Since August 2021, The Wicks Group, LLC (TWG) has been providing extensive on-the-ground and remote assistance to aid the Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil (ANAC), the civil aviation authority (CAA) of the Republic of Angola, in preparingi for an audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) pursuant to ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP). TWG has been working with ANAC since its formation in September, 2021, as part of TWG’s ongoing aviation-safety technical assistance consulting to CAAs around the world.
The purpose of the ICAO USOAP audit is to monitor and assess the Republic of Angola’s compliance with its safety oversight obligations as an ICAO Member State. ICAO auditors have been on the ground in the Republic of Angola since Wednesday, November 30. Auditors are assessing the Republic of Angola’s level of implementation of ICAO’s oversight systems, including the implementation of ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), which correspond to 18 ICAO Annexes, in its laws, regulations, procedures, and guidance material. TWG has been present on-site to support ANAC throughout the audit process.
TWG has supported ANAC’s audit preparation in several important ways to ensure effective and consistent compliance with ICAO SARPs. TWG’s primary focus has been on ICAO Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing), ICAO Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft), ICAO Annex 7 (Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks), and ICAO Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft). TWG Technical Staff members are also providing thorough training to ANAC Inspectors in the areas of Operations, Airworthiness, and Personnel Licensing to ensure that inspectors can achieve and maintain current and qualified status for their relevant oversight responsibilities.
Supported by TWG’s technical assistance, this important ICAO audit and its specific results will support ANAC in ensuring that it is in full and continuous compliance with its aviation-safety oversight responsibilities.
Established in 1999 and based in Washington, DC, The Wicks Group has a lengthy record of providing technical assistance to CAAs worldwide, including those of India, Panama, Cabo Verde, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Trinidad and Tobago. In all, ten FAA Category 1 ratings have been issued to TWG IASA technical assistance clients to date – a 100% track record. TWG also regularly assists foreign air carriers with obtaining the US government approvals needed for US air carrier operations and foreign repair stations with securing FAA certification required to maintain US-registered aircraft.