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| Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka | |
|---|---|
| Name | Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka |
| Native name | සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරිය |
| Formed | 2003 |
| Preceding1 | Department of Civil Aviation (Sri Lanka) |
| Headquarters | Katunayake, Negombo |
| Jurisdiction | Sri Lanka |
| Minister | Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Sri Lanka) |
| Chief1 name | Director General |
| Chief1 position | Director General |
Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka is the statutory body responsible for civil aviation regulation, safety oversight, air navigation services and economic regulation in Sri Lanka. Established to succeed the Department of Civil Aviation (Sri Lanka), it administers aeronautical licensing, airport operations oversight and accident investigation coordination across international and domestic aviation sectors. The Authority interacts with regional and global institutions such as the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Airports Authority of India, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom for standards harmonisation and mutual agreements.
The Authority was formed following aviation sector reforms in the early 2000s that mirrored restructuring seen in the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority and the corporatisation trends after the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. Its establishment replaced the Department of Civil Aviation (Sri Lanka) and aligned national law with amendments comparable to frameworks used by Civil Aviation Administration of China and Transport Canada. Early milestones included accreditation with the International Civil Aviation Organization audits, bilateral air services negotiations with India–Sri Lanka relations, and participation in regional bodies such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Over time, infrastructure projects were undertaken in coordination with entities like the Asian Development Bank and airlines including SriLankan Airlines and international carriers such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines.
The Authority operates under legislation passed by the Parliament of Sri Lanka and reports administratively to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Sri Lanka). Governance structures mirror models used by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand with a board and an executive Director General responsible for regulatory functions. Key internal divisions include safety oversight, air navigation services, aerodrome standards, economic regulation, and accident investigation liaison. The Authority liaises with other national institutions such as the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited, the Sri Lanka Police, and customs agencies, and engages with international partners like the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the International Air Transport Association.
Statutory responsibilities reflect obligations under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and encompass certification of air operators, licensing of flight crew, approval of aerodromes, and oversight of aircraft airworthiness. The Authority issues permits and standards analogous to those administered by the Federal Aviation Administration and enforces compliance through inspections and audits similar to procedures of the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand. It provides advisory input to national transportation planning alongside organisations such as the Central Bank of Sri Lanka when assessing aviation’s role in trade and tourism, working with carriers like Air India and Qatar Airways on operational approvals.
The regulatory framework is derived from national aviation statutes and implements international standards promulgated by the International Civil Aviation Organization and conventions such as the Tokyo Convention. Safety oversight includes continuous monitoring, occurrence reporting systems, safety management systems for operators, and certification processes comparable to those of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The Authority conducts safety audits, enforces airworthiness directives similar to processes by the Federal Aviation Administration, and coordinates training programs referenced to curricula from institutions like the Singapore Aviation Academy and the Civil Aviation Training Centre (India).
Air navigation services are provided in collaboration with the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited and contracted technical partners, maintaining primary airports such as Bandaranaike International Airport and regional aerodromes. Infrastructure responsibilities include air traffic control, communication, navigation and surveillance systems, aerodrome rescue and firefighting standards, and implementation of performance-based navigation in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organization and regional providers like India's Airports Authority. Modernisation projects have involved suppliers and stakeholders including Thales Group, Indra Sistemas and airlines such as Cathay Pacific coordinating slot and capacity management.
Economic regulation covers route permissions, slot allocation coordination, and oversight of airport charges and user fees for airlines including SriLankan Airlines, Emirates and Qatar Airways. The Authority evaluates aeronautical tariffs, levies landing and parking charges, and approves fee structures for entities like Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited under principles similar to those applied by the Civil Aviation Authority (UK). Tariff decisions impact bilateral air services agreements negotiated with states such as India, China, United Arab Emirates and Singapore and feed into national tourism strategies promoted by the Ministry of Tourism (Sri Lanka).
The Authority coordinates occurrence reporting, preliminary inquiries and liaises with independent investigators and bodies such as the Air Accident Investigation Unit models used internationally, cooperating with foreign agencies like the National Transportation Safety Board and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency during cross-border incidents. Enforcement actions include suspension of certificates, administrative penalties and remedial directives modeled on international best practice; major incidents have involved coordination with carriers including Lion Air-type investigation protocols and multinational salvage or forensic teams. The Authority publishes notices to airmen and works with global information platforms such as the International Civil Aviation Organization NOTAM system for operational safety communications.
Category:Aviation in Sri Lanka Category:Civil aviation authorities