Safety Monitoring
Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach (USOAP CMA)
In 2018, ICAO completed a total of 50 activities under the framework of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) continuous monitoring approach (CMA), eight more than originally planned:
- 13 USOAP CMA audits;
- 15 ICAO Coordinated Validation Missions (ICVMs);
- Two State Safety Programme implementation assessments (SSPIAs) (one on a confidential, voluntary basis and another on a non-confidential, voluntary basis); and
- 20 off-site validation activities.
In addition, three Mandatory Information Requests (MIRs) were issued to obtain detailed information from States on specific aviation safety-related issues.
By the end of the three-year period from 2015 to 2018, USOAP CMA activities conducted in 185 States generated an average Effective Implementation (EI) value of 66.30 per cent in terms of the eight Critical Elements of a State’s civil aviation safety oversight system. Of these 185 States, 129 attained an EI of
60 per cent or higher.
A USOAP milestone was reached in July 2018 with the audit of the civil aviation system of Kenya, which was the 500th USOAP activity since the start of the USOAP comprehensive systems approach in 2005.
A key feature of the continuing evolution of the USOAP CMA is the transition to the next phase of the State Safety Programme (SSP) Implementation Assessments (SSPIAs). A new set of SSP Protocol Questions (PQs), reflecting Amendment 1 to Annex 19 —
Safety Management, the fourth edition of the
Safety Management Manual (SMM) (Doc 9859), and the lessons learned throughout the SSPIA preparatory phase, was published and used to conduct the first non-confidential, voluntary SSPIA in November 2018.
In 2018, a process was established for the continuous monitoring of States that had resolved Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) without sustainable capacity building as well as for the provision of enhanced information on such States to the Monitoring and Assistance Review Board (MARB) of ICAO.
The work of the Group of Experts for a USOAP CMA Structured Review (GEUSR) was completed in early 2018, with 37 recommendations presented to further enhance the USOAP CMA methodology, processes and tools. An update on the evolution of the USOAP CMA was presented to the Thirteenth Air Navigation Conference (AN-Conf/13). An action plan to address the GEUSR recommendations and additional information on the evolution of the USOAP CMA based on the outcome of AN-Conf/13 is being developed.
ICAO continued to improve the USOAP CMA Online Framework through extensive redevelopment that increased its speed and reduced response time. Modules were added to support the MIR activity, facilitate the process of updating Annex amendments on the Electronic Filing of Differences (EFOD) platform and provide a feedback communication platform for State users.
In 2018, subsequent to the successful transition audit in 2017 to the ISO 9001:2015 in September 2017, USOAP CMA processes, procedures and other documentation managed through the Quality Management System (QMS) were reviewed and updated.
With respect to capacity building and standardization, five USOAP CMA familiarization workshops were conducted in Dakar, Paris, Jakarta, Riyadh and Seoul. Within the Secretariat, a USOAP CMA standardization workshop was conducted in June 2018 for USOAP team leaders and team members, prospective team leaders from the regional offices, as well as technical staff. Throughout 2018, on-the-job training to qualify as a USOAP CMA team member or team leader was conducted.
ICAO also provides USOAP CMA computer-based training (CBT) and, since its launch in 2011, 1 336 participants from 116 States and 15 international/regional organizations have taken part.
