What is ICAO?
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), intergovernmental specialized agency associated with the United Nations. Established in 1947 by the Convention on International Civil Aviation (1944), which had been signed by 52 states three years earlier in Chicago, the ICAO is dedicated to developing safe and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes and ensuring a reasonable opportunity for every state to operate international airlines. The organization’s permanent headquarters are in Montreal.
In other words, the ICAO’s activities have included establishing and reviewing international technical standards for aircraft operation and design, crash investigation, the licensing of personnel, telecommunications, meteorology, air navigation equipment, ground facilities for air transport, and search-and-rescue missions. The organization also promotes regional and international agreements aimed at liberalizing aviation markets, helps to establish legal standards to ensure that the growth of aviation does not compromise safety, and encourages the development of other aspects of international aviation law.
What is ICAO Annex?
ICAO annexes mean an extra or subordinate part to Chicago Convention document The Convention on the International Civil Aviation.
What is the purpose of ICAO Annex?
It contains the globally agreed standards and recommended practices (SARPs) of the international civil aviation. As required by Chicago Convention document chapter VI, article 37 ICAO will adopt technical specifications on International Civil Aviation in order to achieve the highest practicable degree of uniformity in regulations, standards, procedures and organization. This mean the standards and recommended practices (SARPs) of ICAO are technical specifications [regulations, standards, procedures and organization].
Short Summary About ICAO Annexes
ICAO Annex 1: Personnel Licensing
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) for the licensing of the following:
- Flight crew members [pilots, flight engineers and flight navigators]
- Maintenance technicians
- Flight dispatchers
- Air traffic controllers
- Aeronautical station operators
ICAO Annex 2: Rules of The Air
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to general air rules, visual flight rules and instrument flight rules, the pilot-in-command of an aircraft is responsible for compliance with the rules of the air.
ICAO Annex 3: Meteorological Service For International Air Navigation
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to providing necessary meteorological information to operators, flight crew members, air traffic services units, search and rescue units, airport management and others concerned with aviation.
ICAO Annex 4: Aeronautical Charts
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to producing aeronautical charts, which used by most segments of aviation as a reference to them for planning, air traffic control and navigation purposes.
ICAO Annex 5: Units Of Measurement To Be Used In Air And Ground Operations
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to standard units of measurements to cover all aspects of air and ground operations.
ICAO Annex 6: Operation of Aircraft [PARTS I, II and III]
PART I — International Commercial Air Transport — Aeroplanes
PART II — International General Aviation — Aeroplanes
PART III — International Operations — Helicopters
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) which provide one international set of operational rules and regulations for the wide variety of aircraft. In Addition, operating minima based on the environmental factors found at each aerodrome.
ICAO Annex 7: Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) for registration of the aircraft and the use of letters, numbers and other graphic symbols to be used in the nationality and registration marks of aircrafts. i.g. 7O Yemen.
ICAO Annex 8: Airworthiness of Aircraft
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to aircraft design, construction and operation, which must be following the appropriate airworthiness requirements of the state of registry of the aircraft. Full compliance, the aircraft will be issued with a certificate of airworthiness declaring that the aircraft is fit to fly.
ICAO Annex 9: Facilitation
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to providing a frame of reference for planners and managers of international airport operations to simplify the procedures required to clear aircraft, passengers and cargo.
ICAO Annex 10: Aeronautical Telecommunications [volumes i, ii, iii, iv and v]
Annex 10 is divided into five volumes:
Volume i — Radio navigation aids
Volume ii — Communications procedures including those with pans status
Volume iii — Communication systems
Part 1 — Digital data communication systems
Part 2 — Voice communication systems
Volume iv — Surveillance radar and collision avoidance systems
Volume v — Aeronautical radio frequency spectrum utilization
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to most complex and essential elements of international civil aviation [Aeronautical Communications, Navigation and Surveillance].
ICAO Annex 11: Air Traffic Services
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to how to prevent collisions between aircrafts, whether taxiing on the maneuvering area, taking off, landing, enroute or in the holding pattern at the destination aerodrome.
ICAO Annex 12: Search and Rescue
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to locating and rescuing survivors of aircraft accidents.
ICAO Annex 13: Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to investigation of an aircraft accident or serious incident.
ICAO Annex 14: Aerodromes [ VOLUMES I AND II ]
VOL I – Aerodrome Design and Operations
VOL II – Heliports
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to investigation of an aircraft accident or serious incident.
ICAO Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) on how an aeronautical information service shall receive and/or originate, collate or assemble, edit, format, publish/store and distribute specified aeronautical information/data.
ICAO Annex 16: Environmental Protection [VOLUMES I, II, III, AND IV]
Vol I – Aircraft Noise
Vol II – Aircraft Engine Emissions
Vol III – Co2 Certification Requirement
Vol IV – Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) on protection of the environment from the effect of aircraft noise, aircraft engine emissions etc.
ICAO Annex 17: Security
Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference. It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) and technical measures for the protection of the security of international air transport.
ICAO Annex 18: The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) related to the safe transporting and handling of dangerous goods.
ICAO Annex 19: Safety Management
It contains standards and recommended practices (SARPS) on safety management functions related to, or in direct support of, the safe operation of aircraft and airports. Also, State Safety Programme (SSP)
