ICAO detects air safety concerns in Ecuador

La Organizationón of Aviationón Civil International – OACI hizo pútheir operational safety concerns regarding navigation services.ón of Ecuador.

After the auditía to the operational security carried out by ICAO to the Ecuador between 4 and 18 September 2023 last, the organizationón international foundó two SSCs of concernón and that with date 22 November 2023 remain unresolved.

It should be noted, that this audit was approved by the ICAO Council at its sessionón 179 as a mechanism to address significant SSC operational safety concerns identified by the agency. Sayún this mechanism, All SSCs detected and not resolved must be notified to all stakeholders. 187 member states, acción that was already done.

Auditoríto ICAO – Security concerns for Ecuador's operations

concretely, The concerns found are the following:

1. The Addressón National Aviationón Civil (DAC) has promulgated the regulation 210 “Aeron TelecommunicationsáUticas”, in which radio aid test periods are prescribed in accordance with the Document 8071 from ICAO — Manual on testing radio aids for navigationón, Volume I Test of radio navigation systemsón land-based.Despite the múmultiple surveillance communications from the operational safety entity issued alerting about the recurring expirationón within the deadlines required for inspection flightsón, The State has allowed to keep in operationón all radio aids associated with international operations without the respective in-flight verifications with the periodicity prescribed in the aforementioned regulation 21
   1. Immediate corrective measures: Ecuador dutyíto temporarily remove from service all navigation aidsón associated with international operations whose inspection periodicityón in flight has expired in accordance with the deadlines provided in the regulations 210; until the corresponding flight inspections are carried out and the respective safety oversight unit validates its results.
2. The Addressón National Aviationón Civil (DAC) has promulgated the regulation 211 “Transit Services Aéreo”, in which the use is prescribedón of the design criteriañor for designñor flight procedures in accordance with the Document 8168 from ICAO — Procedures for navigation servicesón Aérea — Operationónumber of aircraft, Volume II —Constructionóncle visual and instrument flight procedures.However, there is no approval processón to ensure that instrument flight procedures (IFP) comply with the criteria promulgated by the State and that the IFPs comply with the quality control measures of the process. Additionally. there is no evidence of validationón in-flight procedures as part of the initial development and not as part of the exámenes periósay to confirm, among others, that obst clearanceáasses is appropriate.
   1. Immediate corrective measures: Ecuador dutyíto suspend all those IFP whose validationón in flight has not been carried out in the úlast 5 años; until you ensure that the IFP isán designñin accordance with the State's criteria and that the quality control measures of the process are complied with (including validationón in flight regarding verificationóobst clearance numberáglasses).
   2. Short-term corrective measures: Ecuador dutyíto establish and implement an approval processón that ensures that the IFP isán designñin accordance with the State's criteria and that the quality control measures of the process are complied with (including validationón in flight regarding verificationóobst clearance numberáglasses).

The actions carried out by Ecuador

It should be noted that Ecuador víto the aeron authorityáutica, presentó the corrective measures proposed to begin compliance from the 10 last october.

To know meás details of what has already been done by the Ecuadorian state, interviewé exclusively to William Birkett General Director of Aviación Civilian of Ecuador, who shared usó más details of this process and the measures taken by the DGAC:

If these remain unresolved after 90, to beán published on the ICAO website permanently and pública.

It is important to emphasize that despite these discoveries, the operationón and security aéarea in Ecuador iságuaranteed, with issues to correct, but for the peace of mind of travelers, the responsible professionals areán highly trained for their duties.

¿CuáHere are the possible implications for Ecuador?

It is known that ICAO audits when made púwars in their systems, generate that international aviation agenciesóThey don't know the situationón and can generate recommendations for their aerolídenies. One of them could undoubtedlyíat the FAA, which, as we know and have seen in recent cases as it was with México, after an own auditó I decided itón of degrade the Categoryía II a is byeís, what did it implyó a brake for meás de 2 añto the development of routes and destinations with USA.

Definitely, This point is the most worryingón for the development of routes of our countryís, what to give, curbíto the development of new routes to USA of the aerosolsíinterested Ecuadorian lines.

¿Whaté It is the ICAO audit – USOAP?

The Universal Auditor Programía of operational safety oversight (USOAP) It is a program throughés of which ICAO monitors compliance with safety oversight obligations by its Member States. The results of USOAP activities allow ICAO to evaluate a State's ability to provide safety oversight by assessing whether the State has effectively and consistently implemented the eight critical elements.íticos (CE) of an operational safety surveillance system, that allow the State to guarantee the implementationón of ICAO safety objectives. -Standards and prárecommended tactics (SARPS) related procedures and guidance materialón associates.

Eight áauditor areasíto the aviation systemón of a Member State supervising the program are:

• Legislatorsóprimary aviationón and aviation regulationsón civil (LEG)
• Organizationón of Aviationón Civil (ORG)
• Licensing and trainingónumber of personnel (PEL)
• Aircraft operations (OPS)
• Aircraft airworthiness (AIR)
• researchónumber of aviation accidents and incidentsón (AIG)
• Navigation Servicesón Aérea (ANS)
• Aeródromos and Land Aids (BUT)

Auditoríthe past

As reference, I share with you cóhow Ecuador fared in its úlast auditoríto ICAO that was carried outó in the AñO 2015:

Until now, The result has not been definitively published on the ICAO website, so for now I share the data 2015, versus others países of the regionón, where Argentina, Brazil and Colombia were already part of it:

It is important hereí indicate that this auditoría does not determine that Ecuador is going to lose the Categoryía I, but yesí puts other ICAO member states on alert, who like USA, couldígenerate additional actions that affectíeven to our fatherís in case it materializes and has not been resolved.

We will continue to inform youúnew informationóNo information is known about this audit and a potential visit by the FAA the revisionistsón of these conflicting concerns on the part of the OACI.