
Health Organization (WHO). The tobacco Aviation Medicine did not exist. The first what methods were implemented to
industry had insisted to the ICAO Secre- objective was to develop the Manual in correct the problem?
tary General that the jurisdiction of the 1973. The second objective was to develop
Aviation Medicine Section was flight a standard for aviation medical examiners The Chicago Convention includes Article 14
safety—not public health. As a result, I that clearly emphasized the importance —Prevention of spread of disease. When
contacted the Director General of the and need for training. Once these first two the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
WHO and we initiated several joint pro- objectives were in place, the third objec- (SARS) outbreak occurred in 2003, we
tive was to establish a implemented a methodology to tackle
Finkelstein was a pioneer in the field of aviation medicine. programme of regional the problem. The economic, tourism and
Here he is checking lung functions of a patient in a simulated seminars around the social problems that resulted from the
altitude run in a hyperbaric chamber.
world. A number of go- SARS outbreak were quite significant.
vernments were extre- One of the tools developed was the Infra-
mely grateful because red Sensor System (IFSS), used to screen
with international requi- passengers by measuring skin tempera-
rements came the jus- ture without interfering with their move-
tification to budget for ments in the terminal. As they passed
medical examiner trai- through the scanner, those with a higher
ning. I remain a firm temperature reading were subsequently
believer in education tested with a standard medical thermome-
and I continue to teach ter. If the passenger failed this second
seminars. test, they would then be separated from
the travelling public for further testing.
What lies ahead The methodology we developed during
for the Regional this outbreak included advice and guide-
Education System for lines on inspecting arriving, departing and
Aviation Medicine? in-transit passengers.
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
jects. ICAO focused on flight safety and There is increasing agreement among au- How is aviation handling the threat
the WHO focused on public health. For thorities, airlines and governments that of avian influenza?
the WHO at that time, having a renowned aviation medicine is an invisible, but indis-
international organization such as ICAO pensable discipline for operational safety. A variation of the methodology used
prohibit smoking represented a major This is a consensus that took a long time in facing the SARS outbreak is being
victory in its campaign for improved public to instill, but the door is now open. I have used today to combat the threat of
health. Thus it was a great pleasure and always believed that it is of the utmost avian influenza. At present, there have
triumph for both organizations when the importance to remind newly graduated not been any known human-to-human
21
transmissions, but my concern is that, despite the fact that we and then ensure that there are good preventative health pro-
have recorded only 300 human cases, the mortality rate for grammes in place to keep them flying. I have always believed
this disease is more than 60 per cent. SARS, by comparison, that if we feel it necessary to revoke a licence for medical rea-
had only a 10 per cent mortality rate. sons, we have failed in our goal to properly screen individuals.
You recently presented a lecture on fear of flying. How are What does the future hold for aviation medicine?
aviation medicine and fear of flying related?
I am delighted with how civil aviation medicine is being han-
Health is a condition of safe air travel, and mental health is dled internationally. Different organizations and agencies,
another aspect of safe air travel. My lecture focused on how including the International Academy of Aviation and Space
the fear of flying is interpreted differently by general psychia- Medicine and the Aerospace Medical Association, are making
try and aviation psychiatry. In general psychiatry, the definition substantial contributions to its progress. ICAO continues to
of fear of flying is non-existent. It is considered an anxiety or a lead the charge with Dr. Anthony Evans, Chief of Aviation
neurosis. Within the aviation psychiatry community, fear of fly- Medicine. Others, who play and will continue to play a signifi-
ing is a specific condition. Interestingly, research indicates that cant role in the future of aviation medicine, include Dr. Claude
between 20 and 40 per cent of the population has some fear Thibeault, Medical Advisor for IATA, and Dr. Jarnail Singh, Chief
of flying. Significantly, this number includes crew members as Medical Officer for the Civil Aviation Medical Board of Singa-
well as passengers. pore. Both have worked, and will continue to work, closely
What is the biggest trend and shift in aviation medicine with ICAO to improve the world of aviation medicine. These
that you have encountered in the last 50 years? three outstanding colleagues are leading the way. ICAO pro-
duced good results at reasonably low cost in the fight against
When I was a young student of aviation medicine, the major SARS, with help from the governments of Singapore and
objective was to ground the unfit. My teachers gave me a list of China, who contributed significantly during the outbreak.
