An autonomous and efficient National Supervisory Authority

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On 12th May 2015, the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC) and DSNA Services signed under the patronage of the French and Haitian Presidents a partnership agreement aimed at building a high-performance civil aviation authority in Haiti compliant to international standards.

Since that day, during a 4-year period, DSNA Services experts, referents of the French Civil Aviation Safety Directorate, work alongside the local teams and in coordination with the ICAO regional office to provide OFNAC with a safety oversight system that meets ICAO standards and recommendations.

After 3 years of support, 36 on-site missions and 23 deliverables, the Directorate of Civil Aviation Safety of Haiti (DSACH) benefits today from:

  • A structure and an organization: premises, a DSACH Organization Circular, an operating manual, job descriptions, an organization chart, procedures and equipment adapted to the staff missions;
  • A legislative and regulatory framework: Haitian Civil Aviation Organization Act promulgated in September 2017, comprehensive technical regulations adapted to the State needs;
  • Safety Oversight methods: oversight manuals for each technical domain consisting of procedures, supporting documents and associated guides;
  • A trained and competent staff: 16 weeks of basic theoretical training and specialization in the different domains of supervision, a continuous training program and a recruitment plan, course materials.

The promulgation on September 6th, 2017 by the President of the Republic of Haiti of the Haitian Civil Aviation Organization Act, was a major step forward for Haïti, consolidating the institutional framework of civil aviation in the State.

The next phases of the project will be devoted to assist DSACH staff in putting into practice the foundations and methodologies they have today, to the effective implementation of certification and supervision processes, on-the-job training and auditing techniques training, and the implementation of a State Safey Program.

All these efforts associated with the start of the effective and autonomous activity of DSACH should lead to a substantial improvement in the level of compliance of Haiti’s safety oversight system with the ICAO standards.