Coscap-SA steering committee meeting

THE 15th Steering Committee meeting of the Co-operative Development of Operational Safety and continuing Airworthiness Programme-South Asia, (COSCAP-SA) will be held at the Regency Hotel, Kandy from February 7-9 sponsored by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, states press release issued by the Civil Aviation Academy.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 1992 recognised the need to improve the capabilities of its member States in carrying out the minimum requirements of the Chicago Convention and its Annexes.

In order to enhance the capability of States to meet this requirement it established the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USAOP) Chicago convention is the initial agreement made by the pioneering countries when forming the first post-war international aviation organization.

The 30th Asia and Pacific Regional Conference of the Directors General of Civil Aviation held in 1994 recognized the need for greater attention to Aviation Safety through Regional Cooperation. Consequently the first Co-operative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme (COSCAP) was launched in 1998 consisting of the seven South Asian countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

This was named as COSCAP-South Asia.

COSCAP-SA was formed to enhance safety and efficiency of air transport operations in its member States, in a cost-effective manner, for the purpose of creating regional capability and a regional forum for addressing, in a coordinated manner, flight safety oversight aspects.

It also works for the harmonization of related laws, regulations, policies and procedures. COSCAP programme is executed by ICAO by means of a Trust Fund.

The COSCAP-SA Programme is guided by a Steering Committee, comprising the DGCAs of the Member States, the Director of the Technical Cooperation Bureau of ICAO or his representative, ICAO Regional Director or his representative, and the Programme's Chief Technical Advisor/Coordinator. Representatives of donor organizations contributing in cash or in kind to the Programme are invited to participate at all Steering Committee meetings that are normally held at intervals of 6-8 months.

During the full period of operation this Programme had trained 4538 aviators of the Region. The Programme ran 185 aviation related training courses from its inception. 490 aviators from Sri Lanka were trained.

COSCAP-SA held 29 training courses in Sri Lanka which included 61 days of training. Technical Assistant to Sri Lanka was also offered which totalled 96 working days. During the year 2005, 563 aviators of the region were given training.