International Civil Aviation Organization What

International Civil Aviation Organization

What is the International Civil Aviation Organization? When was it founded? What is its importance in the history of aviation? It was in November 1944 that an International Aviation Conference was called for in Chicago, America. About fifty five states were invited for this important conference, and after lengthy discussions, it was finalized that a total of thirty two states would enter into an agreement with each other. The agreement stated that these thirty two states would set up the permanent International Civil Aviation Organization or the ICAO as it became popularly known, so that they would be able to garner international co-operation towards achieving the best degree of uniformity as far as issues like typical regulations and standards, procedures and the better organization of civil aviation matters was concerned. It is important to note that it was at the same time that the significant 'International Services Transit Agreement' and the 'International Air Transport Agreement' were signed by the states involved and participating in the discussions. However, the most significant of all the developments at the 1944 Chicago Conference was that now there was an accepted and acknowledged set of rules and regulations that would, in later years, serve to take flying a giant leap forward in progress, especially technically. Eventually, there would be established a common air navigation system throughout the world as a direct result of this conference, and as a result of the founding of the International Civil Aviation Organization. ("History, foundation of the International Civil Aviation Organization," n. d.)

According to the terms of the 1944 Chicago Convention, the International Civil Aviation Organization would be made up of an Assembly, a Council of limited membership with various subordinate bodies as well as a Secretariat. The Chief Officers of the Organization would be the President of the Council and the Secretary General. While the Assembly would be made up of the representatives of all the Contracting States, it would also have the duty of serving as the sovereign body of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Assembly would meet once every three years, and the work of the organization would be reviewed, as well as the policy that would need to be established for the upcoming years. The Council, the governing body of the Organization, would be made up of representatives from all the thirty two states. The members of the Council would be grouped under three titles: those States of chief importance in air transport, those States that make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for air navigation, and those States whose designation would eventually ensure that all the major areas of the world are represented. ("International Civil Aviation Organization: How it works," n. d.)

The duties of the Council would include providing a direction to the Organization, and also in providing guidelines for the policies and rules that govern the aviation industry as a whole. The Secretariat would be grouped under five main divisions: the Air Navigation Bureau, the Air Transport Bureau, the Technical Co-operation Bureau, the Legal Bureau, and the Bureau of Administration and Services. The Secretariat would be headed by a Secretary General. It must be remembered that the aviation industry is a large one, and it must have affiliations with several other organizations if it were to stay at a level of fitness that is required of the industry. This is the reason why the International Civil Aviation Organization works in tandem with agencies like the World Meteorological Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, the Universal Postal Union, the World Health Organization and the International Maritime Organization. ("International Civil Aviation Organization: How it works," n. d.)

Take South Africa. This country became a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization in the year 1947, and in the year 2003, after an 'extraordinary assembly of the ICAO," South Africa was elected to the Council, and a Permanent Representative was added by the Ministry of Transport to the ICAO Council in order to establish a South African office at the Headquarters at Montreal, Canada. ("International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO, History and present status," 2004) in the same way, all the signatory states who may have agreed to be a part of the ICAO would be offered their own Council, and they would be a part of the organization known as the International Civil Aviation Organization. (Kapteyn, 1984)

The International Civil Aviation Organization has these several bureax working as a group for the ultimate good of the organization, and these are the Air Navigation Bureau, the Air Transport Bureau, the Legal Bureau, the Technical Cooperation Bureau, and the Bureau of Administration and Services. The Air Navigation Bureau has the responsibility of creating and developing technical studies for the Air Navigation Commissions, and also for developing recommendations that are meant to be used by the air navigation board. These recommendations, grouped under the heading Standards and Recommended Practices or SARPs are related to the efficiency, safety and the regularity of the International Aviation Council. The Air Transport Bureau, on the other hand, is charged with, by the Air Transport, Unlawful Interference and Joint Support Committees, for providing expert assistance for the Assembly, Council, Air Transport Committee or the ATC, the Committee on Unlawful Interference or the UIC, the Committee on Joint Support of Air Navigation Services or the JSC, and the specialized conference, divisional, panel and working group meetings that may be convened in the air transport field. The Legal Bureau would provide legal assistance and aid to the Secretary General, and through him, to other bodies of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Technical Cooperation Bureau is responsible for providing assistance in areas such as Neutrality, Transparency and Objectivity, while the Bureau of Administration and Services would provide the much needed administrative support required by the Organization in various areas such as distribution and sales, personnel, language and publications, conference and office services for the ICAO, and so on. ("International Civil Aviation Organization, Bureax activities," n. d.)

It is important to understand the impact that aviation may have today, and in the future, especially with regards to the atmosphere and the pollution that aircrafts bring into the atmosphere. It is of utmost necessity to consider this fact before any more progress can be made in aviation, and today, the International Civil Aviation Organization has proved to be a responsibly civic body, which has demonstrated its awareness of problems related to aviation, time and again, through time. This body would make decisions like increasing the fuel efficiency of an aircraft through a particular method, reducing noise and pollution, making available cost effective fuel for the aircraft, and so on. The global perspectives must be considered, so that eventually, the aviation industry would derive the benefits. (Penner, 1999)