Regulatory Affairs

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Many important parts of the SATOPS project have been completed. The industry consultation sessions were the first step in opening the lines of communication between industry and Transport Canada. The Task Force was met with overwhelming support for the project as participants in the meetings expressed their desire for continuing meetings of this type. The value of open dialogue cannot be overstated. Operating problems and safety concerns must be identified in order to be corrected. When operators, pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Air Traffic Services personnel and Transport Canada inspectors meet in an open forum, the industry, the service provider and the regulator can better understand each others' operating practices and problems. The industry, the service provider and the regulator are all involved in a system, a partnership whose aim is to advance aviation safety.

But the project is far from complete. An in-depth analysis of the findings and recommendations will have to be conducted by Transport Canada, NAV CANADA, and the Transportation Safety Board in order to determine the depth of the problems and develop an action plan as required. Some of the recommendations will involve considerable resources to implement. Others are more straightforward and work can be started almost immediately. The Task Force's objective was to propose ways to improve aviation safety by identifying the culture, attitudes, problems and safety practices in Air Taxi operations. The SATOPS Steering Committee will prioritize the recommendations based on risk assessment and develop an implementation plan. The Executive Advisory Committee will review the implementation plan and serve as Transport Canada's "conscience" to ensure the recommendations, as appropriate, are acted upon.