The ICAO Council has appointed Mr. Junrong Liang to a one-year term as President of the Air Navigation Commission (ANC). The Commission develops international aviation SARPs and PANS for the Council’s adoption or approval. It is comprised of 19 independent commissioners appointed for their technical expertise in civil aviation.
Mr. Liang’s mandate begins on 1 January 2024. As President of the ANC, he will lead the Commission’s work on the development of ICAO’s global plans for safety and for air navigation capacity and efficiency. He has been a member of the Commission since September 2018, with ANC positions that included serving as its First Vice-President and Second Vice-President, and in various working groups as Chairperson and Vice-Chair. He has also contributed to the ICAO Industry Consultative Forum, the ANC’s Planning Team, and the Council’s Group on Innovation.
Prior to his appointment to the Commission, Mr. Liang held various positions with the Civil Aviation Administration of China’s Middle and South Regional Air Traffic Management Bureau, including Director for Safety Management, Deputy Director for Air Traffic Management Operation, and Chief of Technical Business Office. Mr. Liang has over 30 years of experience as an air traffic controller.
ICAO’s ANC considers and recommends for adoption or approval by the ICAO Council. The Commission is comprised of nineteen members who have “suitable qualifications and experience in the science and practice of aeronautics”, as outlined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). Although ANC Commissioners are nominated by specific ICAO Member States, and appointed by the Council, they do not represent the interest of any particular State or Region. Rather they act independently and utilize their expertise in the interest of the entire international civil aviation community.
The ANC is tasked by the Council to manage the technical work programme of ICAO and, since its establishment, the Commission has considered and recommended SARPs comprising 17 out of the 19 Annexes to the Chicago Convention – including the most recent introduction of the new Annex 19 on Safety Management. Under the approval of the Council, the ANC typically convenes for three sessions each year to address matters within its work programme. Each session typically lasts nine weeks including a three-week recess.
The key challenges faced by the ANC include maintaining and improving aviation safety and air navigation efficiency while integrating increased traffic into the current aviation infrastructure, introducing advanced systems, as well as proactively identifying risks and devising mitigation measures in accordance with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) and the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP).
