A prospective air operator should approach Air operator certification and surveillance Directorate for inquiry on the requirements to obtain an AOC. The Authority personnel will provide detailed information to the operator and advise the operator to submit a written application to the Director General Civil Aviation Authority. At the same time the operator will be informed that, after the application is received by the office of the Director General, he will nominate three inspectors and assign them for the certification process which will be based on the ECARAS and directives. When the assignment letter reaches the committee members the committee will advise the operator to go-ahead with the certification process.
Before start of the Certification process the operator will be informed to proceed to the Investment bureau for registry. After obtaining the Investment permit he will be given detailed briefing on the five phases of the certification process
The operator will be required to have general knowledge on Ethiopian Civil Aviation Rules and Standards, the required Directives and International Rules and Standards relevant to the Annexes and to Comply with them during its entire operation. The operator will be briefed on the following items and submit required documents on the initial phase of the Certification process.
Commercial air transport, general aviation, aerial work or cargo transport.
When he has clearly understood on the given briefing and he finally intends to proceed with the certification, the certification process will resume.
Pre-Application phase:-
During this phase, the operator Rey management personnel will be invited for a meeting and will be furnished the prospective pre-assessment statement (POPS) form. The Certification Committee will give detailed instructions on how to fill the form. If the management team have any doubt on the form further explanation will be given. The POPS should be completed, signed by the prospective operator and returned to the Authority. If the information is incomplete or erroneous, the POPS will be returned to the operator with the reasons for its return in writing. If the information is complete and acceptable the operator will be advised to proceed to the next phase. The following application packages will be provided during this process.
1. Certification Job aid
2. Schedule of events
3. an example of operations specifications.
Statement of Compliance will be provided to the operator with instructions how to fill the form. After Completion the form will be returned to the Authority. They will be advised to submit the following manuals
Formal Application phase
It is recommended that the formal application is submitted at least 90 days before operations are expected to begin. The Authority will review the application to determine that it contains the required information. If there are omissions or errors, the formal application will be returned with a letter out tiring the reasons for its return. The operator’s key management personnel should attend the formal application meeting to discuss the formal application and resolve omissions, deficiencies, or answer questions from either party
Documentation Evaluation phase
A thorough evaluation will begin on approximately 25 manuals and documents submitted to the committee on this phase. These committee will endeavor to complete these evaluations in accordance with the operator’s schedule of events and the statement of compliance forwarded to the operator during the previous Certification phases. When filling the statement of Compliance the chapters in the manuals or documents should be referenced with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Rules and Standards (ECARAS). If the manuals and documents are satisfactory, they will be approved or accepted. Approvals may be indicated by letter as appropriate, or by approval of Operations specifications (Ops Specs)
Demonstration and Inspection phase
On this phase the operation department and the maintenance areas and facilities will be thoroughly examined. Besides, the operator will be required to demonstrate its ability to comply with Rules and Standards by flying for about 100 in the presence of the inspectors. If the inspection and the flight demonstration are satisfactorily Completed the Certification will proceed to the final phase.
Certification phase
After the document Compliance and the demonstration and inspection phases have been completed satisfactorily, the Authority will prepare an Air Operator Certificate and approve the Ops Specs. The operator must acknowledge receipt of these documents. The Certificate holder is responsible for continued compliance with the Authority and the Authorizations, limitations, and provisions of its Certificate and Ops Specs. The operator will be on continuous surveillance.
The following types of licences and certificates are issued by ECAA;
v The Examination Tasks
The examination tasks of the PEL office are essentially the flight crew, cabin crew, aircraft maintenance, flight operations officer and air traffic controller. Because of such specialized high-level skills, the ECAA uses staff from the operations, airworthiness and air traffic control departments and designated examiners to carry out examinations, in particular practical skill examinations and supervision. The tasks related to the examination function include:
1. Designing the written examinations of flight crew members, aircraft maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, and other ground operation personnel who intend to issue/ renew licenses or add new ratings and authorizations;
2. Reviewing, evaluating, and marking written tests;
3. Carrying out oral examinations of different categories of license, as required;
4. Carrying out flight tests and simulator tests and generating the required test reports
5. Carrying out different types of skill tests for the different categories of license and generating the necessary test reports;
6. Carrying out the necessary medical tests, and issuing the appropriate medical certificates.
A. The Licensing tasks cover all of the routine tasks associated with the physical issuance and maintenance of personnel licenses, ratings, certificates, authorizations and include:
(1) Drafting detailed procedures for licensing staff;
(2) Evaluating the foreign licenses, ratings, certificates, authorizations and take appropriate action;
(3) Reviewing the flight crew, cabin crew, maintenance personnel, flight operations officer, air traffic controllers limitations and recent experience, and take the necessary action upon it;
(4) Reviewing and studying the application for a license, ratings, certificates, authorizations and related documentation and recommend actions to be taken from appropriate sections; and
(5) Issuing and renewing different licenses, ratings, certificates, authorizations, as applicable.
v The Training Tasks
A. The training tasks of the PEL office covers the activities related to the certification and approval of training school and training programs and include:
1. Studying the PEL training standards and making the necessary recommendations for improvement of in-country and abroad training issues;
2. Developing and executing plans for the surveillance of the different aviation training activities;
3. Studying and surveying training curriculum and programs submitted for approval and take appropriate action;
4. Certifying the different training sections at operators and maintenance organizations, air traffic control units, as well as manufacturers and other approved agencies, if any;
5. Establishing and maintaining personnel training records.
(1) The drafting and amendment of Rules and Standards relating to the training and licensing of aviation personnel;
(2) The enforcement of licensing laws and Rules and Standards; and
(3) The development of procedures and guidance material.
The administrative tasks of the PEL office include:
Providing an efficient and secure record system which maintains up-to-date records of licensing and certification actions;
Provisioning of necessary PEL office supplies, equipment and facilities;
Ensuring that all regulatory material and PEL documents held by staff are kept updated;
Drafting and promulgation of examination schedules;
Printing and collating examination papers, and distribute them in order to meet the published scheduled times;
Handling routine correspondence in respect to requests for study guidance material, dates of examinations, application forms, and examination fees;
Dealing with the public when necessary on matters related to:
Scheduled examinations;
Requests for explanatory pamphlets and any queries related to examination administration; and
All matters appropriate to license or rating or examination applications;
Handling routine correspondence in respect to applications for licenses or ratings, flight tests or any other routine clerical matters requiring action;
Processing all license applications;
Completing license forms and prepares licenses for official signature.
Open, maintain and destroy license holder file.
The first step in gaining any Pilots License is the Student Pilot License. This license is majorly used for training purposes. This license can also be used to gain the required hours to be qualifying a pilot to renew their license in case their other license e.g. PPL, CPL or ATPL has expired.
Requirements for application of an SPL
To be eligible for issue of Student Pilot License, an applicant shall;
Application Requirements
Renewal of Student Pilot’s License requirements
Upon expiration of a Student Pilot license, the applicant may apply for renewal.
The Private Pilot Certificate, internationally referred to as the Private Pilot License (PPL), allows students to obtain the foundational knowledge and skills for all future aircraft pilot training. As a Private Pilot, you can fly an airplane day and night (if one has a Night Rating) in visual flight conditions and carry passengers (friends, family, co-workers, etc.). You cannot fly for paid compensation or hire. The PPL is your foundation course on a pathway to a Commercial Pilot’s License.
Requirements for Issue of a PPL
An applicant for a Private Pilot License shall;
This will prove that the student is ready for PPL Practical test or GFT (General Flight Test)
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