EU - South Asia
Aviation Partnership Project II
Strengthening the partnership in aviation between the EU and South Asia
Press & News
ANSP Certification and Continued Oversight Workshop
Sri Lanka, 18th - 21st of March 2024
The third regional workshop under our ATM/ANS Initiative with the title ‘ANSP Certification and Continued Oversight Workshop’ was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka between 18-21 March 2024 with 60 participants in attendance from all the partner states.
The workshop provided a detailed and structured understanding of the European civil aviation regulatory and oversight landscape for ATM/ANS, covering various aspects from the regulatory framework to the certification processes and equipment conformity assessment. The agenda unfolded over four days, each focusing on key aspects of air navigation. Target participants included members from the Civil Aviation Authorities in South Asia and relevant Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). The activity was delivered by the project experts Germán Ignacio Meyer, Peder Alber, Daniel Cruz, and with contributions from EASA ATM/ANS expert Laszlo Kiss and EU industry and services providers Winkelbauer Werner and Rebecca Lindner-Zimmermann from Frequentis, and Jose María Lorenzo from ESSP SAS.
Together they covered the following topics:
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Overview of the European Civil Aviation Regulatory Framework
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Organisational Structures for ATM/ANS in Europe
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European ATM/ANS Regulatory Framework for Services Provision and Certification
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ATM/ANS Services Providers Certification Process in Europe
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ATM/ANS Inspections and Safety Management
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Funding and economic oversight of ATM/ANS
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New European Framework on Conformity Assessment for ATM/ANS ground equipment
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Remote / digital towers implementation and change management
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The perspective from EU Industry and Service Providers regarding certification of ANSPs and conformity assessment for ground equipment
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Exercise on Regional Cooperation and Harmonisation
Notably, at the beginning of the workshop, the Airport & Aviation Services Sri Lanka and the Maldives National Air Traffic Service (formerly MACL), signed an operational agreement to deepen the cooperation between the two entities.
Advancing aviation cooperation in the region is at the heart of the EU - South Asia Aviation Partnership Project II, and since its commencement it provides a platform for regional cooperation, underscoring the significance of strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts in the aviation sector in South Asia.
3rd Project Management Board Meeting
Sri Lanka, 18th of March 2024
On 18th March 2024, the 3rd Project Management Board Meeting and the 15th SARI Steering Committee Meeting were held in Colombo, Sri Lanka with the representatives of the member states from Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to discuss the progress achieved since the last gathering, followed up by the endorsement of the work plan for 2024.
Following up on the discussions started last year towards a more independent and sustainable future of SARI, financial data for the different financing scenarios was presented to the participants of the SCM. After reviewing the financial details, all the partner states declared their collective endorsement of the continuation and enhancement of the SARI as an independent initiative, supported by the EU - South Asia Aviation Partnership Project II, and also their wish for a follow up project of the current EU-South Asia APP II to foster cooperation, innovation, and sustainability in aviation across the region. This recognition signifies the overall benefits and impacts of the SARI and the EU South Asia APP II and the intent to work closely with relevant stakeholders, including the European Commission, EASA, governmental bodies, industry partners, and international organisations, and was marked as the ‘Colombo Declaration’ signed on 21st March 2024 by representatives of all South Asian partner States.
This is a collective commitment to advancing aviation cooperation, innovation, and sustainability in the region, with the continued support of both the SARI and the EU - South Asia APP II and underscores the significance of strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts in driving forward aviation initiatives that will ensure the continuity and success of these essential projects in South Asia.
In March, two noteworthy activities took place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka under the South Asia Regional Initiative (SARI):
Part 66 and 147 Working Group Members Meeting
Pakistan, 5th - 7th of March 2024
After the successful WGM meetings held in the Maldives and in Sri Lanka, with the support of the EU - South Asia Aviation Partnership Project II, SARI organized another activity to update and revise Airworthiness Part 66 and Part 147 regulations of the SARI Member States. The objective of this activity was to align the Part 66 and Part 147 regulations of the SARI Member States with the latest revisions and updates of the EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency Airworthiness regulations. With the collaboration of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, the activity was arranged in Karachi, Pakistan between 5-7 March and the activity was led by a SARI Airworthiness expert Mr. Asmir Kruhovic. During this three-day event, substantial involvement was observed not just from the Civil Aviation Authorities of the Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan but also from the Pakistani industry. The expert educated the participants in detail on the significant revisions and amendments introduced by EASA in the Part 66 and Part 147 regulations. He also described the reasons and philosophy behind these changes in the regulations by EASA. It presented a pivotal opportunity for SARI WGM to actively participate in discussions, exchange perspectives on proposed Regulation amendments, and acquire expertise, thereby nurturing a holistic comprehension of the changing dynamics within this field.