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
disqualifying diseases, which practically covered the whole Avian influenza is a major concern for the present and the
medical gambit. My mission was to be a detective. As soon as future of aviation medicine, but I am confident that we will
I found someone with one of these problems, he was to be succeed. My goal for the future is the same as it was 50 years
grounded. Today, the concept of aviation medicine is to keep ago. I would like the passenger to be as well when he gets
them flying. We seek to select the most desirable individuals off the aircraft as he was when he got on.
22
ECONOMIC ANALYSES AND DATABASES SECTION
and States
Of Stats
23
As a bit of background for our readers, How important is the role of Member Statistical Database (ISDB)—that became
when was the Economic Analyses and States in providing ICAO with data, and operational in 2001—specifically to help
Databases Section formed, and how are there methods used to ensure the us establish more reliable quality control.
has its mandate or methods changed in quality of the information that’s being With it, we can compare data from previ-
the ensuing years? collected and conveyed? ous months or years and any significant
discrepancies in data submissions are au-
Oleg Nazarov: EAD Section was created Oleg Nazarov: The role of the States is tomatically noted for further analysis.
in February 2006 with the merger of the very important. Simply put, if they don’t
Statistics Section and the Forecasting and provide ICAO with data then we have very Ananthanarayan Sainarayan, Statisti-
Economic Planning Section. The aim was little to work with. That being said, although cal Officer: We also have secondary con-
to ensure that the emerging needs of the States may be obliged to provide data, tacts at the airport and airline levels to
“new” ICAO would be met. When the Or- some have very limited resources to do so. help us with data verification, but States
ganization established its strategic objec- Our mandate, therefore, is also to assist are the primary source for collecting qua-
tives with the Business Plan, it also needed States in developing their abilities to pro- lity control data. As Oleg mentioned, if
tools to properly set its broader goals and vide reliable data. States have trouble collecting data, we set
priorities, and to measure its success in up seminars and workshops in an effort to
meeting them. It was logical in this regard By way of an example, in 1991 the former improve the methods used. As far as the
to merge these two sections in order to Soviet Union collapsed. As a result, 15 ISBD is concerned, it makes use of very
support the activities of all the Bureaux newly independent States were created. sophisticated verification and validation
within ICAO. The Soviet Union had a unique system. It tools that all our staff are now familiar
was planned, very centralized and not with. We have many stages of quality con-
The creation of the EAD Section also reflects market-oriented. But it worked. The 15 trol, and since our data is open and avai-
the evolving requirements of the aviation new States came to ICAO asking for help lable 24/7, we occasionally get input from
community. When ICAO was created in because they had no experience or know- external stakeholders who tell us if they
1944, the people drafting the Chicago ledge of how to create a system to collect see any problems—but these cases are
Convention envisioned, even at that time, data within a market system. In 1993 I or- very rare.
the need for statistical ganized the first semi-
information, and they inclu- nar in Moscow with Do you feel that States and the aviation
ded Article 67, which re- « States are helping us some of the best statis- community are taking full advantage of
quires States to provide and we are helping ticians from around the your data, or are there applications for
data so that ICAO could world, and they pre- it which you feel may currently be under-
States. »
develop global industry sented a methodology utilized? Why is it important for States
| Oleg Nazarov
perspectives and practical to the State represen- to have a global picture?
