Celebrating International Civil Aviation Day
International Civil Aviation Day aims to highlight the positive impact of international civil aviation on the social and economic development of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) members. We take a closer look.
United aviation for efficiency
Today, the ICAO works with 192 member states and other industry groups to find common ground on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies, with the aim of supporting a civil aviation sector that’s safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible.
Imagine a world where each local civil aviation authority made up its own rules and regulations as it went along. Air transportation would work well enough within the home territory, but with so many flights operating in international or foreign airspace, there would be nothing but chaos. Pilots, air control towers and aviation support staff would use different codes and terminology, waive or impose their own standards on foreign aircraft and crew, and require different procedures during enplaning and deplaning.
The SARPs and policies agreed by ICAO member states keep around 100,000 daily flights operating safely and reliably, by sticking to a common global language of aviation norms and standards. Developing global plans to coordinate strategic progress in air navigation for 192 nations, while also monitoring air transport sector performance metrics, is no easy task. As if that weren’t enough, the organization also audits member states’ security civil aviation oversight capabilities.
Lifesaving ICAO aviation codes
One of the ways the ICAO helps to keep us safe during air travel is though the global use of ICAO codes. These are four-letter airport codes or location indicators given to aerodromes around the world. They’re used by air traffic controllers and airline operations to control air traffic and make airport identification and telecommunications simple and clear. ICAO codes also identify other aviation facilities such as weather stations, international flight service stations and area control centers, even when they’re not located at airports. Flight information regions are also identified by a unique ICAO code.
ICAO codes are different from the IATA codes used for airliner timetables, reservations and baggage tags. For example, the IATA code for London's Heathrow Airport is LHR, but its ICAO code is EGLL. You’re most likely to see an ICAO code on a flight-tracking service like FlightAware.
Developing aviation across signatory nations
The ICAO’s work doesn’t stop there; it also coordinates efforts between member states to develop and expand aviation capacity across the world – in fact, the theme for International Civil Aviation Day is “Working Together to Ensure No Country is Left Behindâ€, encouraging members states to work together to transform the aviation industry into a truly global transport network.
On 7 December – #FlyDay – the ICAO encourages adults and children to think, talk and write about how aviation makes a difference to their lives and communities. To help things along, free posters and other graphic tools can be downloaded from the ICAO website by civil aviation authorities, schools and other groups wanting to celebrate the benefits of more than a century of aviation.
Second High-Level Conference on Aviation Security
In the run-up to International Civil Aviation Day, the ICAO is hosting a conference on November 27 and 28 in Montréal, Canada. The summit brings together senior government officials, representatives of international and regional organizations, and aviation stakeholders from around the world. This impressive gathering will grapple with the priorities of global aviation security and discuss topics around risk awareness, security culture, technology, innovation, co-operation and capacity building to name just a handful.
Before the conference starts, a number of pre-symposium activities will be held on November 26, including workshops around existing and future challenges involving aviation security technology and innovation. Some of the topics on the agenda are conflict zones, security culture and the United Nations Office of Drug Control Container Control Programme (Air UNODC CCP-Air).
Global peace and prosperity through international flight
Today, the world is connected more than ever by flight. This means that global aviation has a growing responsibly, as outlined in the Chicago Convention, to work towards making international flight a fundamental enabler of global harmony and prosperity. The UN has adopted a plan known as Agenda 2030, which includes 17 sustainable development goals, and the ICAO’s strategic objectives are closely linked to 15 of these initiatives. ACS works hard to stay on top of industry developments. Whether you book a charter for yourself, other passengers or important cargo, we promise a level of personal service that goes beyond your highest expectations. Speak to us about how we can take the hassle out of air travel and put convenience and comfort back in with our exceptional private jet charter services.
