1. Global Aviation Safety Oversight System (GASOS)
A General Overview

2. Outline Current Global Situation Regional Solutions
Evolving with the Future
What is GASOS
GASOS Objectives
GASOS as a System
Benefits of GASOS
[Each bullet will appear after the first click]
In this presentation we are going to first look at the current situation which is another way to say what are the issues at hand;
Next we’ll talk a little about the importance of regional collaboration and why we need to evolve from where we are today;
Then we will get into some details about what GASOS is, what we hope to achieve with GASOS; and
Finally we will look at GASOS as a complete system to see how it works and the benefits it will provide.
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3. ;
Current State of Play
Many States continue to struggle meeting their safety oversight obligations;
Effective implementation of SARPs is increasing at a nominal rate;
States have limited financial and technical resources;
External assistance (from State and Regional Organizations) is often necessary; and
Regional solutions are possible options, but they have their own challenges
So what are the issues we see today in the world of aviation?
States are continuing to struggle to meet their oversight obligations. It can become increasingly difficult as ICAO issues approximately 500 new or amended provisions each year. We see this because the average effective implementation of SARPS remains right around 65%. (You’ll hear me say this a few times in this presentation).
Granted we are seeing an increase of approximately 1% annually but this isn’t good enough and you’ll see why in minute.
States have limited financial and technical resources so external assistance is often needed from another State or a Regional Organization.
And while ICAO continues to support regional collaboration mechanisms like RSOOs which can help States overcome specific challenges such as a lack of resources or qualified personnel, they too have their own challenges.
Let’s take a closer look at that last bullet
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4. Regional Solutions ~160 Member States
95 % want to participate in GASOS
RSOOs
COSCAPs
Future MENA RSOO
In order to help States rectify their safety oversight deficiencies, ICAO has been working with States to promote regional solutions. Through the creation of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations and COSCAP programmes, States have been able to pool their resources (both technical and financial) in order to implement their safety oversight obligations and overcome resource constraints.
Currently there are approximately 13 RSOOs and 4 COSCAPs that have been established to assist States effectively implement their safety oversight.
This slide really helps depict that over 80% of ICAO’s Member States are a party to a regional solution which is very impressive. However, as I previously mentioned these organizations and States are still facing challenges implementing their safety oversight. This is evident as the average global effective implementation rate remains at approximately 65%.
I think we all can agree that States need adequate, credible and flexible alternatives to developing capacity for all safety oversight functions in order to improve safety worldwide.
The current model of safety oversight simply cannot cope with the demands of a rapidly changing industry.
What do I mean by that
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5. Evolving with the Future
Cyber Safety
RPAS
Space Transportation
Growth of Air Transport
Well, I think we can all agree that the world of aviation as we know it today is undergoing rapid changes.
Worldwide air traffic volume is expected to double in the next fifteen years;
New technologies like PBN, ADS-B, RPAS, and DataComm are being rolled out, which presents a challenge to States to monitor under their oversight obligations;
We’re seeing changes to business models of aircraft ownership, registration, and use;
Industry activity is becoming increasingly multinational;
And we are seeing regulations shift from prescriptive to more performance based.
That last comment is extremely important. As regulations become more performance based it introduces new challenges on how a State establishes its Safety Programme and how it will manage its data to identify risk and prioritize that risk under the SSP.
With all this happening and States continuing to struggle to meet their oversight obligations, we need to evolve the way we conduct oversight functions and take a more global approach.
So ICAO is proposing a new programme called the Global Aviation Safety Oversight System - more commonly known as GASOS.
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6. What is GASOS
GASOS is a system designed by ICAO to assess, recognize, and continuously monitor the competence of Safety Oversight Organizations (SOOs) to perform safety functions on behalf of States.
GASOS will provide States with a global range of solutions for delegating safety functions or activities.
The results will allow for more efficient and effective use of limited resources and greater harmonization worldwide.
So what is GASOS?
In short, GASOS is a system designed by ICAO to assess, recognize, and continuously monitor the competence of Safety Oversight Organizations to perform safety oversight functions as well as safety management and accident investigation activities. Therefore when we say SOO that includes State CAAs, RSOOs, safety management organizations and accident investigation organizations.
To assess an organization’s competency to perform certain safety functions on behalf of a State, ICAO will use the USOAP CMA methodology. Depending on the outcome of the assessment then ICAO will recognize and continuously monitor that SOO. We will talk more about the details of the entire system in just a minute.
Through the recognition of these SOOs and identifying the competent functions they can perform it opens up a range of solutions for States to help them delegate various functions.
The results go beyond State and Regional levels and allow for global resources to be more efficiently and effectively utilized allowing for greater harmonization and standardization worldwide.