economic analysis. In the tatives. Now we orga-
beginning, fare structures were of primary nize regular seminars for them and their Oleg Nazarov: The first answer is, unfor-
statistical importance, as well as the volu- systems are among the best in the world. tunately, “No.” Many States are not taking
me of airmail and cargo being carried. Re- It’s thus a two-way street: States are hel- full advantage of our data. Every time we
quests from States for different types of ping us and we are helping States. seek their feedback they rate us as very,
data have changed over the decades as very important, and they want us to con-
new industry priorities have emerged, with Regarding the quality of the information tinue to do our work. But to take full advan-
areas such as safety and the environment we collect from States, this is obviously tage of our resources, they would need to
currently being topics of intense interest. very important. We created an Integrated be applying statistical information in their
Ananthanarayan
Chaouki Sainarayan
Mustapha Statistical Officier
ICAO
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
Economist
ICAO Oleg Nazarov
Statistical Officier
ICAO
24
http://www.icao.int/icao/en/atb/ead/
The Tech Behind EAD
EAD’s integrated statistical database (ISDB) is based on an object-oriented, open source data structure employing an
Oracle database, which is compatible with XML publishing. EAD IT staff use XML to disseminate information to the Mem-
ber State secure site where the States then access the data free of cost, and the same data is exported to ATI in London
for web-publishing to ICAO’s paid user-base.
A typical data-cycle, from data reception from source, through verification and finally to XML export, follows a strict 21-day
time frame that has been in place since 2004.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 XML
policy-making, and that isn’t yet the case for many States. One Chaouki Mustapha, Economist: I’d like to add that this is
of our goals, therefore, is to make the data easily accessible truer today than it was in the past. With the advent of globa-
and we are doing that with the cooperation of the States. lization it is more important than ever for a State to understand
We’ve established a secure site where they can view and make its role and position within its regional or global framework. It
use of the collected data free of charge, and we continually en- must develop a comprehensive statistical portrait that clearly
deavour to make this web interface even more user-friendly identifies the specific market-related challenges and opportu-
and useful to our members. nities that confront it now and in the future.
And why is it important for States to have a global picture? Ba- Ananthanarayan Sainarayan: It’s also important to note
sically because any new project starts from data, and the more that the question regarding how States are making use of our
data you have to compare from diverse international sources data is a relative question. Many countries do make extensive
the more likely your project is to succeed. If a State is planning and very practical use of what we have to offer, and by way of
a new airport, for example, they will require data from similar an example, we’ve recently had requests from the FAA in the
global markets in order to develop accurate passenger fore- United States, as well as the Japanese, Indian, Chinese and
casts, runway dimensions and many other relevant indicators the British delegations. So there is also considerable value
of capacity and need. Investment capital can be very hard to attached to our data by certain members, but it is basically a
come by for a large-scale infrastructure project unless your common sense, cause-and-effect relationship—as aviation de-
business plan answers these and other data-related questions, velops more extensively in a State, said State then becomes
and only global or at least broader regional market data pro- more involved in both the submitting and the analysis of data
vides a credible frame of reference in this respect. pertinent to their operations.
2 3
1
4 6 8
5 7
9
10 11
13
12
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
25
NEWS IN BRIEF
»
continue to send management level
personnel to this programme.
Hidehisa Matsumoto, Manager,
International Policy and Planning,
»
presentations, teamwork, debates, and functions of the key stakeholders of civil these things and I am going to apply
written and oral exercises. aviation, the strategic position of air- them tomorrow.
ports in the global aviation marketplace
Russell Widmar, Director of Aviation,
AMPAP is a unique programme that and related topics.
City of Fresno, California, Department
confers the International Airport Profes- of Airports, United States
sional (IAP) designation on what will Rated as an enriching and a unique
become a new elite of internationally- learning experience (the class rated the
»
Director Folasade Odutola (front row Switzerland, from 17 to 21 September. managers. The instructors are skilled
third from left). and well prepared.
ICAO and ACI have worked in concert to
Papa Diery Sene, Management
build a programme which is affordable Controller, AANS International Airport
and accessible to airport managers Leopold Sedar Senghor, Senegal
worldwide. ICAO Secretary General Taïeb
Chérif and ACI Director General Robert J.
«
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
»
www.iap.aero, or contact Monica Tai on a worldwide basis. Excellent forum
Chew, Manager, Administration and to learn from peers around the world.
