Operational Safety

What is the Operational Safety Section?

The Operational Safety Section (OPS Section) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) provides technical expertise on a wide range of subject areas that strengthen the safety of international civil aviation worldwide. Operating under ICAO’s Air Navigation Bureau, this section focuses on developing, maintaining, and promoting global Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) that contribute to safe flight operations to meet current and emerging aviation challenges.

Core Responsibilities

1. Development of Global Standards

The section supports the creation and updating of SARPs contained primarily in:

• Annex 1 – Personnel Licensing and Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Training (Doc 9686)
• Annex 6 – Operation of Aircraft (Part I - International Commercial Air Transport – Aeroplanes; Part II : - International General Aviation – Aeroplanes; and Part III: International Operations — Helicopters)
• Annex 7 – Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks
• Annex 8 – Airworthiness of Aircraft
• Annex 18 – The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air

These standards guide States in regulating commercial air transport, general aviation, and specialized operations to maintain consistent global safety levels.

2. Operational Guidance

The OPS Section develops detailed guidance materials, manuals, and best practices to enhance aviation safety in the following subject areas:

• Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks
• Airworthiness
• Cabin safety
• Cargo Safety
• Cooperative Oversight Framework
• Dangerous goods
• Electronic Personnel Licenses (EPL)
• Fatigue Management
• Flight operations
• Global Tracking Initiatives
• Human Factors
• Instrument Flight Procedures
• Language Proficiency
• Performance-based approaches
• Personnel training and licensing

Global Collaboration – The Expert Groups and Panels

ICAO Expert Groups play an essential role in advancing the Organization's strategic goals by providing specialized technical expertise and recommendations that support the safe, secure, efficient, sustainable, and orderly development of international civil aviation. The following is the list of panels and expert groups the OPS Section is associated with:

• Airworthiness Panel (AIRP)
• Dangerous Goods Pane (DGP)
• Flight Operations Panel (FLTOPSP)
• Cabin Safety Specific Working Group of the Flight Operations Panel (FLTOPSP-CSSWG)
• Flight Recorder Specific Working Group of the FLTOPSP (FLTOPSP-FLIRECSWG)
• Safe Carriage of Goods Specific Working Group of the FLTOPSP (FLTOPSP-SCGSWG)
• Instrument Flight Procedures Panel (IFPP)
• Personnel Training and Licensing Panel (PTLP)
• Cooperative Oversight For Cross-border Operations Sub-Group (COCBO-SG)
• Cross-Border Transferability Task Force (XBT-TF)
• Exploratory group – Language Proficiency Requirements 
• Exploratory group on ICARD and SBAS-Cat User’s Handbook
• Safety Information Protection Implementation Group (SIP-IG)
• True North Advisory Group (TRUE-AG)
• UN aviation technical advisory group (UNATAG), which includes UN DOS and WFP

Strategic Impact

By establishing internationally recognized safety benchmarks and fostering cooperation among aviation authorities, the Operational Safety Section supports ICAO’s goals of ensuring that every flight is safe and secure and promoting international cooperation through the work of Panels so that no country is left behind.