ASTANA – Experts from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have completed an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) of Kazakhstan’s aviation safety oversight system, conducted from Sept. 21 to 25, the Civil Aviation Committee’s press service reported.
Experts from the United States FAA have completed an International Aviation Safety Assessment of Kazakhstan’s aviation safety oversight system. Photo credit: CAC. The assessment focused on Kazakhstan’s state aviation safety oversight system and its compliance with applicable International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices.
The FAA expert team began its visit with a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev. During the IASA, the experts reviewed Kazakhstan’s aviation legislation, subordinate regulatory acts and the country’s capacity to exercise effective oversight of aviation safety in line with ICAO requirements.
On Sept. 24, the FAA team also conducted a field visit to Air Astana in Astana. The airline is currently applying for economic authorization from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate flights to the United States. According to the Ministry of Transport, the visit was a positive, mutually beneficial experience for the organizations involved.
On Sept. 25, FAA experts held a final briefing in Kazakhstan and presented their preliminary findings. The experts noted the significant work Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities carried out. According to their preliminary assessment, Kazakhstan showed strong results in several areas, reflecting progress and political commitment to aviation safety.
Under the IASA procedure, the FAA will next send an official notification to Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities. The FAA will then hold final consultations to discuss any required corrective measures. After these stages, the FAA will decide on Kazakhstan’s Category 1 status.
Obtaining Category 1 would create the regulatory conditions Kazakh airlines need to complete the required procedures to launch direct air services to the U.S. The assessment is therefore an important step in Kazakhstan’s efforts to meet international aviation safety requirements and establish the regulatory framework for potential direct air connectivity with the U.S.