OJT for Aircrew Inspectors to audit ATOs
Sri Lanka, 11th - 15th of March 2024
A five-day activity on a Regulatory Conformance audit was implemented by SARI and conducted on Sri Lankan ATO between 11-15 March 2024 by the SARI OPS/PEL expert Capt. Peter Wilczek. During this activity, the expert along with the CAASL - Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka team reviewed the audit checklists and educated the team on auditing techniques. The expert supervised the auditing of an ATO by the CAASL team and evaluated the effective implementation of the requirements in Implementation Standards (IS) 67, IS 72 and the procedures laid in the ATO certification manual and PEL procedures manual) in relation to Manuals of the ATO including the Training records of pilots and Type Rating Instructors, FSTD, Record keeping of TRI/TRE, and Compliance Monitoring System. The scope of the audit will encompass all activities of the ATO Training and Procedure Manual approved by the CAA to ensure compliance with IS 67, IS 72 and procedures in SLCAP 3090 and SLCAP 3010. Over the course of this five-day event, the team allocated three days at an ATO facility for conducting the audit, and two days at CAASL, primarily for audit preparation and conclusions. This exercise presents an opportunity for both CAASL and ATO officials to gain insight into the auditing process and effective implementation of the regulations.
Towards the beginning of 2024, the project delivered assistance to Sri Lanka and Nepal through two comprehensive onsite visits, each three weeks long, under the flag of South Asia Regional Initiative (SARI):
Assistance to Sri Lanka in the area of Airworthiness
Sri Lanka, 9th - 29th of January 2024
A three-week-long activity was conducted as the initial step toward meeting CAASL's requirements. This activity aimed to provide the CAASL with technical support to enhance their safety oversight capability in the Airworthiness domain through the development of rules in line with the EU standards and ensuring their effective implementation. The first part of the activity focused on the root cause analysis, while the second part focused on differences between the EASA airworthiness regulations currently in force (Part ML, Part CAMO, Part CAO, Part 145, Part 66, and Part 147) and the related Implementation Standards (IS) in Sri Lanka. The final topic for discussion addressed the management of change for organizations and state-level authorities.
Assistance to Nepal in the area of OPS and Aircrew
Nepal, 22nd of January – 9th of February 2024
The objective was to provide onsite support to CAAN officials in the ongoing development of OPS/Aircrew regulations per EASA standards and assist in the implementation process within both the regulatory body and the aviation industry. Following consultation with the EU-SA APP II office, a three-week-long onsite support was conducted. Following the completion of the activity, the CAAN and the industry gained a comprehensive understanding of the findings related to OPS and Aircrew outlined in the EU mission's 2023 report. This further empowered them to better grasp the root analysis process and effectively address the issues highlighted in the EU report, including observations and recommendations. After the detailed gap analysis carried out by the combined efforts of the expert and the CAAN officials, the authority will be empowered to initiate reforms and improve their system. The resulting impact on the system will be profound and effective, ultimately leading to a substantial improvement in the state's safety index.
Air Navigation Initiative - Centralised and Regional Air Navigation Services in Europe Workshop
Sri Lanka, February 2024
On the 2nd of February, a five-day workshop was concluded, aimed to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange among South Asian countries with the participants from Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) in South Asia and relevant Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs).
Throughout the five days, the workshop facilitated a holistic understanding of European practices while tailoring discussions to the specific needs and challenges of the South Asian region, thereby fostering a collaborative approach to air navigation development led by our ATM/ANS experts, Germán Ignacio Meyer and Peder Alber. The experts covered the topics related to the Evolution of European ATM/ANS services, Centralised flow and capacity management, CNS evolution, European regional IP communications network, PBN implementation, Civil-Military coordination, and Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA).
Onsite visit of Sri Lanka’s ATM/ANS facilities, coorganized with Airport & Aviation Services Sri Lanka and CAASL - Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, was a highlight of the activity, as it allowed the member states’ participants to explore the facilities of their neighbors and discuss their respective challenges related to ATM and #ANS operations and modernization. Moreover, the participants combined their efforts in an exercise to discover possible ways of regional cooperation in AirNavigation.
Throughout the workshop, stimulating presentations were also provided by the participants of the workshop, representing the member states’ authorities and providers, as well as from the European industry by Juanjo Cornejo from Startical, Angel Crespo Perez from ENAIRE, and Jorge Minguez from Indra.
ATM/ANS Initiative - series of onsite visists
India, Bhutan and Nepal, December 2023
Wrapping up the project’s 2023 activities, our experts, Germán Ignacio Meyer, Peder Alber, and Daniel Cruz made onsite visits to India, Bhutan and Nepal with the objectives to understand better the countries context and priorities by experiencing the environment first-hand, and to provide a push to the project’s activities by sitting face-to-face, discussing and working together to advance in the different areas.
Throughout the session the experts identified more in detail potential areas of cooperation and harmonization at the South Asian level, through common approaches, tools, and methodologies, with the goal of establishing a regional ANS Master Plan. The experts proposed practical tools and processes that will help the states to advance further with the experts’ guidance and support, scheduled to continue over the next months to foster collaboration and advancements in the aviation sector in the region.
The much needed dialogues on air navigation planning, fatigue risk management for ATCOs, and safety oversight were held, brought valuable insights during the 2 weeks onsite. The project will now look at the findings and deliver the necessary support through the upcoming series of regional workshops planned in the first half of 2024, starting in late January 2024 in Sri Lanka!
Onsite SARI activities in AIR, OPS and PEL in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, December 2023
The month of December 2023 saw three successful SARI activities in Sri Lanka, supported by the EU - South Asia Aviation Partnership Project II.
