Directorate General of Civil Aviation Regulation

The Air Transport Department is responsible for:

• Providing support to the Government to define and establish Economic, Air Transport, Consumer protection and Environmental policies and laws
• Developing and enforcing economic, air transport and consumer protection regulations
• Conducting economic analyses and studies to support new regulations and amendments
• Leading the planning and execution of the international Air Service Agreements
• Collecting and analyzing environmental statistics and defining aviation environmental targets
• Ensuring consumers are protected and their complaints are addressed

• The Flight Safety Department is responsible for suggestions and for the preparation of:
• Flight operations regulations
• Environment technical regulation (e.g. emissions and noise)
• Conducting inspections and audits on:
• Commercial, foreign and national companies whether airline or pilot training centers.
• National and General Aviation and Special operators, including corporate aviation, private flying, sports and air activities for both airplanes and helicopters.
• Issuing and renewing the certificates of airlines and air transport companies, including the approval of training programs and manuals.
• Issuing and renewing air investment certificates for private airlines.
• Approving pilot training centers and programs.
• Preparation of civil aircraft registration certificates for approval, registration of foreclosure on aircraft and aircraft hiring contracts.
• The application of civil aviation law and regulations, as well as the standards of ICAO annex to aircraft operators and individuals who have received technical licenses or approved from ICAO.
• Preparation and maintenance of the national register of aircraft registration.
• Preparation of air operation certificate for approval.
• Inspection of registered operators in the Sultanate.
• Inspection of foreign aircraft in the national airports' yards.
• Issuing licenses for pilots, hosts, and other technical licenses.
• Approving of the Minimum List of Aircraft Equipment.
• Approving pilot training schools and simulators for aircraft.
• Review and approve the investors' documents for operations and crews.
• Participate in the formulation of civil aviation regulations for the operation of aircraft, investors and maintenance institutions.
• Participate in the investigation of incidents of local aircraft accidents and participate in the investigation of international accidents, including accidents and incidents of air traffic control.
• Developing and updating the procedures manual for the department.
• Review and compare the drafts proposed by the International Civil Aviation Organization with a view to their application in the Sultanate with respect to the competence of the Department.
• Consideration of proposals submitted by ICAO in respect of annexes in terms of their conformity or variation with the Civil Aviation Law and Regulations of the Sultanate.
• Supervise the environmental compliance of airlines.
• Accreditation of technical experts to investigate air accidents upon request.
• Any other tasks falling within its competence.

The Air Navigation Safety Department is responsible for:

• Supporting the preparation of air navigation regulations, notices, requirements and directives and ensuring compliance with ICAO Annexes 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15.
• Performing safety-related audits and technical inspections for ANSPs and MET (ATS, AIS, CNS, MET, SAR, PANS-OPS, and CHARTS) all over Oman (including Salalah) to ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations.
• Supporting the definition of target safety levels, and allocating them to each service provider.
• Collecting regularly occurrence reports from ANSPs, performing the review of achieved safety levels, and supporting the implementation of corrective actio.ns
• Overseeing airspace, ATC procedure, and CNS equipment change management process and approving the changes.
• Overseeing Search and Rescue coordination.
• Overseeing on-site oversight, safety-related audits, and inspections of AFIS operations (Aerodrome Flight Information Service).

It is also responsible for reviewing and approving:

• Operational specifications, manuals, and training programs.
• Safety management systems (SMS) and quality management systems (QMS).
• Certifications of the 7 types of Air Navigation Service Providers.

The Aerodromes Safety Department is responsible for:

• Supporting the development of the safety regulation related to aerodromes and heliports
• Performing safety-related audit and technical inspection to aerodromes and heliports to enforce compliance with applicable safety regulations, including administrative, movement areas, rescue, and fire.
• fighting, fuel facilities, etc.
• Establishing target safety levels and allocating them to each service provider.
• Supporting in obstacle control reviews.
• Collecting regularly occurrence reports from aerodromes and heliports, performing the review of achieved safety levels, proposing corrective actions and liaising with Safety Risk. Management of risk relevant findings.
• Developing, issuing and maintaining national aerodromes safeguarding standards.
• Ensuring that the design of aerodromes is in line with regulations and standards.
• Ensuring that AIS publications are updated with latest aerodrome changes and report any inaccuracies.

Responsible for approving aerodromes and heliports, in particular:

• Reviewing and accepting operational specifications, procedures, and manuals
• Reviewing and approving safety management systems and liaise with Safety Risk and Managing the relevant founded risks.
• Reviewing and approving the certification of aerodromes.

The Aviation Security & Facilitation Department is responsible for:

• Leading the development and review of national aviation security policies, legislation, and programmers.
• Development, maintenance and issuance of security regulations, and dangerous goods regulation as well as customs and immigration security procedures in accordance with best practice.
• Development and maintenance of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP), National Air Transport Facilitation Programme (NATF), National Civil Aviation Security Training Programme (NCASTP) and National Civil Aviation Quality Control Programme (NCAQCP).
• Development of national standards and recommendations for the specifications and evaluation methodology of security & facilitation related equipment and systems.
• Definition and allocation of tasks within government policy guidelines for the implementation of NCASP and the National Air Transport Facilitation Programme.
• Facilitation of aircraft, crews, passengers, and cargo in particular in the administration of regulations for immigration, quarantine, customs and clearance.
• Approval of Aviation Security Programmes for airports and commercial air transport operators.
• Inspection, audit, surveying, and investigation of airports, commercial air transport operators, catering operators, ground handling and security-training organizations.
• Coordinating security & facilitation measures and procedures with appropriate organizations and agencies.
• Oversight of security operators approved programs.
• Support of the National Civil Aviation Security & Facilitation Committee, as required by the government.
• Cooperation and maintenance of intelligence network with domestic and international Security Authorities and Agencies.
• Assessment of threats and management of crises.

Aviation Security Legislation

The regulation of the civil aviation security in Oman depends on many documents & programs as the following:

• Oman Civil Aviation Law.
• Aviation Security Regulations 107 & 108.
• National Civil Aviation Security Program (NCASP).
• National Civil Air Transport Facilitation Program (NCATFP)..
• National Civil Security Quality Control Program (NCASQCP).
• National Civil Aviation Security Training Program (NCASTP).

The Safety Regulations Department is responsible for developing technical regulations in collaboration with the technical functions and the Air Transport unit:

• Licensing, Flight Operations Safety, and Airworthiness.
• Environment: aircraft and equipment noise and emissions standards, flight procedures.
• Air Navigation.
• Aerodromes.
• Search and Rescue.

It is also responsible for supporting the Omani Government in the definition of national safety, airspace and air navigation policies and drafting of the Civil Aviation Law.

Moreover, it is responsible for:

• Drafting technical agreements and MoUs and coordinate negotiation with domestic and international entities,
• Coordinating and consolidating the plans for the Safety unit, in particular in relation to an integrated audit/inspection/certification plan and strategic initiatives.
• Handling the administration for the ICAO/ISO/etc. and internal audits.
• Handling and monitoring ICAO changes.
• Maintaining aircraft registry.
• Supporting the definition of fees and charges for safety activities and providing recommendations to the Economic & Air Transport unit.
• Collecting technical statistical data, conducting analysis and liaising with Safety Risk.Management of risk relevant findings.
• Managing the consultation process for amendments and for new policies and regulations.
• Consolidating and coordinating internal planning activities.