Canada’s bad USOAP score= message to other Civil Aviation Authorities?
Big news in Canada: First, a dramatic reveal that the international civil aviation body that assess civil aviation authorities has found its safety organization to have a disappointing evaluation. Second, a responsive report from the airlines that the critique was not an examination of their operations. (1000% accurate, but one of the findings may flow down to their safety oversight).
While the impact is focused on North America, this may be a declaration may be a message from Montreal to civil aviation authorities (CAAs) on other continents.
The Minister of Transport Canada (imagined in the above AI image) is likely distraught for good reason. The International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) UNIVERSAL SAFETY OVERSIGHT AUDIT PROGRAMME1 (USOAP)monitors the fulfillment of the safety oversight obligations by its Member States. News of an unfavorable audit usually names a Civil Aviation Authority without a long heritage of flight. The yet undisclosed report on Transport Canada is unusual. For example, the US has given its peer to the North one of the most favorable2 Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements (BASA). Thus, the specific deficiencies that will, soon(?), be revealed need to be carefully analyzed.
The problems recited in the below article are as follows:
“…federal government establish a system to lock in full regulatory compliance by airlines and airports, shore up certification related to dangerous goods and ensure proper training and fatigue management for air traffic controllers…”
This is the 2005 USOAP chart for Transport Canada-
All of the grades were above the global average. The “leaked” report card pointed at TC’s present surveillance of airlines, airports, hazardous goods, and Air Traffic. It is difficult to comprehend such a precipitous fall.
Even more telling is this chart which compares the reported “64 average” and disappointing classmates-Argentina, Greece, Malaysia and Tajkistan.
Here are the categories which are points of emphasis in a USOAP:
Canada (airspace chart included in article 2) has the world’s second largest airspace (not measured as to volume or density of traffic) after Russia; so, it is not entirely surprising that there may be gaps there. But it must be emphasized (see same chart) that Transport Canada does not operate the ATC within this Commonwealth. It will be important for the final report to differentiate between TC and the crown corporation that manages the airspace.
Message beyond CANADA: USOAP audits over its 20 years have not tended to be highly critical. ICAO staff, subconsciously (?), are aware that the CAA being evaluated pay their salaries, figuratively. Only 5 of the Members have earned red flags and many more grades seem to be the judgment of a lenient auditor. So, does ICAO’s downgrading of TC signify that the staff have been given sharper pencils? CAAs around the world, and the US is not immune, should not continue to rely on their self-evaluations. Internal auditors are even more reluctant to find fault with their colleagues. It might be advisable to seek the objective eye of an outside consultant to work with your organization. Bringing an independent party now may save embarrassment and avoid national financial consequences.
- Third parties that have worked through similar assessments know where to look, what to do first and how best to make the CAA’s staff comfortable with the identified enhancements.
- It takes time to implement the changes required by USOAP. Getting started now may avoid a headline like “safety is plummeting.” See below article.
- So, you go to your boss and inform him that you need to hire a firm to improve your safety, to minimize an USOAP red flag and an FAA IASA Category 2 finding–Mexico airlines lost over $1 billion due to US safety …. Not hiring help may result in dire consequences to our airline, tourism, and economy.
Flight safety in Canada is plummeting, a confidential UN agency report finds
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) logo
is seen in the main meeting hall, in Montreal on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016.
(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
Published Dec. 7, 2023 2:13 p.m. EST
A DRAFT report from a United Nations agency gives Canada a C GRADE on flight safety and oversight, down from an A+ and far below most of its peers.
The confidential audit from the International Civil Aviation Organization says the country has fallen precipitously since 2005 in three safety areas: AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS, AIRPORTS AND AIR NAVIGATION.
The UN body is recommending that the federal government establish a system to lock in full regulatory compliance by airlines and airports, shore up certification related to dangerous goods and ensure proper training and fatigue management for air traffic controllers.
Ross Aimer, CEO of California-based Aero Consulting Experts, says a shortage of air traffic controllers and a trend toward off-loading safety responsibilities from government onto industry players remain concerns across the continent.
However, University of Manitoba transport institute director Barry Prentice says Canada’s flight safety record speaks for itself, with plane accident deaths down in recent years and no major commercial airline crashes in decades.
The government had until Oct. 30 to respond to the agency’s draft audit, and a final report is expected in the coming months.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2023.
Airlines say ICAO Canada audit not about aircraft safety
Canadian airlines and government say a recent unflattering International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit of Transport Canada’s implementation of ICAO’s standards is NOT A REFLECTION ON THE SAFE OPERATION OF CANADIAN AIRCRAFT.
The Canadian Press news agency obtained and first reported on the confidential ICAO audit which gave Canada a 64 OUT OF 100 SCORE, with aircraft operations, airports and air navigation reportedly scoring particularly poorly. The score is significantly below what a peer country would expect to receive and well below the same 2005 safety oversight audit that scored Canada 95 out of 100.
“ICAO has not identified any significant safety concerns with Canada’s civil aviation system, and we know our country’s air sector is among the safest in the world,” said Transport Ministry spokeswoman Laura Scaffidi.
“It is important to note it was not an audit of the safe operation of Canadian aircraft,” reads an Air Canada (AC, Montréal Trudeau) statement. “For Air Canada’s part, we have our own rigid internal safety processes. These are evaluated and audited regularly by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is the gold standard for evaluating safety for airlines, and passing it is a condition of membership. Our most recent IOSA audit was concluded in November, and Air Canada passed with exemplary findings.”
“WestJet (WS, Calgary) is aware that the United Nations agency, the ICAO, has conducted a Universal Safety Oversight Audit of Transport Canada,” a spokesperson from that airline said. “This review was focused exclusively on Transport Canada, not Canadian airlines and therefore do not assess or reflect WestJet’s industry leading safety standards.”
Flair Airlines (F8, Kelowna) declined to comment.
The current ICAO audit recommends the Transport Ministry set up processes to ensure full regulatory compliance by airlines and airports, improve dangerous goods certification, and make sure air traffic controllers receive proper training and fatigue management procedures are put in place.
List from old USAToday article
