Technical Assistance in the Aviation Sector:  Services in Support of EASA International Cooperation Activities

A multifaceted technical assistance    

From June 2016 to November 2020, NTU, under the awarded European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Framework Contract Lot 1 - Aviation Consulting and Training Services including Project Management & Logistical Support, provided a tailored and comprehensive support to the international cooperation projects implemented by the EASA. The services required under this lot encompassed (1) technical expertise for the delivery of cooperation activities such as regulatory exchanges or technical training; (2) support to project management tasks and (3) delivery of logistical and event management services to facilitate the activities and general implementation of the various projects implemented around the world.

The specific objectives of this technical assistance (TA) covered the following:

• Support safety in civil aviation throughout the world (EU regulations);
• Be a partner for non-EU Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) for capacity building;
• Share the experience as a Regional Safety Oversight Organization and promote regional integration;
• Implement the established cooperation strategy and the concept for technical assistance;
• Provide technical training and offer support.

More precisely, NTU undertook the following activities:

• Assessment of countries/region’s civil aviation sector (e.g., study of the interoperability and automation of Air Traffic Management (ATM) Systems).
• Development of Roadmaps and Action Plans and support in their implementation (e.g., development, implementation and update of State Safety Plans and Programmes as well as progress monitoring).
• Organisation and delivery of trainings, workshops and seminars.
  • Formal trainings and workshops (e.g., Regional workshop on “AIRPORT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS) in ASEAN”, Workshop “CORSIA for National Accreditation Bodies and Verification Bodies: Accreditation and Verification Process”).
  • Online trainings (e.g., Instructor Training Course through Synchronous Distance Learning – Virtual Classroom).
  • Seminars: (e.g., Seminar on drones’ operations regulation and safety in Lima, Peru, including certification and operation of drones, surveillance and integration into the airspace, etc.).
• Specific studies (e.g., feasibility study for an effective enhanced regional mechanism for aviation safety oversight in South Asia; environmental scoping study).
• On-site support and On-the-job training: for instance, support to State Safety Programme (SSP) development and implementation to the Zambian Civil Aviation Authority and support to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) in resolving CAAT’s immediate safety issues and to support Thailand’s longer-term transition to EASA regulations.
• Experience exchange through study visits, for example Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Experience Exchange – Europe Study Tour in Germany, Austria and the UK to support the development of (HEMS) in Thailand.
• Support to the Development, Transposition and Implementation of Regulations (e.g., Air Operations and Aircrew regulations, safety regulations)
• Event management through the organisation of high-profile conferences with participants from government, aviation authorities and industry and the promotion of EASA managed projects at international conferences or aviation exhibitions.