Part M Working Group Members Meeting, which was held in Sri Lanka between 13-15 December and delivered by SARI Expert, Asmir Kruhovic was aimed at updating and revising Airworthiness regulations and realigning the Air regulations of the SARI Member States (MS) with the latest revisions and updates in line with the EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency regulations. The revisions and amendments introduced by EASA in the Part M regulations added immense significance to this assembly. The event presented a pivotal opportunity for SARI Working Group Members to actively participate in discussions, exchange perspectives on proposed Regulation amendments, and acquire expertise.
On request of CAASL - Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, SARI organized onsite OPS Regulation Development Workshop between 11-13 December to review the progress and address challenges in developing Parts CAT, ORO, and SPA regulations. The event was delivered by the SARI PEL and OPS Expert, Peter Wilczek, and covered the EU Aviation Safety Rule Structure, Principles, and Amendments. It educated the officials on Operations Requirements, and discussions included Project and Milestone Plans, Stakeholder Definitions, Point of Contact Designations, and Air Ops applicability for CAASL.
Similarly, to support the CAASL with Aircrew regulations, SARI organized the five-day Aircrew Implementation Visit in Sri Lanka at the CAASL venue, which was delivered between 14-20 December. SARI Expert, Peter Wilczek, assessed CAASL’s processes for aligning Implementation Standards with EU standards, including oversight programs, corrective actions, and record-keeping practices and the event served as a crucial platform for active engagement, fostering discussions and seeking expert guidance to enhance the accurate implementation of Aircrew Standards in Sri Lanka.
SARI Part 145: Working group members meeting
Male, Maldives, 19th - 21st November 2023
South Asia Regional Initiative recently held the SARI Part 145 Working Group Members Meeting in Male, Maldives. The meeting was held to discuss the latest amendment to EASA Part 145 and to integrate the amendments to the existing SARI Part 145. The objective of the meeting was to deliberate the amendments and discuss the importance of their integration into the national rules of the member states. Once the WGMs agree, the amendments are forwarded to each member state for adoption.
One of the latest amendments discussed at length was the inclusion of Safety Management Systems in AMOs. Ms. Nadia Konzaly, EASA AIR Expert, delivered the WGM meeting. The processes and tools for implementing amendments were also discussed at length during the activity, and the importance of a cross-reference matrix for ICAO/EASA rules was also highlighted during the event. The CAAs, industry, and the SARI team participated in this insightful meeting, and we are already looking forward to the next one.
2nd EU-Asia symposium on UAS/UAM
Singapore, 7th - 10th November 2023
The second edition of the EU-Asia Symposium on UAS/UAM has concluded in Singapore, where, during the span of 4 days, over 130 experts from various fields gathered to discuss and tackle the common regulatory and operational challenges to integrate drones and air taxis into the aviation system in a safe manner. With a wide variety of speakers from regulatory bodies, industry, academia, and other areas from the civil aviation sector, over 40 speakers participated in the extensive exchanges covering, among others:
· UAS and UAM Regulatory Development and VTOL Capable Aircraft Certification
· Approaches to UTM And BVLOS Use Cases
· Building a Sustainable Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) Hub
· Industry’s Perspectives – UAS Operators
· Readiness of States to Enable UAM Operations in 2024/2025
· Outlook of UAS/UAM Market Development
· UTM Service Providers
· VTOL OEMs, Leasing Companies and Operators
· Vertiport and Airport Operators
· Entry into Service
Environment matters in Aviation - EU & South Asia working together towards a greener and more sustainable aviation
Sri Lanka, 16th - 20th October 2023
A regional workshop in Sri Lanka from our Environment Matters in Aviation series was held between 16-20 October. This one-week workshop was designed to provide capacity building and support to focal points from aviation authorities and relevant organizations involved in CORSIA implementation and in the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and State Action Plans (SAP) in the South Asian States.
As a continuation of the successful workshop on SAF held in India in March 2023, the workshop included sessions to further assist participants in learning about the role and challenges related to the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels. The workshop provided updates on CORSIA with a special focus on understanding offsetting requirements and facilitated the understanding of the importance role of State Action Plans and how to develop/update them.
As part of the opening ceremony hosted at the premises of the CAASL, The Sustainable Future Group (SFG) has been recognized as the Sri Lankan Verification Body and received the certificate from the National Accreditation Body of Sri Lanka (SLAB). This came as a follow-up to the witness audit, conducted earlier in August 2023 in Male, that served as the final step in the CORSIA Accreditation process for SFG to become a recognized Sri Lankan Verification Body. Supported by the project, this accreditation ensured that SFG meets the CORSIA accreditation standards and the requirements set by the SLAB. By achieving this accreditation, SFG will now appear as a CORSIA-accredited Verification Body in the ICAO corresponding document and will play a pivotal role in verifying CORSIA Emission Reports within the aviation industry.
Air Navigation Planning and Performance Management Workshop
Maldives, 18th - 21st September 2023
A recent Air Navigation Planning and Performance Management Workshop aimed to advance the development of effective strategies for Air Navigation planning and implementation in the South Asian region. The workshop was designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among the participants from the South Asian Civil Aviation Authorities and the Air Navigation Service Providers. In total, 30 participants attended the workshop held in the Maldives between 18-21 September 2023, representing Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The workshop covered essential topics such as the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP), regional guidance for planning, the ICAO Basic Building Blocks (BBBs) and the Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBU) Framework. The experts also delved into European air navigation planning experiences, including discussions on the Single European Sky policy and the performance scheme, the SESAR Programme, and the European ATM Master Plan. Towards the workshop's end, the focus shifted to exploring the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in air navigation planning, contextualizing traffic forecasting, conducting SWOT analyses, and setting objectives. The final day emphasized the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), data management, and the selection of optimal solutions.
