KATHMANDU, July 4: A team of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday, will start studying the status of aviation safety in Nepal from Tuesday.
The two-member team consisting of experts in flight operation and air worthiness are scheduled to start their auditing by holding an interaction with officials of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
“The detail of other programs will be finalized during the interaction. The task of auditing will conclude on July 11,” Birendra Prasad Shrestha, the spokesperson for CAAN, told Republica.
According to Shrestha, the visiting team having Captain Eugene Voudri and Aeronautical Engineer Edmund Bohland will conduct audit of flight operation and air worthiness.
The ICAO usually conducts audits of eight elements of aviation -- primary aviation legislation, specific operating regulations, safety oversight functions, technical personal qualification and training, provision of safety critical information, licensing and certification, surveillance obligations, and resolution of safety concerns.
Earlier in 2013, a team sent by ICAO had visited Nepal to follow up progress in deficiencies that the global aviation body pointed out in 2009. At that time, the team concluded that Nepal's aviation safety measures could not meet the standards set by ICAO Coordinated Validation Missions (ICVM).
Unsatisfied with the progress made by Nepal on aviation safety, ICAO had given Significant Safety Concern (SSC) to Nepal's aviation sector in 2013. The ICAO audit report led the European Commission to put a ban on Nepali airlines from flying in the European airspace.
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