HAITI - Some news from Port-au-Prince - France Aviation Civile Services

Last year, we expressed our satisfaction to pass a significant step of our project with the delivery to OFNAC end of July 2022 of all the national regulation. These regulations have now been published and enforced.

We are now fully engaged in the next phases with the drafting of all oversight manuals, the training of OFNAC inspectors and the sensitization of operators before starting the effective safety oversight phase.

The work and collaboration with OFNAC continues despite a complicated general situation in Haiti and many internal security and economic problems. The working method put in place works thanks to the tremendous energy of the OFNAC team and the experts from France Aviation Civile Services (FRACS). Numerous videoconferences allow to maintain daily contact, ensure continuous reviews and exchanges, and to work together.

This March will see the delivery of all oversight manuals in the areas of Licensing (PEL), Flight Operations (OPS), Airworthiness (AIR), Air Navigation (ANS), Airports (AGA), and the State Safety Plan (SSP). The beginning of the year also saw the training of newcomers to OFNAC, some of whom did not have an aviation background, in the basics of civil aviation.

We are now entering the practical phases of the project with the training of the future inspectors on safety oversight activities, the mastering of manuals and the preparation of Haitian operators to work in this new framework. The first contacts with Sunrise, the AAN (National Airport Authority) and the DNA (Air Navigation Directorate) are encouraging. Enthusiasm and goodwill are present. A lot of work remains to be done, but the dynamic is good.

At the same time, work is underway to update Haiti’s On-Line Framework (OLF) and the compliance profile of the Republic of Haiti is expected to progress significantly.

This article is written from Port-au-Prince where our first mission of the year is taking place and we are particularly pleased to be able to meet and work with our colleagues and friends from OFNAC.