This regional workshop was the first in a series for our ATM/ANS initiative, which aims to increase harmonization and convergence on ATM/ANS planning, implementation, and oversight, increase collaboration and market access for industry, and advance a regional framework for cooperation on ATM/ANS Master Planning.
14th SARI Steering Committee Meeting
Maldives, 18th September 2023
On 18th September 2023, the 14th Steering Committee Meeting (SCM) of the South Asia Regional Initiative (SARI) was held in Bandos Island of Maldives. The meeting was attended by delegations from six SARI member states, the EU-South Asia APP Team and the SARI Coordinator.
During this meeting, a brief recap of the previous SARI SCM was addressed, and the key accomplishments of the SARI Work Plan for 2022 were highlighted. The participants also discussed the primary challenges and obstacles encountered by the team during the execution of the SARI Work Plan.
The SARI member states, in their feedback, expressed their appreciation for the diligent efforts put in by the SARI team and extended their gratitude for the support provided by both the SARI team and the EU-South Asia Aviation Partnership Project. Additionally, they shared their success stories and offered their perspectives through comprehensive reviews of the SARI activities within the region. It was also emphasized by states to continue the SARI activities in the region to promote safety and a broader understanding of the EU regulation. In the meeting, the SARI coordinator presented the draft of the SARI Work Plan for the year 2023. After due deliberations, suggestions and recommendations by the member states for the work plan were accepted. A discussion about the future prospects and sustainability of the SARI has been brought up, as well. The member states were asked to collaborate closely and develop a comprehensive roadmap for the future.
Towards the event's conclusion, the participants appointed Mr. Abdulla Mohamed, from the Maldives to the position of the SARI Chairman, and Mr. Rayhan Wanniappa, from Sri Lanka, as the SARI Vice Chairman.
OPS Rules Development Workshop
Karachi, Pakistan, 11th September 2023
To offer a comprehensive overview of EU Air Operations (OPS) regulations, including their structure and fundamental principles, a 5-day introductory OPS Rules Development Workshop has been organized in Karachi, Pakistan, starting from 11th September. This workshop has been arranged through the collaborative efforts of SARI (South Asia Regional Initiative) with the backing of the EU - South Asia Aviation Partnership Project II.
To promote broader industry understanding, the event's first day was open to industry participants. The response was exceptionally positive, with not only Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) officials in attendance but also senior management representatives from prominent airlines such as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Airblue, AirSial Limited, Serene Air (Pvt.) Limited, Fly Jinnah, and Air Eagle.
Over the course of this 5-day initiative, #PCAA officials and #SARI expert Peter Wilczek collaboratively formulated a roadmap for the implementation of these OPS standards in Pakistan. Additionally, specific timelines for drafting the rules were established, and a monitoring system to gauge PCAA's progress was also devised.
During the workshop, the SARI expert shared his knowledge on drafting regulations and provided practical examples of how to create Air Operations regulations that align with European standards. Participants also had the chance to practice regulation drafting with guidance from the expert.
Collaboration on Unmanned Aircraft Systems and innovation of Air Mobility
Brussels, 4 July 2023
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India (DGCA India) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Innovative Air Mobility to ensure the highest standards of aviation safety and environmental protection. This MoU is a follow-up to the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed by EASA and DGCA India during the EU-India Aviation Summit held in Delhi, 20-21 April 2023. The agreement focuses on the development of regulatory safety and environmental standards and related requirements for the certification and operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Innovative Air mobility, as well as for the competencies of personnel and organizations involved in such operations, including aspects related to airworthiness, operations, licensing, training, air traffic management, and infrastructure, including U-space (Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management – UTM) standards and services.
Under the MoU, EASA and DGCA India will collaborate in three areas:
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Development of Regulatory Standards - Development of regulatory safety and environmental standards and related requirements for the certification and operation of unmanned aircraft systems and innovative air mobility.
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Outreach - Information on technological developments and research on unmanned aircraft systems and innovative air mobility and their operations.
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Conferences and Other Activities - Joint organization of conferences, workshops, training programmers by DGCA and EASA in this area.
Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) Workshop for Regulators
Singapore, 3-7 July 2023
The five-day workshop on the Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) topic designed exclusively for Asian regulators was delivered in July 2023. The goal of this course was to provide knowledge, skills, understanding, and attitude enabling participants to explain the ICAO provisions and EU regulations applicable to UPRT and to enhance the safety of airline operations, including Flight Crew Training in FSTDs, the UPRT requirements for Flight Crew Licensing, as well as enabling CAA personnel to assist in the development of UPRT regulations.
This activity was jointly organized by the three Aviation Partnership Projects (APPs) funded by the EU and implemented by EASA and two ICAO’s COSCAP-SEA and COSCAP-SA, covering North, South, and Southeast Asian region. In total, 35 participants from Asian CAAs attended this activity from 19 different countries, joined by experts from Airbus, ATR, Boeing, EASA, and IATA, to share their in-depth knowledge of the UPRT topic with the participants from various perspectives.
