Regulatory Framework (GCAA)
ICAO, the UAE Federal Civil Aviation Law and the GCAA as direct national regulator; how CAR-21, CAR-M, CAR-145, CAR-66 and CAR-147 fit together, and CAAPs as guidance.
GCAA regulatory framework, summary notes
- The UAE is a contracting State of ICAO (created by the 1944 Chicago Convention). ICAO sets international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) published as Annexes, for example Annex 1 Personnel Licensing, Annex 6 Operation of Aircraft and Annex 8 Airworthiness. ICAO does not regulate operators or engineers directly; each State enacts the SARPs in its own national law.
- Civil aviation in the UAE is governed by the UAE Federal Civil Aviation Law, and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is the national authority responsible for civil aviation. Unlike the EU system there is NO supranational agency layer (no equivalent of EASA), so the GCAA both writes the rules and issues the certificates, approvals and licences.
- The GCAA rules are the Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs). CAR Part II (Licensing and Training) contains CAR-66 (the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence) and CAR-147 (approved training and examination organisations). CAR Part V (Airworthiness) contains CAR-21 (design and production), CAR-M (continuing airworthiness) and CAR-145 (approved maintenance organisations). Operations are regulated under CAR-OPS.
- How the CARs fit together: CAR-21 certifies the design and build; CAR-M manages continuing airworthiness; CAR-145 organisations carry out the maintenance; CAR-66 licenses the certifying staff who sign the certificate of release to service; CAR-147 approves the organisations that train and examine them.
- GCAA guidance is published as CAAPs (Civil Aviation Advisory Publications), which serve the same purpose as EASA AMC (Acceptable Means of Compliance) and GM (Guidance Material): they show an accepted way to comply without being the only way.
- The CARs are closely modelled on EASA (and UK CAA / FAA) requirements, so the technical syllabus is common to both. UAE-registered aircraft carry an A6- registration prefix.
- CAR Part X, Safety Management Systems. This is the GCAA regulation that sets the SMS requirement for organisations it approves: UAE-based operators under CAR-OPS 1 and 3, UAE-based maintenance organisations holding a Class A or B rating under CAR 145, and UAE-based design and production organisations approved under CAR 21. An organisation holding more than one certificate must run a single combined and integrated system rather than one per approval. The system is scaled to the size of the organisation and the nature and complexity of what it does, weighed against the hazards and risks inherent in those activities, and the framework must be accepted by the GCAA.
- Rule hierarchy
- ICAO SARPs > UAE Federal Civil Aviation Law > GCAA CARs > CAAPs
- Licensing & training
- CAR Part II: CAR-66 (AME licence) + CAR-147 (training)
- Airworthiness
- CAR Part V: CAR-21 + CAR-M + CAR-145
What is the main structural difference between the EASA and GCAA regulatory systems?
EASA is a supranational layer: the European Commission makes the law, EASA drafts the rules and issues approvals, and each national authority oversees its own State. The UAE has no such layer, the GCAA is the direct national regulator, writing the CARs and issuing all certificates, approvals and licences itself.
Which CAR covers the privileges of a certifying engineer, and which the approval of the organisation employing them?
CAR-66 covers the engineer licence categories, ratings and CRS privileges; CAR-145 covers the approval, exposition and requirements of the maintenance organisation.
GCAA regulatory framework quiz
GCAA Regulatory Framework, quiz
1. The GCAA regulation that establishes Safety Management System requirements is:
CAR Part XCAR Part V, which also contains the airworthiness regulationsCAR Part XI, which covers aerodrome emergency services2. An organisation holding more than one GCAA approval must:
Run a single combined and integrated safety management systemRun a separate safety management system for each approval it holdsNominate whichever of its approvals carries the greater safety risk3. Under CAR Part X the scale of an organisation's SMS is set by:
Its size and the nature and complexity of its activities and their risksThe number of aircraft on its approval certificate at the time of auditThe category of licence held by its nominated postholders4. The authority responsible for civil aviation in the UAE is:
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)EASA, which the UAE adopted as its regulator when it aligned its rules with the European systemICAO, acting directly as the national authority for states that have no agency of their own5. UAE civil aviation rules are published as:
Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs)EASA PartsFederal Aviation Regulations6. Compared with the EU system, the UAE regulatory structure:
Has no supranational agency layer, the GCAA regulates directlyIs overseen by EASAHas two competing authorities7. The GCAA regulation covering the aircraft maintenance engineer licence is:
CAR-66CAR-145CAR-218. Approved maintenance organisations in the UAE are approved under:
CAR-145CAR-66CAR-OPS