Client Relations, via e-mail
Tom Bibb, Director of Operations,
mtaichew@iap.aero or telephone: Nashville International Airport, United States
+01 (514) 396-9499.
26
Shown on the occasion (from left to right) are: Jalal Haidar, Representative of Captain Aysha Al Hamili
the UAE to ICAO; Diana Wall, Focal Point for Women, Human Resources Branch;
Captain Aysha Al Hamili; and Dr. Taïeb Chérif, Secretary General.
27
NEWS IN BRIEF
28
European Commission VP Addresses
Council, Inaugurates Montreal Office
By Timothy Fenoulhet, Head of Office, Office of the European Commission in Montreal
rity and the environment. Mr. Barrot also ICAO could count on the European Com-
mentioned important initiatives such as mission’s support and cooperation in
the EU’s Single European Sky and its ATM developing global and effective solu-
modernization programme, SESAR, as tions to these challenges.
well as the recent EU-US open skies
Shown on the occasion (from left to right) agreement, as important examples of the While in Montreal, Mr. Barrot officially in-
are: Timothy Fenoulhet, Head of Office, external aviation policy of the EU. augurated the Office of the European
Office of the European Commission in
Montreal; Roberto Kobeh González, Pre- The Vice-President pointed out that EU Commission at a ceremony held on 21
sident of the Council; and Jacques Barrot, regulations significantly contribute to the June, which was attended by Mr. Kobeh,
Vice-President of the European Commis- implementation of ICAO standards in Eu- President of the ICAO Council; Dr. Chérif,
sion, responsible for transport.
rope by making them legally binding and Secretary General of ICAO; Dr. Kotaite,
uniformly applied across the EU’s 27 Honorary President of the ICAO Council;
Mr. Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of Member States. This process was being Mr. Prince, Ambassador and Head of the
the European Commission, responsible extended to neighbouring countries, EC Delegation to Canada; and European
for transport, officially visited ICAO which apply EU aviation law. ICAO could Representatives on the ICAO Council.
Headquarters this past June. thus take advantage of the EU's unique
experience of developing common rules The Office of the European Commission
During his visit, Mr. Barrot was invited to at the regional level. in Montreal was established in Septem-
address the Council. In his speech, he em- ber 2005 to strengthen relations and
phasized the long-standing commitment Looking ahead to the Assembly in Sep- cooperation between the EC and ICAO. Its
of the European Union (EU) to multilater- tember 2007, Mr. Barrot called on ICAO to Head, Mr. Timothy Fenoulhet, is the main
alism, and underlined the European Com- show leadership and meet the main chal- point of contact for ICAO on EC air trans-
mission’s support for ICAO. He mentioned lenges faced by the international aviation port policy and legislation and participa-
the many areas of cooperation between community, notably the growth and com- tes regularly as the EC’s representative
the EU and ICAO and how EU legislation in petitiveness of the industry, safety, secu- in ICAO meetings.
the field of civil aviation had developed rity and the environment. On the latter,
considerably over the years, in all areas, he called for a global and integrated ap-
such as economic regulation, safety, secu- proach. The Vice-President declared that
Australia Ratifies
Explosives Detection
Convention
Australia deposited its instruments of ratification of the
Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
Shown on the occasion are: Mr. Simon R.E. Clegg, Representative of Australia
on the Council of ICAO; and Mr. Denys Wibaux, Director, Legal Bureau.
29
2008 LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY DEADLINE
Speaking of Safety
RESPONDING TO CLEAR SAFETY CONCERNS AND FATAL shin 76, carrying 37 occupants, had been instructed to descend
ACCIDENTS WHERE A LACK OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE and maintain flight level 150. At 18:40 hours the two aircraft
PROFICIENCY WAS A CAUSAL FACTOR, THE ICAO AIR disappeared from the IGI radar screens in what was the worst
NAVIGATION COMMISSION INITIATED IN 2000 THE mid-air collision in aviation history.
