What are Aviation Organizations? ICAO, EASA, SGHM, JAA, FAA
Aviation, which developed with a rising trend especially after the Second World War, also revealed its own institutions in the process. Institutions that carry out important work to sustain the development of aviation and make air transportation safer carry out intensive activities both at national and international levels. In this article, we have compiled for you the most important institutions and authorities operating in the field of aviation around the world.
International Civil Aviation Organization – ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), as it is known all over the world, was officially established on April 4, 1947, following the Chicago convention signed in 1944 to improve international cooperation in air transportation. ICAO, which has become a giant institution operating within the United Nations and supported by 193 states today, consists of a large staff of expert bureaucrats and managers and many sub-organizations. Although ICAO’s administrative center is in Quebec, Canada, it has many offices in different continents and countries.
ICAO’s Goals and Tasks
Its main goal is; ICAO aims to ensure the development of civil aviation in a sustainable manner and to spread it throughout the world, as well as; It performs many duties such as serving countries as a global forum in international civil air transportation, developing new policies and standards in the field of aviation, conducting inspections, conducting research and analysis, and providing support for the expansion of aviation infrastructure.
ICAO, which works to support diplomatic studies, develop new air transportation policies and determine current aviation standards in parallel with new technological developments, also includes a wide range of international and national institutions in the decision-making processes in determining new standards for air transportation. ICAO, which undertakes very comprehensive duties in the field of aviation at the global level, does not interfere with the regulations made by the countries themselves at the national level. It does not impose criminal sanctions.
Institutional Structure of ICAO:
assembly
ICAO has an assembly attended by all member countries. This assembly meets at least once every three years. The assembly can also hold an extraordinary meeting if more than one fifth of the member countries request it. The main duties of Assembly members are; To elect the members of the council that holds the executive power, to examine the reports prepared by the council and to implement the necessary actions, to decide on the issues transferred by the council and to approve the budgets of the council. The assembly, which is the authority that gives powers and duties to the council, can also take back the powers it has given from the council.
Council
The council, which can be defined as the executive authority of the organization, is elected every 3 years and consists of 36 members. The current president of the council is Salvatore Sciacchitano, who will serve for 3 years as of January 1, 2020. The main duties of the Council are: to submit annual reports to the Assembly, to carry out the instructions of the assembly, to fulfill the duties and obligations undertaken under the Convention on International Civil Aviation, to ensure the financial management of ICAO, Air transport, Finance, Illegal Interference, Technical Cooperation, Human Resources To determine and assign the duties of the committees.
Council Member Countries (Countries are divided into groups according to their contribution share)
Secretarial
Within the organizational structure of ICAO, there is also a secretariat unit headed by a secretary general. The ICAO secretariat consists of 5 bureaus: Air Navigation Bureau, Air Transport Bureau, Technical Cooperation Bureau, Legal Bureau and External Affairs Bureau. In addition to these five offices, managers responsible for finance, internal audit, communication, development and ICAO’s 7 regional offices also report directly to the Secretary General.
European Aviation Safety Agency – EASA
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the institution that determines and implements the civil aviation safety policies of the European Union (EU), was founded in 2008, headquartered in Cologne, Germany. As of 2021, more than 800 experts and managers are working in EASA, which has 31 permanent member countries, 27 of which are EU members.
EASA’s main task is to regulate the highest level of safety and environmental protection standards for civil aviation within the EU and to determine new rules and relevant legislation in this context. The organization, which also audits the standards and rules it determines in the field of aviation, provides the technical expertise, training and research support needed in this context. EASA works with national institutions in the certification of aircraft, as well as engines and engine parts, and the issuance of pilot licenses. EU with aircraft design companies around the world
General Directorate of Civil Aviation – DGCA
The history of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the institution that regulates and supervises civil aviation in Turkey, dates back to 1954. Being one of the founding members of ICAO, DGCA is also a member of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) and the European Organization for the Safety of Navigation EUROCONTROL. In addition to its basic duties of regulation and supervision, the institution directly contributes to the growth of the aviation sector with the projects it develops.
Establishment and History of DGCA
Department of Civil Aviation, in parallel with the development of civil aviation in the world and the developments in aviation technology; It was established within the Ministry of Transport in 1954 to protect national interests and conduct and supervise international relations in an orderly manner. In 1987, the institution, which was named “General Directorate of Civil Aviation” as it is used today, was reorganized to suit contemporary conditions. The institution, which gained a financially autonomous structure with the Law No. 5431 on the Organization and Duties of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, which came into force on 18 November 2005, gained its current management structure.
Joint Aviation Authorities Training Organization – JAA TO
JAA TO (eng.: Joint Aviation Authorities Training Organization), headquartered in the Netherlands, operates within the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). The organization, which has a history of 50 years, provides training to the aviation industry and official authorities regarding the regulations covering the air transportation sector. At the same time, JAA TO is the only European Training Center of Excellence (TCE) within the borders of the EU officially recognized by ICAO, as well as being a leading member of the EASA Virtual Academy. The institution also provides consultancy services in the field of aviation; It organizes more than 300 trainings every year on safety, security, unmanned aerial vehicles and management issues.
Federal Aviation Administration – FAA
FAA (Eng.: Federal Aviation Administration), the official civil aviation agency of the USA, is one of the oldest and most important institutions in the world in the field of aviation safety. Even though it was officially established in 1958, the FAA is a well-established organization whose history dates back to the second half of the twenties. Its main mission is to; It defines itself as providing the most effective and safe aviation system worldwide. FAA, which also has sanction authority in this context, is armed with legal powers, especially fines and certification-related sanctions.
FAA’s responsibilities:
●Making necessary arrangements to increase civil aviation safety. In this context, FAA; In addition to setting regulations and standards/criteria for the production, operation and maintenance of aircraft, it also provides certification of airports and flight personnel.
● Supporting new aviation technologies and innovations in the civil field. The production of electronic support devices used for navigation and the installation of these systems on aircraft are also among the important duties of the FAA. In addition to the maintenance, operation and quality control of electronic flight systems, the FAA also maintains all navigation, air traffic control, voice and data transmission / transmission (communication) systems used in aviation, as well as important components such as radars, computers, multifunctional indicators / displays.
● Development and operation of air traffic control and navigation systems for both military and civilian aircraft. The FAA, which develops and determines air traffic rules, actually controls air traffic. For this purpose, the institution; It operates an extensive network of airport control towers, air traffic control centers and flight service stations.
● Carrying out R&D activities within the scope of the National Airspace System (NAS) of the USA and civil aviation.
● Preparing and executing projects to reduce environmental and sound pollution caused by civil aviation.
● Regulations covering commercial space transportation should be made within the borders of the USA. The FAA issues licenses for private companies engaged in space transportation, such as Space-X and Blue Origin, which we have heard frequently in the USA lately, in connection with the launch facilities and sending of all kinds of cargo into space.
