The International Civil Aviation Authority conducted a four-day audit of the Directorate of Civil Aviation at the end of May, issuing a series of findings this week that need to be corrected within nine months, according to DCA officials.
Key findings included that the DCA needs more staff to effectively implement the government’s safety mandate, and also that enforcement of regulations was inadequate.
The ICAO audit recommended the government needs to allocate sufficient financial resources to DCA to enable it to fulfill the government’s safety oversight responsibility.
In addition, ICAO auditors said the government should provide the wherewithal for the DCA to recruit qualified and experienced inspectors in all areas of aviation activities.
The audit results highlight the importance of government support for compliance work of the DCA, which among other activities has safety oversight of the national air carrier, Air Marshall Islands.
It is important that DCA authority is recognized, said one DCA official who asked not to be named. Enforcement of safety regulations has to be strong.
Among its findings, the ICAO audit noted: DCA depends entirely on the Marshall Islands government’s budget allocation to fund its operation, and its financial resources are not sufficient to enable the DCA to fulfill its safety oversight responsibilities given the governments scope of aviation activities.
DCA should establish a training program for its technical staff including initial, on-the-job, and recurrent training, also in the area of “specialized services” relating to its overall functions.
The ICAO auditors said that while the DCA met the ICAO minimum safety standard, the government needs to correct the problems identified in the audit to remain in compliance with international requirements.