The highlight of the activity was the visit of the Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC) in Singapore to provide the participants with firsthand experience and an opportunity to observe the methods and techniques they discussed during the workshop.
EU-SA APP II - Environment Matters in Aviation - Bilateral
support to India on CORSIA and State Action Plans
New Delhi, 19-27 June 2023
The workshop took place between 19-27 June in New Delhi and covered four different categories in separate sessions:
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CORSIA in India. Monday, 19 – Wednesday, 21 June.
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CORSIA Offsetting requirements and CORSIA Emission Units. Thursday, 22 June.
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State Action Plan in India. Role of Aeroplane Operators. Friday, 23 – Monday, 26 June.
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State Action Plan in India for ANSP and Airports. Monday, 26 – Tuesday, 27 June.
The meeting was held at Grand New Delhi Hotel with the over 40 participants from all stakeholders involved in CORSIA and SAP.
The environment experts Ms. Africa Abajas, Ms. Maria De La Rica, Mark Latimer and Ted Eliff conducted the course with Mr. Carlos Menendez, the Project Manager, in attendance. The official Opening of the Meeting was on 20th June with Mr. Rai and Mr. Chakraborty lighting the traditional lamp. Mr. Aloke Singh, Managing Director Air India Express and AirAsia India, and Mr. Rajesh Maheshwari, CEO of National Accreditation Body of India, attended the gala dinner organized by EU-SA APP II. A field visit to the Delhi International Airport was conducted to interact with the Airport staff and Air Navigation Service Providers.
SARI Part M Implementation Visit to Pakistan
Karachi, 19-23 June 2023
Part M Implementation Visit to Pakistan was carried out between 19-23 Jun 2023 by Nadia Konzali. Mahmood Razee, Project Director of EU-SA APP II, and Zahid Bhatti, SARI Coordinator, also joined the activity together with SQEs from Nepal and Sri Lanka. During the visit, the team visited Airblue and Air Sial to audit the Implementation of the rules. In addition, Pakistan CAA is completing the transposing of EU FCL Part ORA and Capt. Riaz Chisthi held discussions with Capt. Peter Wilczek regarding capacity building of PCAA staff with the new regulations. He was confident that the new rules would not have a significant impact on the industry other than the particular terminology used in the new rules. Further discussions were held with regard to PCAA adopting EU OPS rules as well.
SARI EU OPS Introductory RDW with Industry Participants, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, 12-14 June 2023
The introductory workshop for EU OPS was conducted by Capt. Peter Wilczek as CAASL agreed to customize EU rules for OPS as well as they have already customized FCL and AIR with EU Rules. The workshop was conducted for CAASL on 11th and 13th June and on the 12th June a meeting was conducted for the industry participants and all other aviation stakeholders which was a quite an interactive session. CAASL has agreed to go with the EU Rules as they are scalable, easy to adopt, with alternate means of compliance and guidance material readily available.
SARI Part ORA Implementation Visit to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, 5-9 June 2023
The much-awaited Implementation visit for FCL Part ORA was conducted by EASA FCL Expert Ms. Eleonora Italia and EASA FCL/OPS Expert Capt. Peter Wilczek. The Implementation visit took place between 5th – 9th June 2023.
The first two days were dedicated to seeing the compliance of CAASL to EU FCL Part ORA and the latter two days were dedicated to conducting an audit on one of the Approved Training Organizations for Flight Training Open Skies Ltd. Once the documentary evaluation was completed, the two experts conducted an audit of the main flight operations base in Katukurunda.
SARI PART M Implementation Visit to Maldives
Male, 21-25 May 2023
EASA AIR Expert Ms. Nadia Konzali conducted the Programme with the participation of Mr. Mahmood Razee, Muhammad Zahid Bhatti, along with Mr. Sonam Tshering SQE from Bhutan CAA & Engr. Mohammad Shafiul Azam from Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh. During the Implementation Visits, the team conducted Audits at Island Aviation Services (Maldivian Airline).
SARI Programme Conducted the First on Site Regulatory Development Workshop for PART 66 & Part 147 in Sri Lanka
Katunayake, 2-12 May 2023
The first on-site SARI Regulatory Development Workshop on AIR Part 66 and Part 147 was carried out by EASA AIR Expert, Asmir Kruhovic, between 2-4 May 2023. Mr. Mahmood Razee, the Project Director and Mr. Muhammad Zahid Bhatti, SARI Coordinator, attended the meeting, too.
EASA Part M Implementation Visit was conducted between 8 – 12 May 2023, with the participation of two SARI Qualified Experts (SQEs) Ms. Mariam Shifzan, Senior Airworthiness Engineer, CAA Maldives, and Mr. Kashan Saleem, Sr. Joint Director Airworthiness, CAA Pakistan.
During the Implementation Visit they carried out Audits at Sri Lankan Airlines, Fits Air & Cinnamon Air.
