Licensing and training: Significant safety concern remains unresolved, CAA told

KARACHI: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has reminded the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that the significant safety concern (SSC) pertaining to personnel licensing and training (PEL) remains unresolved. The notification issued by ICAO is in connection with a recently approved mechanism by the council at the 12th meeting of its 179th session.

"The ICAO has identified an SSC which remains unresolved by Pakistan. The subject SSC pertains to the area of PEL in relation to the licensing process for pilots," the notification said. In accordance with the mechanism approved by the council, member states are advised about unresolved SSCs which are posted first on the secure website of ICAO and if they remain unresolved after 90 days, the same will be posted on ICAO's public website, it said.

Presently, four SSCs identified by ICAO remain unresolved and Pakistan has been identified by ICAO as among the eight countries that have failed to address the SSCs, which is a serious concern. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Airline's Pilots' Association (PALPA) has expressed its apprehension over a serious warning to the CAA regarding the SSC.

A PALPA spokesman said that Pakistan's aircraft and pilots are likely to be barred from flying in 188 countries of the world "due to the negligence" of the CAA. The association had been raising this issue since June 2020, but it was neglected by the authorities concerned, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020