About the session of the Council on Aviation and Airspace Use

On  April 11, 2024 in the Interstate aviation committee (IAC) the session of the Council on Aviation and Airspace Use (hereinafter – session, Council), which was attended by plenipotentiary representatives of the States Parties to the Agreement on Civil Aviation and Airspace Use was held. 

The annual Report on the level of flight safety in the States Parties to the Agreement for 2023 and the report of the Chairman of the IAC on the activities of the IAC for 2023 were presented. They also considered the draft Rules of Procedure of the Council, the draft new edition of the IAC Regulations and a package of documents regulating the financial activities of the IAC. Preparation of amendments to a number of aviation regulations were also discussed.

Chairman of the IAC Oleg Storchevoy, in his report on the activities of the IAC over the past year, informed the Council members about the ongoing work to develop international cooperation with the States Parties to the Agreement in order to develop practical mechanisms for increasing the level of flight safety. The report also noted the positive results of consultations held at the IAC site with the aviation authorities of Iran and Mongolia.

In 2023, IAC continued work in the scientific and educational fields. Work is continously being done to provide information and advisory assistance to specialists of the contracting states of the Agreement in the field of aviation medicine, including the ICAO CAPSCA Global Program. Specialists of the Committee conducted training courses for investigators in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia. This year, training courses were held on the basis of the IAC for the benefit of specialists from Russia, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. It is planned to conduct courses in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

It should also be noted that last November IAC specialists presented a report at the annual Seminar of the Middle East and North Africa Society of Air Safety Investigators. The IAC delegation presented a report entitled "High Technology in Aviation Accident Investigations - Beyond Traditional Approaches", which was unanimously received the highest rating and won first place in the voting.

Reporting on the results of accident investigation for 2023, Oleg Storchevoy informed Council members that the IAC conducted 71 accident investigations involving civil aircraft, 35 of which were completed during the year. Over the past period of time, the IAC has managed to reduce the time required to investigate aircraft accidents. Thus, compared to previous years, the number of unfinished investigations has decreased by half. Work on increasing the efficiency of the IAC in this area will be continued in the future.

Members of the Council were presented with a Report on the level of flight safety in the States Parties to the Agreement for 2023. Plenipotentiary representatives of the contracting states are recommended to bring the contents of the report, conclusions and recommendations to the attention of all interested bodies of the member states involved in activities in the field of flight safety.

Summing up the results of 2023, Oleg Storchevoy emphasized that in 2024 the IAC will continue its work in order to expand regional cooperation in the field of increasing flight safety level, coordinating the training system for aviation specialists and the scientific and technical development of civil aviation.

Further, the Council considered the draft Rules of Procedure of the Council and the draft revision of the IAC Regulation. The Council instructed the IAC to continue consultations with member states and prepare documents for approval at the next session.

During the session, the Council approved the following documents prepared by the IAC:

Amendment № 33-5 to AR 33 Aviation Regulations, Part 33 “Airworthiness Standards: Aircraft Engines”;

Amendment № 5 to Volume II of AR-170 Aviation Regulations, Part 170 “Certification of Aerodrome and Airways Equipment” Volume II “Certification Requirements for Aerodrome and Airways Equipment”;

Aviation Regulations “Aviation security. AR-17-AS. Edition 2".

At the session of the Council, the annual report on the implementation of the updated IAC cost estimates for 2023 was approved, as well as the IAC income and expenditure estimates for 2024.

At the end of the session, Council members noted that interaction between the States Parties to the Agreement on issues of increasing the level of flight safety is constructive. They recommended that, in order to realize the potential of the Committee, IAC should intensify cooperation with other foreign States through various formats of regional cooperation: international forums, conferences and round tables.

The next session of the Council is scheduled for November 21, 2024 in Moscow.