EU India Aviation Summit
Delhi, 20-21 April 2023
The EU-India Aviation Summit sought to contribute to collaboration between EU and India by opening a dynamic dialogue on shared challenges and opportunities between decision-makers and key stakeholders. The shared objective of the organisers was to ensure stable air traffic in an economically and ecologically sustainable air transport sector as an important enabler of the economy. Accordingly, the EU-India Aviation Summit discussed key aviation topics, examined the existing relations between the two regions, identified areas of further cooperation and explored how to best work towards a genuine aviation partnership between the EU and India.
The Letter of Intent, for which the project pathed the way, has been signed between EASA and DGCA India will during the summit, which will promote further cooperation between the two parties in the area of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Innovative Air Mobility.
Series of SSP/SMS Workshops and OJTs - #3
Nepal, Bhutan 13-24 March 2023
This was the third set of onsite activities for the EU SA-APP II that consisted of visits to Nepal and Bhutan to provide SMS and SSP Support which involved a series of Workshops that were well attended and high in participation from both industry and CAAs.
In Nepal, the experts had the opportunity to evaluate and provide their feedback on the State Safety Program and National Aviation Safety Plan. They were very satisfied with the progress achieved since the initial engagement. In Bhutan, this was the first SMS/SSP onsite workshop that was carried out, and it was well attended with over 35 participants, including at the CEO level. The secretary to the Ministry was a keen participant, helping to iron out many questions with the experts.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels Workshop
Dehradun, 14-17 March 2023
This workshop focused on reuniting environmental focal points from aviation authorities, relevant organisations, and the EU & South Asia aviation industry to share information and discuss about current and future scalability of SAF in South Asia. The content of the workshop was designed to reunite environmental focal points from aviation authorities, relevant organisations, and the EU & South Asia aviation industry to share information and discuss about current and future scalability of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in South Asia and, in particular, in India.
The workshop included a visit to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR–IIP) facilities in Dehradun, and presentations to cover a broad spectrum of topics.
This session is intended for representatives of civil aviation authorities and key stakeholders in South Asia with potential direct involvement in research and the value chain of SAF. In total over 60 participants joined the activity onsite in Dehradun.
Specific operations risk assessment methodology for UAS
Cologne, 8-10 February 2023
This workshop was open to industry and authorities, to have an overview of the specific operations risk assessment (SORA) methodology. During this event, a summary of the changes that were shown that came with the introduction of SORA 2.5. The workshop was a unique opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to whom has been directly involved in the development of SORA 2.5.
In total, 9 participants from Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh joined the activity onsite in Cologne, sponsored by the project.
EU-SA APP II - Environment matters: State Action Plans tutorial for PCAA
Remote, 7-9 February 2023
The objective of the webinar was to present an overview of the State Action Plans in order to provide an insight into the most important aspects of them.
A remote meeting was hosted with operational stakeholders of the Airworthiness Directorate Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to inform them about the detailed actions needed of them to support state action plan (SAP). Over the 3 days, the participants discussed about ANSP, Airlines and Airports. An open questions and answers slot was available for participants to interact with the expert, and also to share doubts and experiences among all attendees.
Environment matters: key developments in CORSIA & other updates (webinar)
Remote, 19 December 2022
The webinar provided information on the outcome from the 41st ICAO Assembly that affects CORSIA scheme and practical information of CORSIA related topics such an updated assessment of CORSIA eligible projects in the region. The webinar also included a brief summary of the adopted long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) for international aviation of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and brief presentation of the 2022 edition of the EASA Environmental Report. The target audience for this session was CORSIA focal points from Civil Aviation Authorities and CORSIA focal points from South Asian Airlines. Over 50 participants participated in this online webinar.
Cybersecurity information sharing and initiatives such as ISACs (webinar)
Remote, 9 December 2022
The webinar discussed cybersecurity in aviation and raised awareness about national, regional, and international initiatives by both states and industry. In particular, it set out the aviation cyber threat landscape, including real-life cyber-attack observations and address means for sharing operational and cyber threat information as well as intelligence.
During the session challenges, issues and limitations with respect to the existing European initiatives were presented as well as the tools and methods used. The target audience/participants were cybersecurity experts of the civil aviation authorities and other organisations dealing with cybersecurity in aviation. Especially, those implicated in cyber threat intelligence and sharing of information or incident reporting activities. Over 40 participants participated in this online webinar.
Coordinated actions with stakeholders - Presentation of AIRBUS's initiatives in South Asia
Remote, 25 October 2022
EU-SA APP II had arranged a virtual meeting on the presentation of AIRBUS’ Initiatives in South Asia. A total of 60 participants attended the meeting. The subjects that were covered comprised of: Implementation of PBN in the South Asian Region, Cyber Security on Information Systems, Airbus support on UAM/AAM, fello'fly Concept, and Helicopter operations in South Asia. The presentation from Capt Shankar Rai summarized the most common reasons behind the accidents and presented their mitigations.
EU-Asia Symposium on UAS/UAM
Singapore, 18-21 October 2022
The first EU-Asia symposium on UAS/UAM was held in Singapore from 18th—21st October at Goodwood Park Hotel. The event was funded by the European Union and co-hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. The event was organized by EU Aviation Partnership Project in South Asia, South East Asia & North Asia. The symposium covered common regulatory and operational challenges in safely integrating drones and air taxis into the aviation system.
