ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organization

ICAO full name

International Civil Aviation Organization.

ICAO headquarters

Montreal, Canada.

ICAO membership

193 contracting states.

Chicago Convention entry

4 April 1947. Turkey = 26th ratification.

ICAO UN status

UN specialized agency since 13 May 1947.

ICAO predecessor

ICAN (International Commission for Air Navigation) 1919-1944.

PICAO

Provisional ICAO – operated before Convention entered force.

Assembly meeting frequency

Every 3 YEARS.

Assembly voting

Each state = ONE VOTE.

Assembly powers

Elect Council; vote budget; amend Convention; determine policies.

Council size

36 states elected for 3-year terms.

Council Category I

States of chief importance in air transport (USA, China, UK, etc.).

Council Category II

States making largest contribution to providing air navigation facilities.

Council Category III

States ensuring GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION.

Council meetings

At least 3 times per year.

Council President

Elected by Council for 3-year term.

Council mandatory functions

Appoint ANC; Adopt SARPs; Settle disputes; Report non-compliance; Administer finances.

Council permissive functions

Conduct research; Investigate obstacles; Recommend measures; Investigate insurance.

Article 54(j)

Significant Safety Concern mechanism – notifies ALL states of non-compliance.

ANC size

19 persons in PERSONAL CAPACITY.

ANC function

Examines and RECOMMENDS all SARPs. Technical advisory body.

ANC vs Council

ANC = technical advisory. Council = political decision-making.

Secretary-General

Chief Administrative Officer. Currently Juan Carlos Salazar.

ANB

Air Navigation Bureau – technical standards (Annexes 1-19).

ATB

Air Transport Bureau – economic analysis; facilitation (Annex 9).

TCB

Technical Cooperation Bureau – technical assistance; TRAINAIR PLUS; NCLB.

LEB

Legal Affairs & External Relations Bureau – drafts air law instruments.

BAS

Bureau of Administration & Services – finance, HR, IT, facilities.

Official languages

English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese.

ELP requirement

Level 4 minimum for all pilots

Regional offices

7: Bangkok, Cairo, Dakar, Lima, Mexico City, Nairobi, Paris.

Philippines region

Bangkok (APAC – Asia and Pacific).

APANPIRG

Asia

USOAP

Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme – established 1999.

USOAP CMA

Continuous Monitoring Approach – since 2013.

Critical Element 1

Primary aviation legislation.

Critical Element 2

Specific operating regulations.

Critical Element 3

State civil aviation system and safety oversight functions.

Critical Element 4

Qualified technical personnel.

Critical Element 5

Technical guidance, tools, safety-critical information.

Critical Element 6

Licensing, certification, authorization obligations.

Critical Element 7

Surveillance obligations.

Critical Element 8

Resolution of safety concerns.

SSC

Significant Safety Concern – condition posing immediate safety risk.

SSC consequence

Communicated to ALL states. May trigger operational restrictions.

EI score

Effective Implementation score – percentage compliance. Below 60% flagged.

USAP

Universal Security Audit Programme – security audits.

USAP confidentiality

Results CONFIDENTIAL (unlike USOAP public).

FAA IASA

International Aviation Safety Assessment.

IASA Category 1

Meets ICAO standards – carriers may serve US.

IASA Category 2

Does NOT meet ICAO standards – frozen expansion.

EU Community Safety List

Carriers BANNED from EU airspace. MANDATORY enforcement.

CORSIA

Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme.

CORSIA baseline

2019 emissions levels.

CORSIA Pilot Phase

2021-2023 – voluntary.

CORSIA First Phase

2024-2026.

CORSIA Mandatory Phase

2027+.

Strategic Plan 2026-2050

"Safe Skies, Sustainable Future."

LTAG

Net-Zero Carbon by 2050 – Long-Term Global Aspirational Goal.

Traffic projections 2024

4.6B passengers.

Traffic projections 2050

12.4B passengers.

Strategic Goal 1

Every Flight is Safe & Secure – zero fatalities.

Strategic Goal 2

Environmentally Sustainable – net-zero carbon 2050.

Strategic Goal 3

Seamless, Accessible & Reliable Mobility.

Strategic Goal 4

No Country Left Behind – capacity building.

Strategic Goal 5

Comprehensive Legal Framework.

Strategic Goal 6

Economic Development for All.

ICAO budget

~CAD $357M per triennium.

Scale of assessments

GNP + share of international air traffic.

Largest contributor

USA ~25%.

Article 62

Voting rights suspended for financial arrears.

Annex count

19 technical Annexes containing SARPs.

Annex 1

Personnel Licensing.

Annex 2

Rules of the Air.

Annex 3

Meteorological Service.

Annex 4

Aeronautical Charts.

Annex 5

Units of Measurement.

Annex 6

Operation of Aircraft.

Annex 7

Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks.

Annex 8

Airworthiness of Aircraft.

Annex 9

Facilitation.

Annex 10

Aeronautical Telecommunications.

Annex 11

Air Traffic Services.

Annex 12

Search and Rescue.

Annex 13

Aircraft Accident Investigation.

Annex 14

Aerodromes.

Annex 15

Aeronautical Information Services.

Annex 16

Environmental Protection.

Annex 17

Security.

Annex 18

Dangerous Goods.

Annex 19

Safety Management – newest (2013).

Annexes with ONLY Standards

Annexes 2, 5, 7, 8.

Annex 6 Part IV

RPAS – 1st Edition 2024. Applicability 26 November 2026.

SARPs total

~12,000 individual Standards + Recommended Practices.

EFOD

Electronic Filing of Differences – ICAO digital platform.

AIP GEN 1.7

Differences published in national AIP.

NCLB

No Country Left Behind – assists developing states.

TRAINAIR PLUS

ICAO training programme.

Doc 9284

Technical Instructions for Dangerous Goods. Updated every 2 years.

Doc 9859

Safety Management Manual.