SARI Introductory OPS Rules Development Workshop in Nepal

A 5-day on-site activity took place between the 24th and 28th of July 2023 at Nepal CAA (CAAN) premises. The main objective was to provide a review/overview of the European Air operations (OPS) regulation, its structure, and principles including insights given by the SARI Experts on Regulation drafting principles, and practical examples on how to start drafting own Air Ops regulations based on European standards.

 

The workshop aimed to achieve the following:

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• To explore the current status of applicable/drafted rules.

• To introduce the regulator and the aviation industry to the EU OPS regulations.

• To draft, in cooperation with CAAN and the SARI experts, a roadmap leading to the implementation of OPS standards using EASA Air Operations Regulation 965/2012 as a reference enabling the measurement of progress within this programming task and setting applicable timelines.

• To provide insights given by the SARI experts on regulation drafting principles, and practical examples on how to start to draft its own Air Ops regulations based on European standards and give time to practice regulation drafting under the guidance of the experts.

 

The activity started with a presentation of the scope of EU Aviation Safety Regulations, the related benefits of the European Aviation Legislation, and the role of EASA as an organization followed by the EU regulatory structure and the current legal framework as well as rules pertinent to aviation in Nepal. Differences between “Hard Law” and “Soft Law” were elaborated in connection with the Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material and the possibility of Alternative Means of Compliance processes. Three teams were nominated by CAAN to draft the rules in the areas of ORO, CAT, and SPA based on Easy Access Rules (Revision 20 from June 2023).  The activity helped CAAN in gaining competencies for drafting the new Nepalese Air Operations Requirements Part I – DEF, Part II – ERO, Part III – ORO, Part IV – CAT, and Part V – SPA based on European Air Operations Regulations (Hard Law and Soft Law). In addition, the self-confidence of the team members was significantly enhanced, especially regarding their ability to perform all the required tasks throughout the change process.

 

The activity hosted 17 participants from which 13 were CAAN representatives and 4 were industry representatives from Nepal, 2 SARI team representatives: SARI Coordinator, Mr. Muhammad Zahid Bhatti, SARI OPS/PEL expert, Mr. Peter Wilczek and 1 EASA representative, EASA OPS expert Ms. Daniela Defossar including the EU Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Nepal, H.E. Mrs. Nona Deprez.