There were over 10 EASA UAS/UAM experts attending the symposium exchanging their valuable and expert knowledge through the presentations. 150 participants from the industry & the Civil Aviation Authorities attended the workshop. It was encouraging to see Mr. Luc Tytgat attending the meeting right after his arrival from Cologne to Singapore and giving his key note address. The Highlight of the event on the first day was the signing of a MoU between EASA & CAAS.
SAFE 360°- Safety in Aviation Forum for Europe 2022
Brussels, 13-15 September 2022
The high-level activity in September was the EASA SAFE 360°- Safety in Aviation Forum for Europe 2022 held in Brussels between 13-15 Sep 2022, offering an all-round perspective on aviation safety. The project invited all Director Generals of CAAs in South Asia States accompanied by another high-level official to attend the event. However, the precarious Schengen visa application process made it impossible for the delegates from some of the states to attend the activity. A lot of supporting documents were requested from the Cologne office to assist the two participants to travel to Brussels. Mr. Carlos Menendez personally got involved requesting assistance from Mr. Dennis Chaibi, EU ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, to mediate with the embassies.
Series of SSP/SMS Workshops and OJTs - #2
Maldives, India, Bangladesh, 8-26 August 2022
This was the second set of onsite activities for the EU SA-APP II that consisted of visits to the Maldives, India and Bangladesh to provide SMS and SSP Support.
The Maldives were visited by Dr Hazel Courteney to focus on the SSP with the Maldives CAA and to provide a safety management workshop for CAA and industry personnel. The first week of the visit to India was by Simon Roberts and primarily focused on SMS assessment including 3 days of OJT training at an airport, a maintenance organisation and a helicopter operator. Finally, both experts visited Bangladesh for SMS and SSP OJT activities including several workshops for CAA and industry.
These visits allowed the regulators and stakeholders to gain knowledge of the SMS as well as to sit in one room to lead the dialogue. On-the-job training provided the hands-on experience, after a long break caused by COVID-19.
SSP/SMS Fundamentals for South Asian Aviation – Train the Trainer Workshop
New Delhi, India, 16-18 August 2022
The workshop was designed to meet the needs of professionals already working in safety and, in particular, those who train others in SMS. Attendees were able to draw on the experience of experts to find out whether their internal SMS training syllabus meets all regulatory requirements. This provided tips and experiences on how to make SMS training relevant and engaging and best practices for developing SMS training that brings concrete and measurable improvements.
In addition, this session also provided the opportunity to enhance the understanding of participants in regard to the expectations and requirements of other stakeholders in the region involved in the implementation of safety as well as to listen to their experiences and to share lessons learnt. In this way, organisations were able to improve the application and understanding of SMS by improving internal own SMS training for staff and other stakeholders.
There were 57 participants onsite and almost 20 participants joining online who interacted in Q&A sessions actively.
Coordinated actions with stakeholders - Presentation of EUROCONTROL initiatives in South Asia
Remote, 27 July 2022
A discussion was held remotely on 27th July together with EUROCONTROL’s Philippe Jopart. The project manager introduced the speaker to the participants. There were 24 participants altogether. Mr Philippe informed the participants that the State’s Strategic Interests have to be done on Legal Basis. He gave multiple options for such.
Accordingly, the SA States can opt for the initiatives through the EU-SA APP II. It was encouraging when Mr Philippe shared that a recent audit had confirmed that global collaboration is required which means that EUROCONTROL will share their knowledge and expertise with the States through the above-mentioned options. His conclusive slide was “What we do, we can Share”.
Aviation Cybersecurity Workshop
Singapore, 27-28 June 2022
South Asia & South East Asia joined forces to mitigate Cyber Security Threats to Aviation Safety. The workshop was held in Pan Pacific Hotel in Singapore on 27th & 28th June. It was evident at the end of the workshop that the participants were happy to receive this initial introduction in preparation of the ICAO Trust Framework discussions. The two experts felt that the development of a more comprehensive workshop would also benefit EASA colleagues, satisfies the European Commission, and contributes to the export of the EASA safety system in the two regions.
Framework discussions. The two experts felt that the development of a more comprehensive workshop would also benefit EASA colleagues, satisfies the European Commission, and contributes to the export of the EASA safety system in the two regions.
Project Management Board Meeting
Paradise Island, The Maldives, 2 June 2022
The Environment Workshop has been followed by PMBM on 2nd Jun with participation of Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka onsite and Bhutan and Bangladesh connecting remotely. Newly appointed SARI Coordinator and Ambassador, Africa Abajas, Environment expert, were also present onsite. SMS/SSP experts Simon Roberts and Hazel Courteney joined the session online. Additionally, EUD and EASA representatives also joined via WebEx.
The purpose of the PMBM was to reflect on the progress made so far since the start of the project and reflect on challenges and objectives. The workplan has been shared with the participants before the meeting and discussed during the PMBM in detail with each participating state and also the regional activities. In conclusion, the participating states endorsed the workplan and praised the highly tailored support from EU-SA APP II based on their needs expressed during the bilateral meetings held earlier in 2022 and 2021.
Environment Matters in Aviation: EU & South Asia Reuniting to tackle climate change
Paradise Island, The Maldives, 30 May-1 June 2022
The first Regional Meeting of the EU SA APP II. Civil Aviation Authority Maldives kindly offered to contribute to the organization of the event. The Regional activity was considered a High Level meeting as Ms. Aishath Nahula Minister of Transport & Aviation Maldives & Mr. Denis Chaibi, Ambassador of EU for Maldives & Sri Lanka participated at the inauguration of the meeting. There were 38 personnel in total for the event with the participation from CAA & Industry from India, Maldives, Pakistan & Sri Lanka.
