Technical Procedure to Regain Category 1 Planned for February
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Technical Procedure to Regain Category 1 Planned for February

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Emilio Aristegui By Emilio Aristegui | Junior Journalist and Industry Analyst - Wed, 01/25/2023 - 13:38

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) reached an agreement with the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to help Mexico’s pursuit to recover its Category 1 airspace rank after its downgrade in 2021. 

Minister of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport Jorge Nuño Lara presented in Washington a corrective action plan to regain Mexico’s Category 1 distinction, which was approved by the FAA via a new revision or “Technical Assistance” process that will be carried out on Feb. 6-19, 2023. Nuño will have to present advances at the FAA’s headquarters to continue the process. 

SICT and FAA agreed that Mexico’s Category 1 recovery is a vital priority for both governments, arguing that guaranteeing air safety for more than 30 million passengers is the main priority of Mexico and the US. 

Nuño explained that SICT has developed a reform to Mexico’s Civil Aviation Law that aims to strengthen the capabilities of the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) for verification, operational safety, regulatory investigation of accidents and incidents, issuance, suspension, cancellation and revocation of aptitude certificates. The reform will also pursue an innovative aviation medicine area to evaluate technical-aeronautical personnel. 

Mexico will also implement the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) updated Platform for the Electronic Notification of System Differences that change the aeronautical legislation. The plan will respond to the 316 FAA IASA audit questions and self-assessment of possible gaps in all areas of the AFAC. 

As part of the efforts to recover the lost category, the US Embassy and Consulate in Mexico announced the opening of the first FAA office in Mexico. The office will work to consolidate efforts in the integration of North America and to strengthen collaboration between both countries, as reported by MBN. 

“It is an honor to announce that the FAA opened for the first time in its history an office in Mexico, which will serve to strengthen cooperation with the authorities and the private sector of the aviation industry. In this way, we will deepen the dialogue and joint work so that our countries collaborate in civil aviation matters,” said Ken Salazar, Ambassador of the US in Mexico via a press release

Photo by:   Image by annekroiss from Pixabay

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