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7. GASOS Objectives Strengthen State safety oversight capabilities; and
Make SOOs more effective and efficient.
What do we hope to achieve with GASOS?
There are two main objective of GASOS
To strengthen State safety oversight capabilities.
This is done by providing States with a list of competent SOOs. That list then gives States, who wish to delegate certain safety functions, access to global best practices and the flexibility to choose and combine support from a variety of safety oversight organizations.
The second main objective is to strengthen existing SOOs making them more effective and efficient in supporting States
This is achieved by having an established set of criteria to measure these SOOs against and then of course through the continuous monitoring process.
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8. GASOS ICAO State Industry and other stakeholders Apply for Recognition
GASOS Directory
ICAO
Safety Oversight Organization
Continuous Monitoring
State
Access
Delegation of Functions
Assessment
Apply for Recognition
GASOS
Industry and other stakeholders
So now let’s get into the details a little bit and see how the system itself works.
Beginning in 2020, a safety organization (remember this includes State CAAs, RSOOs, Accident Investigation Organizations, and other State based mechanisms) may apply to ICAO for recognition based on three levels of delegation. We will take a closer look at those levels on the next slide.
Since GASOS is not a requirement an SOO would voluntarily submit an application for ICAO recognition.
The application consists of certain preliminary information such as -
The organizations funding levels and number of employees able to perform the function or activity;
The intended scope of recognition which again we will talk about in the next slide;
And information on the safety oversight activity already performed by the SOO on behalf of States, if applicable.
ICAO will then do a preliminary assessment of the application package in order to determine eligibility for a full GASOS assessment.
As part of that preliminary assessment ICAO will look at all the information initially submitted to determine whether the applying SOO meets the definition of an SOO as it relates to GASOS and that the applicant is able to demonstrate, in one way or another, competence for the proposed safety functions and delegation levels.
Assuming there is a positive outcome of the initial assessment ICAO will conduct a full assessment using the USOAP methodology. A team will be established that includes qualified subject matter experts along with USOAP auditors from either ICAO or States. The various functions have been mapped to USOAP CMA PQs or set of PQs. So, the size and composition of the team will vary depending on the organization’s size and the intended scope of recognition.
For example, if an organization only wants to be recognized for crew licensing then the team would be relatively small and the audit relatively simple. The more you add on the more complex and lengthy it becomes. This shouldn’t be a deterrent however. ICAO may consider applying a modular approach to the assessment (with multiple teams and keeping the possibility to phase recognition steps).
We encourage SOOs to apply for recognition in the areas where they can provide the best assistance or where they may want to strengthen themselves.
If the assessment is found to be satisfactory then ICAO will issue a GASOS recognition certificate and include the safety organization in the GASOS Directory. That directory then provides a State and other stakeholders access to SOOs that can assist them in fulfilling their safety oversight obligations.
Simple right?
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9. GASOS Levels of Delegation
Developing regulations, manuals, checklists and other guidance material;
Coordination of a pool of inspectors or experts
Level 1 – Advice and Coordination
Providing training to inspectors;
Performing certification and surveillance tasks such as inspections, audits, or reviews
Level 2 – Operational Assistance
Issue, amend, or revoke certificates, licenses, and approvals on behalf of the State
Level 3 – Full Delegation
[EACH LEVEL WILL APPEAR ON CLICK – REQUIRES 3 TOTAL CLICKS]
Under GASOS it is important to note that States can delegate certain safety oversight functions at three different levels so when they go to select an organization from the GASOS directory they will need to know the level of service the organization can provide.
Level 1 is advice and coordination only. This could include assistance in developing regulations, manuals, checklists, and other guidance material; or perhaps coordinating a pool of inspectors or experts;
Level 2 provides operational assistance. This may include preforming certification and surveillance tasks such as inspections, audits, or reviews aimed at supporting the decision to issue, maintain, amend or revoke a certificate, license or approval. The decision however, is left to the State.
Level 3 is full delegation where the organization is empowered to issue, amend, or revoke certificates, licenses, and approvals. In other words these organizations have the ability and authority to issue certain legally binding decisions on behalf of the State.
As I mentioned before we encourage SOOs to apply for areas where they can offer the most assistance. This could be in a variety of safety functions and at various levels.
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10. Benefits States RSOOs ICAO
Provides an alternative to having all safety oversight functions in-house with the required staffing.
Flexibility to choose and combine from different organizations for the various functions.
Access to services beyond the conventional RSOOs, from outside of the State’s sub-region, to more global best practices.
Ability to maintain a more cost-efficient and effective CAA
RSOOs
RSOOs would be empowered and strengthened to effectively carry out functions on behalf of States.
