Introduction to Certification and Registration Approval

CAAF is responsible for ensuring the safety, regularity, and efficiency of aircraft operations at Fiji aerodromes.

To effectively achieve certification and registration approval of aerodromes and ongoing compliance with standards at these aerodromes, CAAF has:

• established aerodrome standards in the Standards Document – Aerodromes and an aerodrome safety oversight unit, within the Ground Safety Department, with defined safety oversight mechanisms to carry out the functions of certification/registration approval and safety regulation of aerodromes;
• implemented an aerodrome certification/registration approval procedure whereby the CAAF certifies/registers an aerodrome in accordance with procedures set forth in the SD – Aerodromes​​​​​​​

Need for Certification and Registration Approval

The Civil Aviation (Reform) Act 1999 Section 10 requires that any person, who operates an aerodrome in Fiji, shall do so under a certificate or registration approval issued by CAAF.

CAAF Standards Document – Aerodromes has been published specifying the aerodrome standards required to be met by operators of aerodromes in Fiji.

Safety, regularity, and efficiency of aircraft operations at aerodromes being of paramount importance, the requirement for aerodrome certification or registration approval shall apply equally to all aerodrome operators.

While the overall responsibility for aerodrome safety continues to rest with CAAF, it is recognized that ownership of aerodrome safety is increasingly being devolved to aerodrome operators. The adequacy of that ownership can be demonstrated through a robust safety management system as required under the SD – Aerodromes and SD – Safety Management Systems, as applicable. However, the adoption of a safety management system does not obviate the need to comply with the rest of the standards contained in the SD – Aerodromes.

The scope of CAAFs Guidance Material on this subject is confined to the safety, regularity, and efficiency aspects of aerodrome facilities, services, equipment and operational procedures. It does not cover such aspects as those relating to the aeronautical information system, aeronautical meteorology, the administration of aerodrome finances and the servicing of passengers and cargo. Air traffic services have their own regulatory framework, however, since air traffic services are an integral part of an aerodrome’s operation, their regulation should be coordinated with that of aerodromes and considered within the certification process. This can be achieved in a number of ways, with the aerodrome manual being employed as a link. Furthermore, since aviation security comes under a different set of regulations, its coverage in CAAFs Guidance Material is limited to areas affecting aircraft operational safety, such as boundary fencing and airside lighting.