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LANGUAGE PROVISIONS THAT
WERE ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL ON 5 MARCH 2003. According to the accident report, one important factor that
AS OF 5 MARCH 2008, ALL PILOTS AND AIR TRAFFIC contributed to the mid-air collision was the inadequate level
CONTROLLERS INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL OPERA- of English of one of the pilots, resulting in the misinterpre-
tation of ATC instructions. Responding to this conclusion, the
TIONS WILL BE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY
ICAO Assembly requested the Council and the Air Navigation
HAVE ACHIEVED A MINIMUM OF ICAO OPERATIONAL
Commission to deal with this very serious safety problem
LEVEL 4 IN ENGLISH.
through Assembly Resolution A32-16. The Proficiency Requi-
It was just a little after 18:30 local time, 12 November 1996, rements in Common English Study Group (PRICESG) was
when a Boeing 747 departed from Indira Gandhi International later established and, based on its work, the Council adopted
(IGI) Airport with 312 passengers on board. After take-off, Delhi Amendment 164 to Annex 1, with amendments to Annexes
approach gave the order for the Boeing aircraft to climb and 6, 10 and 11, addressing the need for strengthened language
maintain flight level 140. Meanwhile, the flight crew of an Ilyu- proficiency for pilots and air traffic controllers.
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
30
Since 2003, significant steps have been taken by ICAO to as- training, and involve operational and linguistic experts at the deve-
sist States with the implementation of these requirements. The lopmental, delivery and rating stages.
first edition of the Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Lan-
guage Proficiency Requirements, and the training aid entitled ICAO has developed a checklist to assist States, Operators
ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements—Rated Speech and Air Navigation Service Providers in the implementation of
Samples, were produced. Twelve regional seminars were con- Language Proficiency Requirements. Based on an Implemen-
ducted, and two ICAO Aviation Language symposia were con- tation Plan presented to the European Air Navigation Planning
ducted in 2004 and 2007—the latter being attended by 221 Group in 2006, it can be adapted to meet the specific needs
participants from 62 states and eight international orga- of each stakeholder.
nizations. Highly substantive papers were presented at the
event and are available for review on the ICAO web site at The checklist addresses the basic steps that should be taken to
www.icao.int/icao/en/anb/meetings/IALS/index.html. ensure the success of the implementation. It emphasizes the
need for a concerted effort on the part of all parties involved:
It’s become apparent over time that the implementation of the pilots and controllers, regulators, operators, aviation language
new language provisions is challenging and resource intensive. testing and training industries, and ICAO.
Language proficiency testing for licensing has the potential to
negatively impact not only the careers of pilots and controllers, The checklist should furthermore prove useful to develop an in-
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
but also the economic well-being of air navigations services ventory of what has been achieved thus far and what remains to
providers and States. Ultimately, however, the biggest impact be done. It can stimulate discussion on particular aspects of the
could be on safety. Hence the need to develop or provide tes- implementation process and can help channel resources more
ting that complies with best practices. effectively and efficiently in accomplishing the remaining tasks.
English language licensing testing should be based on the ICAO For a complete checklist, which includes corresponding referen-
rating scale and holistic descriptors for Language Proficiency in ces to the Annexes and ICAO guidance material, readers should
Annex 1. The testing should be about speaking and listening in a visit the ICAO web site at: www.icao.int/anb/fls/AUD001.
context appropriate to aviation, lead to the development of quality
31
GUEST FEATURE
CONSERVING FUEL IS IMPORTANT FOR TWO VERY OBVIOUS In 2004, the Board of Governors of IATA mandated its
REASONS. FIRST, IF AN AIRPLANE USES LESS FUEL IT WILL Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani, to assist air-
PRODUCE LOWER CO2 EMISSIONS. SECONDLY, GIVEN THE lines with finding ways to tackle rising fuel prices. By that
HIGH PRICE OF OIL, AIRLINES CAN SAVE CONSIDERABLE time it was already clear that the price of fuel would never
SUMS OF MONEY BY USING LESS FUEL THROUGH IMPROVED drop to its former low, and that the airline industry would
have to adapt quickly to the new situation.
