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In preparation for the growth and development of general aviation in Jamaica, the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) is working towards the segmentation of the relevant regulations.

Director of Flight Safety at the JCAA, Noel Ellis, told JIS News that the authority is putting the necessary measures in place to ensure that the regulations are consistent with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “In many ICAO member states, they have regulations specifically for general aviation players. The general aviation regulations, as a whole, cover the large airlines, the small airlines, but also general aviation,” he said.

“Jamaican regulations aren’t as nimble in that regard, so that’s one of the things that we are looking at doing, segmenting our regulations to have areas specifically carved out for general aviation players,” Mr. Ellis added.

He explained that the regulator is ensuring that it is prepared for the expected resurgence in general aviation as the Airports Authority of Jamaica continues to invest in the upgrading of airports and aerodromes.

“From the civil aviation perspective, specifically the regulatory side, we want to ensure that our regulations and our processing of applications are done as smoothly as possible to facilitate persons in the general aviation community,” he said.

The director said that the buildout of general aviation in Jamaica is going to take some ingenuity on the part of the business community while pointing out that, as the regulator, the JCAA does not implement the plans and ideas that persons have but rather facilitates them.

Mr. Ellis said he is encouraged by the number of young people who are entering the aviation industry, who see an opportunity for them to grow the aviation industry as a viable business.

“I am heartened to see some young people getting into general aviation who are seeing possibilities, and we’re certainly working with these entities to make it work for them and make it work for Jamaica as a whole,” he added.

The Flight Safety Department is the regulatory arm of the JCAA, which enforces the rules and regulations of aviation in keeping with international standards.

General aviation is all civil aviation operations other than scheduled air services and non-scheduled air transport operations for remuneration or hire.

The original story can be found here.

The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) is imploring developers of multistory buildings to seek the requisite approvals before erecting these buildings, as they may be in breach of civil aviation guidelines.

In an interview with JIS News, Director of Flight Safety at the JCAA, Noel Ellis, said the Authority has observed the emergence of numerous high-rise buildings throughout Jamaica, particularly in Kingston.

Mr. Ellis explained that one misconception that developers may have about the need to reach out to JCAA is the distance from the airport.

“What many persons don’t realise is that even if you perceive that you are far from the airport, any tall building might have an impact on the flying community,” he said.

He pointed out that this is particularly important in terms of lighting and informing pilots of obstruction, and that there must be lights that give warning to a tall building in the area.

The Flight Safety Director emphasised that the JCAA needs to be aware of this development.

“It is needed to inform the aviation community, and we need to approve these buildings, so we would invite any developer who is looking at constructing tall buildings over four stories to get in touch with the JCAA to see what impact this would have on the aviation community, and we will advise them what needs to be done to make it a viable building without affecting aviation,” he said.

Mr. Ellis indicated that failure to abide by these guidelines will have significant repercussions on aircraft.

“It could cause an accident if a pilot isn’t aware of these buildings being in this area,” he said.

“This will affect the kind of approach going into an airport, so it may cause an aircraft to not be able to use a certain part of the runway because of an obstruction, and this will have long-term implications on the use and viability of those airports,” the Flight Safety Director noted.

He added that it is important for these factors to be considered to determine the best course of action for building developers as well as for the aviation community.

Mr. Ellis explained that a building going up in the hills of St. Andrew or even in New Kingston could affect an aircraft that is coming into the Norman Manley International Airport.

“Many people don’t realise how close you are to the airport, but also the air route planes fly on. We call them railroads in the skies, so there are specific routes that they fly on to go into an airport or out of an airport. A tall building may be impacting that railway track in the sky,” the Flight Safety Director said.

He said that depending on the height of the building and how it will affect the aircraft, it may need to be lit and that one of the determinations that are made when the assessment is done is the type of light, whether a flashing light or solid light, the intensity of the light, and the colour of the light.

Mr. Ellis also pointed out that there are international standards that guide how to inform a pilot that an obstacle is in his path, “so we would do that assessment and we would make that determination and provide it to the developer and the town planning authority.

The original story can be found here

Prime Minister, Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has commended the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) for the seamless execution of its modernization programme.

The programme included the upgrading of major components of the Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) Systems, which are responsible for the delivery of safe and efficient air traffic management in and around the island.

“I extend the nation’s gratitude and congratulations to the inspiring Jamaican men and women who continue to play a vital role in Jamaica’s provision of safe and efficient navigation services to the national and international community,” he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony at the re-opening of the recently upgraded Kingston Air Traffic Control Centre, in Kingston.

The upgrading project included the installation of a new state-of-the-art voice communication control system; a cutting-edge, system-wide air traffic management automation surveillance system; and a new global positioning system (GPS).

Prime Minister Holness noted that Jamaica is known internationally as an efficient and safe air transportation location.

“As a result of our efficient, seamless, and safe operations, passengers, businesses, and other stakeholders confidently rely on Jamaica’s navigation services for its contribution to a safe global air traffic management system and safe and efficient passage through Jamaica’s strategic and highly traversed air space,” he stated

He emphasized that although the country has an enviable record of high performance in aviation, continuous improvements are needed to maintain the high standard.

“As we navigate the complexities, mixed fortunes, and an array of opportunities that have characterized the first two decades of the 21st century, the development of air transport is one of the priority issues for the Jamaican government,” Mr. Holness said.

He added that developments throughout the country’s air transport system emphasize the focus of the government’s policy framework to support aviation and enable the right conditions for growth, access, and inclusiveness concerning the global economy. “Targeted upgrades will include our air navigation services infrastructure, aeronautical information management, and aviation route development to enhance synergies and cooperative support for other industries, such as tourism and trade,” he informed.

“The best-connected countries in the world are the most prosperous… Aviation is the link between people, resources, and opportunities, but more than that, it is the link between people, family, friends, and nations. It brings the world together, and it creates a link beyond our borders,” Prime Minister Holness added.

Meanwhile, JCAA Director General, Nari Williams-Singh explained that most aspects of the modernization programme have been completed.

“The upgrade to the KATCC and the two new air traffic control towers are complete. The Aeronautical Information Management project is about 90 percent complete, and the implementation of DVOR (Doppler Variable Omni Range) navigation aids has begun and should be commissioned in the first half of 2020 and 2021 for Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) and Sangster International Airport (SIA), respectively,” he explained.