AFAC will Request Final Audit to Recover Category 1

Mexico appears to have finally gather all the necessary requirements to solicit an audit from the US in its long-awaited pursue of recovering the category 1 aviation safety standard. 

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) informed that the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) will request an audit to the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA), as it aims to recover category 1 in aviation safety. The approval of the Civil Aviation Law by the Mexican Congress signifies the last step in AFAC’s preparation for a final Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) audit. However, the Congress still has to resolve 3 pending "non-conformities", explained SICT via a press release. 

SICT explained that the first step must be for the reform to the Civil Aviation Law to be published first in Mexico’s Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), which will also allow the closure of the 3 missing "non-conformities". The "non-conformities" refer to: laws that allow regulating and supervising the certification and continuous supervision of the medical evaluations of aviation personnel; conduct regulatory investigations after each aviation accident and incident; and give AFAC legal and regulatory authority to issue medical certificates.

AFAC’s second step consists of have been resolved, requesting the FAA, through the corresponding diplomatic channels the IASA audit once the 3 "non-conformities" are resolved. 

The FAA's IASA program is an instrument that aims to make aviation the safest mode of transportation around the world, as the FAA and civil aviation authorities around the world, seek to identify areas to strengthen aviation safety to meet the United Nation's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

“When another country's air carrier flies into the U.S., or codeshares with a U.S. air carrier, they must meet safety standards set by the ICAO. Through the IASA program, the FAA focuses on a country's ability, not the ability of individual air carriers, to adhere to those international safety standards and recommended practices,” explained the FAA. 

SICT explained that the third step to take will be once the IASA audit is completed and the FAA issues a report of the results. Any findings from the FAA’s report must be resolved immediately by AFAC to meet the standards. 

“The FAA, upon verifying full compliance with the findings detected by the IASA audit, will issue the final report through the corresponding diplomatic means, communicating the recovery of Category 1 in aviation security,” explained SICT. 

AFAC addressed 39 "nonconformities" by implementing: proposals for modifications to the Aeronautical Legislation; the adoption of new amendments issued by ICAO; by updating the Electronic System for the Notification of Differences (EFOD); by responding to the FAA’s IASA audit questions; with the closure of the 39 "nonconformities" detected during the Technical Review; and by complying with AFAC’s self-assessment activities.