FUEL EFFICIENCY. THE SAVINGS COULD BE USED TO INVEST
IN MORE MODERN AIRFRAMES AND ENGINES, AS WELL AS
IATA reacted swiftly and by the end of 2004 it published
OTHER TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP FURTHER REDUCE FUEL
the first comprehensive Best Practices and Guidance Material
CONSUMPTION. A 1 PER CENT REDUCTION IN THE AVERAGE
for Fuel and Environmental Management, also referred to
ANNUAL FUEL BURN OF A B737-300 OR AN A320 RESULTS IN as the IATA “Fuel Book.” This material was made available
100 TONNES OF UNUSED FUEL, US$ 50,000 IN COST SAVINGS to the industry free of charge. Furthermore, IATA initiated
TO THE AIRLINES AND 400 TONNES OF CO2 NOT EMITTED the Fuel Action Campaign which rests on three pillars: ATM
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS ARTICLE LOOKS AT IATA’S FUEL and Infrastructure improvement, which achieved savings
EFFICIENCY PROGRAMME, THE GO-TEAMS, AND WHAT of 6 million tonnes of CO2 last year through the shortening
AIRPORTS AND OTHER INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS CAN DO of 300 routes; the “Save One Minute” Campaign, which
TO IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY GLOBALLY. saved one million tonnes of CO2, and; the Operational Efficiency
140 000 30
80 000
15
60 000
Fuel Bill, $ millions
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
10
40 000
5
20 000
0 0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2006
the airline and finalizing of the agreement, IATA collects compre- priority and, whatever the Go-Teams recommend, each list item is
hensive data such as annual flying hours, cycles, Auxiliary Power appraised from the safety perspective first.
Unit (APU) data, fuel policy, standard operating procedures,
maintenance-related data and schedule information—to mention Another relatively straightforward option to improve operational
a few. This data is used to conduct an in-depth pre-analysis; it is efficiency and reduce emissions is a comprehensive APU policy.
fed into the “Fuel Efficiency Calculator,” an IT tool that has been Given the cost of US$ 0.30 per minute for using a ground power
developed by IATA in order to identify potential savings based on unit (GPU) compared to an APU fuel and maintenance cost of US
the metrics received from the airline. $20 for an A320, one can easily see the benefits. The major pro-
blem faced by airlines, however, is ground infrastructure. Many
33
Figure 2: Elements of the IATA Fuel Savings Campaign. While IATA has long been proactive with
airlines in relation to fuel and environ-
mental issues, the ongoing efficiency
programme has more recently been
Route Flight extended and intensified to integrate
Structures Operations
initiatives aimed at improving airport
infrastructure. Initiatives cover the areas
of runway configurations, high-speed
turnoffs for efficient runway use, efficient
Airports Flight
taxiways and taxi routes, improved
Infrastructure Dispatch
apron management and capacity limits
to ensure gate availability, ground
power support and reductions in depar-
Air Navigation Engineering ture delays.
Providers & Maintenance
“So far the programme has been a huge
success,” emphasized Capt. Schroeder.
FEGA Operational Efficiency
“Not only did we receive the buy-in
from our member airlines, but also from
airports do not have adequate GPU and shared with manufacturers or other con- non-member airlines and many other
ground air units available, or else prices cerned industry stakeholders. IATA is in industry stakeholders. At the beginning
have been adjusted so that they now ap- constant touch with them to improve of 2007 we had to increase the number
proach APU operation costs. IATA is pro- fuel efficiency of teams from three
actively addressing the issue with through better pro- to five, and right now
airports and ground service providers cedures and im- « The support of airports we’re looking into a
around the world. proved technologies. further increase.