The Official Announcement of Maldives Voluntary participation in CORSIA was announced by her highness Minister of Transport & Aviation Maldives in her welcome speech.
The workshop was conducted by Ms Africa Abajas & Mr. Joonas Laukia Environment Expert - Market-based Measures EASA in person
EU-SA APP II - COSCAP-SEA/EU SEA APP EASA Mandatory and voluntary safety reporting systems
Remote, 25 May 2022
With the kind support of the EU and EASA, COSCAP-SEA organized an online workshop on Mandatory and Voluntary Reporting Systems.
The target audience was, the managers and technical personnel/inspectors from the State Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) who are involved in the mandatory and voluntary reporting and managers and technical personnel/investigators from the State Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Authority (AAIIA).
The objective of this workshop was to present the mandatory and voluntary reporting systems as per the enclosed agenda and address States’ questions.
Presentations were made by Mr. Yngvi Yngvason, Safety Risk Manager, EASA.
CORSIA training for aeroplane operators - new entrants
Remote, 17 May 2022
This training was organised to provide aeroplane operators in Maldives the appropriate information to understand CORSIA key design elements and to assess the applicability of the CORSIA requirements. The session was interactive to allow participants ask questions. After the training, tailored activities depending on the specific needs were offered. These included support to the operators by assessing the threshold of emissions using the ICAO CERT tool, based on the operator’s flight data.
CORSIA Meeting with CAASL and SriLankan Airlines
Katunayake, 4 April 2022
The meeting with CAASL and SriLankan Airlines Focal points for CORSIA commenced on the 4th April in the morning and it was held at the DGCA’s Conference room. The meeting was opened by Mr. P A Jayakantha, Additional Director General of Civil Aviation, appreciating the efforts conducted by EU-SA APP II for the development of Aviation in Sri Lanka and said that he supports wholeheartedly the Project Activities and assured Mr. Carlos Menendez that he would give his best to make the Project activities a success in the South Asia Region.
Capt. Anushad Liyanagoda and Mr. Dhanushka De Silva from SriLankan Airlines joined by Mr. Nuranga Adikari, the Focal Point for CORSIA at CAASL, participated at the Training session. The following topics were some of the salient points that were discussed at length at this training session: CORSIA implementation in Sri Lanka and CORSIA offsetting requirements; Role of carbon offsets and Sustainable Aviation Fuel; Carbon Market behaviour; The EU current draft regulations; EU-ETS and ReFuel proposal
CORSIA Training for SLAB and VBs
Negombo, 30-31 Mar 2022
As a continuation of the CORSIA implementation under the project that commenced from 2019, a workshop was organized to be held with the Sri Lanka Accreditation Body (SLAB) and the verifiers to discuss the way forward as Sri Lanka did not have any verifying body to date. Meetings and discussions were held with Africa Abajas, CORSIA Expert, Sampath Wahala and Chandrika Thilakaratne of SLAB along with Nuranga Adikari, the Focal Point of CORSIA at CAASL. The activity was conducted at Ramada Hotel Colombo on 30th and 31st of March.
Series of SMS Workshops and OJTs - #1
Pakistan, Maldives, 20-29 March 2022
The visit by the SMS expert to Pakistan and Maldives consisted of a series of Workshops in SMS domain and in Pakistan also of SMS Assessments of Karachi Airport and PIA. The expert delivered Risk Workshop on 25th Mar as well as SSP overview presentation for top management. The visit to Maldives also consisted of SMS Assessment of Maldives Airport Company and Regional Airports Company.
This visit allowed the regulators and stakeholders to gain knowledge of the SMS as well as to sit in one room to lead the dialogue. On-the-job training provided the hands-on experience, after a long break caused by COVID-19.
SSP/SMS Fundamentals for Sri Lankan Aviation Safety
Katunayake, Sri Lanka, 14-18 March 2022
The first on site workshop was conducted in Sri Lanka with the purpose of reviewing the basic pillars of safety management. As Dr. Hazel, who was intended to oversee the training, was apprehended, Mr. Carlos Menendez, The Project Manager, travelled to Sri Lanka to conduct the Workshop. It was intended for anyone working in aviation including regulators, managers, safety and quality managers from all aviation service providers.
There were a total of 80 participants from CAASL & the industry at this event. Following the Workshop, EU SA APP II hosted a dinner as a means of networking with the higher-ups of the organizations that took part in the workshop.
EU-SA APP II Kick-Off meeting
Katunayake, Sri Lanka, 23 September 2021
The EU-SA APP II launched with the Kick-Off meeting on 23rd Sep 2021 with the participation of the heads of Aviation Authorities of the seven Member States in the Region. The meeting was attended by Mr. Luc Tytgat, Strategy & Safety Management Director – EASA; Mr. Carlos Menendez, Project Manager – EASA; and Mr. Mahmood Razee, Project Director - EASA. Mr. Mahmood Razee represented EASA physically in Sri Lanka for the purpose of the meeting.
This project is implemented by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency - EASA.