Aviators - on the exclusion of Russia from the Civil Aviation Organization Council: "This is a blow to flight safety"

The Russian Federation will not be able to quickly return to the status body that is responsible for the safety of world aviation.

Yekaterina Maksimova

Elections to the Council of ICAO were held last weekend in the framework of the regular General Assembly of this organization. The Federal Air Transport Agency has already officially announced the expulsion of Russia from the ruling body of ICAO. The department clarified that our country was supported by 80 ICAO member states, but six votes were not enough to enter the Council.

" This did not allow the Russian Federation to be elected a member of the Council for the first group of ICAO states," the Rosaviatsia confirmed. The Russian side insisted on a second vote, but our delegation was denied this.

"We believe that the unfriendly decision of the coalition of countries is political and is of a temporary nature. Our country's contribution to the development of international aviation is recognized throughout the world. The Russian Federation retains the right to full membership in the International Organization and will continue its work through the representation Russia in ICAO, as well as in relevant ICAO working groups", - the ministry concluded.

The aviators, of course, reacted to the historic event much more emotionally. The chairman of the Trans-Baikal primary trade union organization of the FPAD of Russia, the air traffic controller of the East Siberian branch of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise State ATM Corporation Vasily Zandanov reminded Novye Izvestiya that Russia (then still the USSR) joined the ICAO Council in 1970 and has remained there since then.

"We were real in honor and respect for a number of reasons, and sometimes not even entirely objective ones. But the great country of the USSR presented everything to us on a silver platter. Just use it carefully. Now what? What word can you call it? Shame. Or is there a more appropriate expression for states with such a territory and a fleet of aircraft? Do we live on a collective farm or something? And then in a normal collective farm and with an intelligent chairman, people lived in chocolate, rather than in a big city and with a stupid chairman of the city executive committee", - Vasily reacted so emotionally Zandanov in tg-channel zv5zv5.

In his opinion, Russia will not be able to quickly regain its positions in a status international organization. "Our children and grandchildren will have to make a lot of efforts. And one can imagine what comments they will make about us on this matter, because time will put everything in its place anyway. A very unpleasant event", - Zandanov summed up.

Pilot Denis Okan, who until recently worked for one of the major Russian airlines, recalls that the ICAO Council has many functions, one of them is the adoption of international standards.

“And considering what kind of bedlam has been reigning in Russian aviation legislation for decades, then, maybe, from the point of view of the Council’s work only, it’s even better that there won’t be such an “advisor” in it anymore? I don’t think it’s like- how will it affect the work of the Council? ) compete with Africa", - Denis Okan said.

Novye Izvestia reported that at the moment ICAO points out to Russia that it is not complying with the rules in the field of ensuring flight safety. We are talking about the prohibition (according to Article 18 of the Chicago Convention) of dual registration of aircraft. The article states that an aircraft cannot be legally registered in more than one State. Some of the aircraft of Russian airlines have dual "citizenship" due to the sanctions introduced in the spring. At the same time, the country in which the ship is registered is responsible for flight safety. Back in the summer, ICAO threatened to issue a so-called "red flag" to Russia. And in September it was exhibited.

Until now, only two countries, Bhutan and Eritrea, have received such a label from ICAO. Any airport in the world, without explanation, referring only to the "red flag" from ICAO, may refuse to service the aircraft of these states.

"ICAO does not prohibit, but only notifies. And the aviation authorities of each country, on the basis of this verdict, decide for themselves how to deal with this. But the point of ICAO is precisely that all states comply with the standards. Air legislation is different for everyone and for international air traffic it is necessary harmonize it. Those who follow ICAO will receive an official warning: Russian aviation does not meet international safety standards. And the same Turkey, Egypt, or even friendly Belarus, absolutely legitimately, referring only to a notification from ICAO, can stop letting our ships in", - Andrey Patrakov, the founder of the international network of AIM Group experts, explained earlier to NI.