and ATS providers is
IATA also maintains We’ve widened the
At the end of the on-site assessment, an open line of com- vital to complement scope of the Go-
the Go-Teams, together with the airline, munications with the global efforts for a sig- Teams by adding
establish achievable savings potentials. airlines assessed. It nificant reduction in another ground/
The final stage of the FEGA involves the monitors the imple- fuel consumption and airport operations
production of a comprehensive report, mentation process expert, and we’re
which includes all calculations, identi- and gives further
limiting carbon emis- seeking ways to tie
fied savings potentials and implemen- advice whenever sion. We all have to be the airports and local
tation recommendations. The report is required. Moreover, part of the solution. » ATS providers more
made available to the airlines’ senior IATA offers a specia- meaningfully into the
management, with further suggestions lized service through FEGA process. Their
for improvement. IATA Consulting for those airlines support is vital to complement global
looking for external experts to imple- efforts for a significant reduction in
IATA’s work does not end here. In many ment the FEGA recommendations. fuel consumption and limiting carbon
cases, the Go-Teams bring back a lot of In 2007 IATA witnessed a surge in emissions. We all have to be part of
related valuable information which is implementation work. the solution.”
Capt. Chris Schroeder is assistant director, flight operations with IATA in Montreal and the FEGA Go-Team Project Leader. He
began flying at the age of 14 and accumulated over 13,000 hours in his 20-year commercial flying career, flying the A320,
A330, A340-300 and A340-500, as well as the B707 and B747. He also held several senior management and advisor positions
in various parts of the world. He holds Masters Degrees in Aviation Science and Airline Management, as well as an MBA and an
IATA Diploma with Distinction in Operations Management. He has written several industry white papers, mainly relating to issues
in emerging markets. For questions or comments, please contact: schroederc@iata.org.
34
FORUM
Global Standards
and Aviation:
A Winning
Combination
By Giovanni Bisignani, DG and CEO of IATA
Global standards and aviation are a winning combination. The biggest issue for the Assembly is Environment. It presents
When we harmonize globally we achieve great things. Look the greatest opportunity for ICAO to demonstrate global leader-
at what harmonized standards have done for safety. Look at ship. That is what the drafters of Kyoto expected when they
what they have done for simplifying the business. That is charged ICAO to align international aviation with the goals of
why it is so vital to achieve global harmonization on two key the Protocol. While the CAEP process has delivered on the tech-
issues to be discussed at the ICAO Assembly—the environ- nical side, political decisions have not kept pace with political
ment and security. reality. Europe is already planning its own emissions trading
scheme for airlines while major infrastructure projects that
Our success in safety is underpinned by cooperation between could improve our industry’s environmental performance have
governments and the industry-based globally harmonized not gathered the political will to move forward—the Single Euro-
approach. ICAO, IATA and the entire aviation community should pean Sky among them.
be proud of having cut the accident rate nearly in half over
the last decade. The recent events in Brazil and Indonesia are At the IATA Annual General Meeting in June 2007, I outlined a stra-
reminders that safety is a constant challenge. But the chal- tegic vision for aviation based on achieving carbon neutral growth
lenge can best be met effectively when the solution is imple- leading to a carbon-free future. In the first stage a combination
mented globally. of fleet renewal, operational efficiencies and infrastructure impro-
vements are the basis of a solution. Economic measures can
IATA’s Simplifying the Business initiative is another example. play a limited role once we have exhausted all other possibilities.
While many airlines had their own e-ticketing programmes, Beyond that, the long-term solutions will be found in technologi-
the potential US $3 billion in savings can only be achieved cal innovation—where aviation’s track record exceeds almost any
with 100 per cent penetration. That will be a reality by 31 May other industry.
2008—exactly four years after IATA launched the initiative.
This vision will only become a reality if it is shared by governments
Since 2001, our approach to security has been anything but and implemented with global standards. We are calling on this
harmonized. Countries reacted to an emergency situation Assembly to endorse this vision and set some challenging targets
with unilateral measures—waiting for global consensus was for governments and for industry to move us forward. This inclu-
not an option. In the six years that followed, we have made des a firm commitment from governments to develop a global
aviation much more secure. But we have failed to turn the opt-in emissions trading regime that is fair and effective.
ICAO Journal – Issue 04 – 2007
36
Editor's note: Text submitted prior to the Assembly. Please watch for a full review of Assembly decisions and their implications in Issue 05 of the Journal,
to be distributed December 2007.