Posted by News Team on November 15, 2001 at 09:56:32:
Bahamian Civil Aviation back to Status One
Met all Federal Aviation authority requirements
By LINDSAY THOMPSON
Guardian Senior Reporter
The Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas has been restored to its Category 1 status by the Federal
Aviation Administration, which downgraded the country last year due to certain safety violations.
This was announced Wednesday by Minister of Transport, Aviation and Local Government C. A.
Smith, who said that the reclassification takes effect immediately.
"This restoration process has been achieved in record time," Smith said.
The reclassification is based upon the findings of the FAA assessment team, which on Nov. 13 certified
that the safety oversight now provided by The Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority "complies fully" with
the aviation safety standards mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the
International Aviation Safety Assessment programme of the FAA.
"This reclassification means that all restrictions previously placed on Bahamian registered air carriers as
a result of being classified as Category 2 have been removed," Smith said. "Specifically, it means that
the national flag carrier Bahamasair can now expand its operations and seek new routes into the United
States using its own fleet rather than wet leasing from foreign carriers."
In Oct. 2000, The Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority was downgraded to Category 2 by the FAA when
an assessment team of that U.S. regulating body determined that the safety oversight by the local
authority to the industry did not comply with international standards.
And, in order to be restored to Category 1, the government of The Bahamas took corrective actions,
chief among them being amending the Civil Aviation Act, 1976, which established the Office of the
Director of Civil Aviation with legal powers to execute regulatory duties.
The government also repealed the colonial Air Navigation Order, 1961, and adopted and implemented
The Bahamas Air Navigation Regulations 2001, and The Bahamas Air Safety Regulations, 2001.
Another move the government made was to engage a team of technically qualified consultants from Tim
Neel and Associates to establish a Flight Standards Inspectorate that meets ICAO standards and to
train local personnel as aviation safety inspectors.
The government also employed "well qualified" Bahamian technical persons and trained them as
aviation safety inspectors.
Furthermore, the government implemented a certification and surveillance system to provide general
oversight of commercial operators that parallel that of the FAA and the ICAO. The government then
established a safety issue resolution process that meets all ICAO standards and practices.
"This is a significant day in the history of The Bahamas aviation industry as Bahamian registered
airlines and air taxis will now have the opportunity to expand and or open new markets to and from the
United States," Smith said.