RSOOs would be aligned with the ICAO aviation safety strategies in the GASP.
Efficiencies would be realized with respect to current regulatory systems and safety oversight audit programmes.
ICAO
Apply USOAP CMA to RSOOs and safety oversight organizations for States, resulting in more efficient and effective use of resources
Provide for a higher and more consistent compliance with the ICAO SARPs
Improve national and regional safety oversight capabilities - GASP
Safety enhanced globally
[Click twice for each category – first States will appear then click again for the benefits to States and so on].
So GASOS sounds like a good idea right? Well of course it is because everyone benefits
States will now have the flexibility to choose and combine from different organizations for the various functions with some certainty that they are receiving assistance from a competent safety organization. This could also help States maintain a more cost-efficient and effective Civil Aviation Authority .
For RSOOs – they will be empowered and strengthened to effectively carry out functions on behalf of States. This is because the RSOO is being measured against a set of established criteria. Having that ICAO recognition, States will gain even more trust in the RSOOs and in turn begin delegating more functions leading to greater harmonization.
Lastly for ICAO, we believe GASOS will lead to more consistent compliance with the SARPs and improve national and regional safety oversight capabilities – a key component of the Global Aviation Safety Plan
So just a minute ago I asked if GASOS sounded like a good idea, and everyone here said yes right? Well you aren’t the only ones who thought so.
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11. RSOO Forum (Ministerial)
Regional Endorsement
EURNAT-DGCA
May 2017
NACC-DGCA
September 2017
RASG-MID/6
September 2017
APAC-DGCA
August 2017
RSOO Forum (Ministerial)
March 2017
RAAC/15 (DGCA)
December 2017
[After the first click each region will appear slowly as you list them all as outlined below].
The GASOS concept has received endorsements throughout the various regions
The first Ministerial endorsement was received at the March 2017 Regional Safety Oversight Organization Forum held in Swaziland
Next it was at the May European and North Atlantic Directors General of Civil Aviation meeting
Then a few months later in August at the Asia-Pacific DGCA meeting
Now across the globe in September at the North American, Central American and Caribbean DGCA meeting
In that same month it received an endorsement at the Sixth meeting of the Middle East Regional Aviation Safety Group and subsequently by DGCA mid;
And last but certainly not least, during the Fifteenth meeting of the Civil Aviation Authorities of the South American (SAM) Region
This really illustrates that the GASOS concept has a world recognition, we all agree that we need to do more to keep up with the rapid changes in aviation
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12. Schedule and Milestones
Complete Pilot Tests Levels 1 & 2
October 2017
December 2017
May 2018
October 2018
October 2019
January 2020
Complete Feasibility Study and RSOO Evaluation
Presentation of GASOS proposal at SANIS and Establish RSOO Cooperative Platform
Complete a GASOS Business Case
Recommendation at AN-Conf/13 (ANC Consultation)
Endorsement of the 40th Assembly (Council consultation)
GASOS launch
Develop GASOS programme and update ICAO provisions and guidance
A lot of work has already gone into the GASOS programme and there is still a lot more to do.
Just recently, on May 3 a working paper on GASOS was presented to the Air Navigation Commission. The Commission gave its support to present GASOS at the Air Navigation Conference in October of 2018.
In the meantime, the GASOS team is working to complete a business case and conduct pilot tests likely for delegation levels 1 and 2.
After the Air Navigation Conference later this year, the team only has about a year to complete the required guidance material and update ICAO provisions before it is presented to the Assembly in October 2019.
Assuming the Assembly gives the OK then there are only a few short months to fine tune the programme before it’s initial launch in 2020.
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13. Key Takeaways States keep ultimate responsibility for Safety Oversight
GASOS is a voluntary programme
There are 3 levels of delegation
Delegated functions and activities are mapped to USOAP CMA PQs
Recognition is granted in respect to the specific functions and delegation level carried out by the safety organization
Everyone benefits while aviation safety is enhanced globally
So hear is what I hope you take away from this-
I can’t stress enough that States keep the ultimate responsibility for Safety Oversight under the Chicago Convention
GASOS is a voluntary programme
Each delegated function is mapped to a USOAP CMA Protocol Question (PQ) or set of PQs.
Functions are classified in accordance with the potential level of empowerment granted by States. These three levels again are:
Advice and Coordination;
Operational Assistance; and
Certification
Recognition is granted in respect to the specific functions and delegation level carried out by the safety organization. If you recall, this means your SOO can have an ICAO recognition with multiple levels depending on the function or activity it is carrying out.
Everyone benefits while aviation safety is enhanced across the world.

14. Questions ?