IFATSEA AFRICA 2018 SPEECH BY HON. JAMES W. MACHARIA, EGH, CABINET SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT,
SPEECH
BY HON. JAMES W. MACHARIA, EGH, CABINET SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT,
INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS DURING IFATSEA
AFRICA REGIONAL MEETING HELD AT BOMA HOTEL, NAIROBI ON TUESDAY, 31ST
JULY, 2018
Eng. Joseph N. Nkadayo, MBS, Chairman, KCAA Board of Directors
Capt. Gilbert M. Kibe,
Director General, KCAA
Directors General of Civil
Aviation present
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning,
I am delighted to join you here this morning
as we participate in this 8th Africa Regional Meeting and Conference of
International Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations
(IFATSEA). Let me seize this opportune moment to warmly welcome all of us to
this worthwhile event. To our visiting colleagues from the AFI Region and
beyond, please feel welcome to our city of Nairobi.
Allow me to express my gratitude to Kenya
ATSEA for congregating together Global experts to share ideas on the theme:
“Aviation Safety and Security; ATSEPs Contributions” with a view to candidly
deliberate on a plethora of issues ranging from certification, training and
engagement of ATSEPs while at the same ensuring compliance with ICAO Standards
and Recommended Practices (SARPS).
Before I proceed further let us give a round
of applause to our able panelists and our host, IFATSEA for ensuring this 8th
annual Africa Meeting and Conference has come to fruition. I feel honoured when I see a pool of talented
and dedicated aviation trail blazers and professionals before me who are ready
and willing to enrich the discourses on the menu. I commend you!
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
Growth of the aviation industry in Africa has
necessitated the need for technical and economic cooperation that drives capacity
building and professionalism in aviation industry. Technology transfer in
development, engineering and maintenance of aviation systems forms the basis
for this growth.
Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel
(ATSEP), who are our engineers and technicians in Communication, Navigation and
Surveillance (CNS) systems have come together from around Africa to share
engineering challenges and solutions for the benefit of aviation industry.
ATSEPs form a core part of the technical teams whose roles contribute to aviation
safety and security within our airspace.
Kenya via International Federation of Air
Traffic Safety Electronics Associations (IFATSEA) is hosting this continental
event to promote safety, technology, innovation and manpower development for
ATSEPs, manufacturers, system designers, aviation training organisations, air
navigation service providers, civil aviation authorities and aviation safety
experts.
By operating CNS equipment that enables
communication between air traffic controllers and pilots, flight navigation via
instruments and surveillance via integrated radar systems, ATSEP operations ensure
safety of aircraft, crew, passengers, the environment and airspace at large.
This service is so critical to aviation to the extent that ICAO requirements of
system availability is 97% - Kenya has consistently ensured a score of over 98%
for our CNS/ATM equipment availability which underscores the low rate of
incidents arising out equipment outages and increased airspace coverage for our
Navigation Aids and Surveillance Systems. KCAA’s massive investment in the
modernization of Air Navigation Equipments and systems has not only led to this
achievement but also ensured Kenya provides exceptional air navigation services
to aircrafts transiting into and out of our airspace.
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
In order to effectively regulate ATSEP
operations, air navigation service providers, civil aviation authorities and
IFATSEA under guidance of ICAO have promoted inclusion of ATSEP operations into
State civil aviation regulations. In
Kenya, the Civil Aviation (Personnel Licensing) Regulations 2018, now provides
for inclusion of ATSEPs into the regulatory framework that deals with issuance
of licenses, certifications, ratings and authorizations. This is expected to
delegate safety responsibilities to individual ATSEPs on actions pertaining to
their roles and duties.
Distinguished
Participants,
I am reliably informed that, this forum will discuss
matters of ATSEPs contribution to safety and security in aviation industry. Key
issues brought for deliberation in this forum include;
ü Redefining
roles and responsibilities of ATSEPs that touch on aviation safety;
ü Safety
and security sensitization in ATSEP operations to enhance and regulate engineering and maintenance
services;
ü Gains
and challenges in legal and regulatory framework for implementing ATSEP State
Licensing;
ü ATSEP
competence based training and assessment as a key contributor to aviation
safety.
In addition, this meeting is one in a series
of forums that are building on the ICAO General Assembly 2019 agenda on ATSEP recognition
in Annex 1 - Personnel Licensing. It is with the foregoing in mind that, I look
forward to very interactive sessions whose outputs and outcomes will guide
policy formulation in this profession.
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
In conclusion allow me to thank the following
for partnering with the hosts; Kenya Air Traffic Systems Engineering
Association and Kenya civil Aviation Authority to deliver the theme of this conference;
Directors and Chief Executives of Civil
Aviation Authorities, Aviation Training Organizations and Air Navigation
Service Providers; Manufacturers and designers of systems, International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Eastern and Southern African Regional Office, Civil
Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), CASSOA and IFATSEA. Technical Associations;
KATCA, KAIMA and KACOA. Engineering Regulatory bodies; KETRB and EBK. Aviation
safety experts, presidents of ATSEP associations from Africa, the entire crew
of delegates from Africa and the rest of our partners in the aviation industry.
