An Air Operator’s Certificate – Where to Start?
As promised in last week’s blog, here is the first step to obtaining an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). This blog will look at the first decisions the next airline mogul must make; more detail on particular issues will be addressed in later blogs.
It must be understood that before a company is permitted to operate flights for the purpose of commercial air transport, asking passengers for money, it must hold an AOC issued by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The AOC ensures that the operator has addressed a number of regulatory requirements, addressing:
- Finance & Route Licensing – this also includes the ownership of the company intending to operate the AOC, the CAA will look at holding companies and ensure ownership is correct;
- Operations – this includes training of flight deck and flight attendants, the establishment and oversight of ground operations, flight planning and ramp support;
- Airworthiness – the ongoing airworthiness management of the aircraft, maintenance when required, technical data assessed when necessary and the correct accomplishment of maintenance.
