Foreign Air Operator

January 25, 2021
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Foreign Air Operator Certification Requirements

The Fiji Air Navigation Regulations states that no person not domiciled in Fiji shall conduct an air transport service to, from or within Fiji unless such person holds a Foreign Air Operator Certificate of Competency granted by CAAF.

The requirement for a Foreign Air Operator Certificate does not apply to an operator conducting:

no more than two take-offs or two landings within the Republic of the Fiji Islands in any consecutive 28 day period; or
no more than eight take-offs or eight landings within the Republic of the Fiji Islands in any consecutive 365 day period; or
an operations conducted for the purpose of medical emergencies, including evacuations, or the carriage of medical supplies or body organs.

The Fiji Air Navigation Regulations further states that CAAF may only issue such a certificate if it is satisfied that the applicant is –

competent having regard to his previous conduct and experience, his equipment, organisation, staffing, quality assurance systems, safety management systems, procedures for the exercise of operational control, maintenance and other arrangements, to secure the safe operation of aircraft of the types specified in the certificate, on flights of the description and for the purposes so specified.

The Fiji Air Navigation Regulations states that CAAF can impose conditions on the certificate which must be complied with, including a period of its validity.

CAAF can suspend, revoke, or cancel a certificate at any time if it deems it necessary.

As part of its oversight, CAAF authorised person may inspect a Foreign Air Operator organisation –

for the purposes of monitoring the provision of air transport services and associated aircraft maintenance activities under this regulation; or
for satisfying the Authority that the holder of the Foreign Air Operator Certificate is competent to operate as an air transport organisation.

An inspection carried out on the nature of the work pursuant to sub-regulation (5) includes –

(a) the examining and inspecting of the work of the personnel providing air transport services; or
(b) the examining and inspecting of the air transport organisation service facilities and equipment; and
(c) such other examination or inspection as may be necessary for the purposes of monitoring the safety of air transport operations.

The Foreign Air Operator organisation shall comply with any recommendations or corrective actions imposed by the Authority as a result of an examination or inspection carried out during its oversight activity.

Any air transport organisation that contravenes a provision of these Regulations commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000, in addition to a maximum of $100 a day thereafter from the commencement of the breach if the breach continues except that the total fine does not exceed $10, 000.

For further information, refer to

Fiji Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)

If you have any questions about this topic, email info@caaf.org.fj