What Went Before: When PH held Category 2 aviation status
MANILA, Philippines—For six consecutive years the Philippines held a Category 2 aviation status after the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded the country’s rating due to safety concerns.
In January 2008, the FAA reverted the Philippines to its 1995 air safety rating of Category 2 from Category 1 because of air safety regulations, practices and personnel that fell below the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao), a regulatory body under the United Nations.
The downgrade spurred stringent inspection of the US operations of locally licensed Philippine Airlines (PAL) and barred the flag carrier from expanding its operations in American states and territories. The ruling affects only PAL, the sole local carrier that has operations and the capability to fly across the Pacific.
Reforms followed which led to the dissolution of the Air Transportation Office which was replaced by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
In 2010, the Philippines suffered another setback when the European Union (EU) imposed a ban on Philippine carriers, a year after the Icao found “significant safety concerns” in the country’s aviation standards, in particular, the poor state of regulation.
US aviation consultant
The Philippine government has since worked on improving aviation safety.
In April 2011, it enlisted the aid of Brig. Gen. Tim Neel, a former FAA executive and owner and managing director of US-based aviation consultant Tim Neel & Associates.
In March 2013, the Philippines passed the Icao assessment, which led to the lifting of the EU ban four months later.
In its electronic bulletin, the Icao said that the Philippines had implemented corrective measures in accordance with the mechanism approved by the council to resolve two significant safety concerns—the issuance of air operator certificates and the aircraft registration process.
The CAAP had expected an upgrade in 2013 but an audit scheduled in the fourth quarter did not push through. The FAA concluded the audit in late January.—Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives, faa.gov
