After 20 years of existence, Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme (COSCAP-SEA) is transitioning to its Phase V (July 2021 to June 2026) with a new collaborative, State-centered, risk-based and result-oriented approach to enhance Member States’ safety oversight, investigation and safety management capabilities.
This new approach is embedded in the latest version of the COSCAP-SEA Programme Document (Revision F of the PRODOC, which is currently in the final phase of adoption and signature) and Institutional Framework. It is also reflected in the COSCAP-SEA 2021/2022 Work Plan, which is available here.
The preparation for the transition into Phase V was led by the newly appointed COSCAP-SEA Chief Technical Advisor and Programme Coordinator (CTA/PC), Mr. Nicolas Rallo, who began his assignment on 15 February 2021. This was carried out through extensive coordination with all concerned stakeholders and with the objective of a more strategic and collaborative approach to maximize benefits for the Programme’s Member States. The proposed novel approach for implementing the Programme activities was prepared to address the immediate, near and longer-term needs of Member States, with due consideration to the need for effectiveness, sustainability and resilience of States’ aviation systems, and in line with the Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) and the Asia-Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Plan (AP-RASP).
An important milestone was the 20th meeting of the COSCAP-SEA Steering Committee (SCM/20), which was held on 30 and 31 March 2021 using a virtual platform. The meeting, chaired by Mr. Vo Huy Cuong, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation of Viet Nam, was attended by 68 participants from all 12 Member States as well as 13 Partner States and Organizations. SCM/20 endorsed the new approach proposed by the CTA/PC for implementing the Programme activities in Phased V, supported the proposed revisions of the PRODOC and Institutional Framework, and approved the Work Plan proposed by the CTA/PC for the period up to June 2022. In addition, in order to maintain the continuity of the Programme operations, SCM/20 requested COSCAP-SEA to perform its training and technical assistance activities using virtual platforms until COVID-19 related travel restrictions would be lifted.
The following week, on 6 April 2021, COSCAP-SEA organized a kick-off session with its Members and Partners to present and discuss the content of the 2021/2022 Work Plan, including regional training activities as well as technical assistance missions. As per the new approach, these activities are designed, conducted and followed-up on to help Member States meet the following seven strategic objectives:
- SP1– Identifying and mitigating potential immediate risks for safety;
- SP2– Effectively fulfilling the State’s certification/licensing/approval, surveillance and enforcement responsibilities;
- SP3– Identifying and mitigating key emerging risks as well as specific risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- SP4– Enhancing the State safety oversight system in an effective, sustainable and resilient manner;
- SP5– Ensuring the establishment and implementation of an independent and effective accident and serious incident investigation system in each State;
- SP6– Establishing and implementing effective safety data collection and processing systems; and
- SP7– Continuously progressing SSP implementation.
Since the kick-off session of 6 April 2021, COSCAP-SEA has already held four webinars and two workshops, encompassing safety oversight, accident/incident investigation and safety management. In the framework of the collaboration between the three COSCAPs established in the Asia Pacific area, COSCAP-SEA has invited Member States of COSCAP-North Asia (and COSCAP-NA) and COSCAP-South Asia (and COSCAP-SA) to attend all these training events. COSCAP-SEA Member States have also benefitted from seats offered free of charge in three training courses – two courses offered by France’s DGAC and one course organized by COSCAP-SA. In addition to training activities, in the last two months COSCAP-SEA has been providing technical assistance to two of its Member States, through the use of virtual platforms.
While working only with limited human resources (the CTA/PC and his assistant, Ms. Sudhatai Juntarapratin), COSCAP-SEA benefits from robust partnerships and works in close coordination and cooperation with the APAC Regional Office (with Mr. Parakrama Dissanayake as the focal point) and the ICAO Technical Cooperation Bureau (with Mr. Daniel Souhami as the focal point). Throughout the last four months, COSCAP-SEA has benefitted from increased engagement of, and closer collaboration with many of its Partners, including Australia (CASA), France (DGAC), the United Kingdom (UK CAA), the United States (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), Airbus and Boeing. COSCAP-SEA is grateful for the significant support received from its Partners, which are playing an essential role in providing benefits to the Programme’s Member States.