With those few remarks, I now declare the Conference
officially open, welcome.
God
bless you all.
IFATSEA AFRICA 2018 Speech by CAPT G. M. KIBE DG KCAA
SPEECH BY CAPT. GILBERT M KIBE, DIRECTOR
GENERAL OF KENYA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY DURING 8TH INTERNATIONAL
FEDERATION OF AIR TRAFFIC SAFETY ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATIONS (IFATSEA) AFRICA
REGIONAL MEETING AND CONFERENCE AT BOMA HOTEL, NAIROBI ON TUESDAY, 31ST
JULY, 2018
Hon.
James W Macharia, EGH, Cabinet Secretary
Transport, Infrastructure, Housing,
Urban
Development and Public Works
Mr.
Barry Kashambo, Regional Director, ICAO ESAF
Directors
General of Civil Aviation present
Invited
Guests
Colleagues
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning
It gives me great
pleasure to stand before you here this morning as one of the guests at the 8th
Africa Regional Meeting and Conference of International Federation of Air
Traffic Safety Electronics Associations (IFATSEA).
Professional Associations bring together staff of
common discipline to champion common interests and welfare for their well-being
as well as to ensure that organisations achieve their stated mandates. Indeed IFATSEA
has been a critical global player and more than a cog in the wheel in ensuring Air
Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEPs) role finds prominence in National
and global ICAO policies, Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS), this
vital role cannot unfortunately be wished away.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Reflecting
on the theme for this conference which is: “Aviation
Safety and Security - ATSEPs Contributions”, I am sure that the objectives
and challenges in the aviation industry are synonimous the world over and
therefore, can be mastered only through international cooperation, mutual
understanding and exchanging ideas and experiences; achieved through common
discourses delivered in conferences like this one.
The
role of ATSEPs is very important in ensuring safe, secure, efficient and
effective global air transport. It is the ATSEP that, through innovation, has
developed better systems to manage air traffic and ensure safety in the skies.
The system of light beacons for bearing information has evolved through
Non-Directional radio Beacons (most of which have been de-commissioned in Kenya)
and Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio range collocated with Distance
Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME). Aircrafts can manage landing even in bad weather
thanks to the Instrument Landing System (ILS).
Air
Traffic Controllers can visualize the airplanes being controlled in addition to
radio contact as a result of radar systems. Information about a a flight is
known in advance due to communication networks such as Aeronautical Fixed
Telecommunications Network (AFTN) which is being replaced by Aeronautical
Message Handling System (AMHS) for faster exchange of data not to forget the
Aeronautical Information Management systems which will enhance user-experience
and interoperability. More state of the art technologies including
Controller-Pilot-Data-Link-Communications, Automatic Dependent Satellite
Systems Broadcast or Contract (ADS-B(C)) have revolutionized flight movement.
All
these innovations and more that are still being explored for launching can only
be safeguarded and sustainable through a deliberate initiative that assures the
integrity, security and safety of our airspaces – the very reason we host this auspicious conference.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In
a nutshell, Kenya like our fellow African States have to maintain affiliation
with global peer entities like International Federation of Air Traffic Safety
Electronics Association (IFATSEA) to gain from the synergy of its international
affiliates on professional and technical matters. At Kenya Civil Aviation
Authority, we recognize the necessity for all ATSEPs in Africa who follow a
common profession with similar challenges to coalsce effort towards enhancing
safety of air navigation and therefore become united in worldwide professional
matters bereft of any subjective affiliations.
As
an Authority we strive to not only achieve ICAO system availability thresholds
but endevour to go beyond. For instance, availability of our critical
communication, navigation and surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM)
systems stands at 94.6%, implementation of the
provisions of ICAO Annex 1 – Personnel Licensing and Training manual (Doc.
7192) for global standardized ATSEP training and certification has been
enhanced through development and approval of ATSEP Policy document.
More
initiatives are being undertaken with a view to putting into prominence of the
ATSEP function in execution of our mandate. For
instance , the Civil Aviation (Personnel Licensing) Regulations 2018, now
provides for inclusion of ATSEPs into regulatory framework that deals with
issuance of licenses, certifications, ratings and authorizations. This is
expected to delegate safety responsibilities to individual ATSEPs on actions
pertaining to their roles and duties.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow
me to conclude by sincerely thanking you for finding time to join us and
request your indulgince in sampling our globally acclaimed tourist sites on
menu and enjoying Kenya’s hospitality during your stay. I wish you a productive
and engaging deliberations ahead.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, join me in inviting Hon. James W Macharia, EGH Cabinet
Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development
and Public Works to make his remarks and officially open this Conference.
Thank
you very much and may God bless you abundantly.
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