Autoritatea Aeronautică Civilă Romană

With the contribution made for the conquest of the air, recognized internationally, the Romanian aviation has won a distinct place in the field of world aeronautics. The design and construction of various categories of aircraft, training for pilots, technicians and other categories of aeronautical personnel, the use of aviation in multiple fields, the records and performance of sports aviation and the development of aeronautical medicine, are just a few examples that support the above statement. The aeronautical activities could be developed only in an organizational and regulatory framework corresponding to the needs of the Romanian civil aviation during the different periods of its development. This organizational and regulatory framework has continuously improved its structure, in relation to the dynamics of transformations at national and international level.

In order to present the permanent concerns of Romanian specialists to achieve the highest possible level of flight safety, it is necessary to highlight the historical moments undergone for the creation of an effective legislative framework and a regulatory body for civil aviation activities.

Starting with 1920, there was a need to create a regulatory framework that would support the development of civil aeronautical activities carried out in Romania, so that they would be in line with the international trends of the time. This led to the establishment of the Aviation Directorate within the Ministry of Communications. Decree no. 2705 ​​of June 26, 1920, published in the "Official Gazette" no. 67 of 1920, is considered the birth certificate of the aeronautical authority. In the "Regulation for the organization and functioning of the Aviation Directorate", approved by Decree no. 4146/1920, among its responsibilities, apart from those related to the quality of tutelary force of "state-owned air navigation lines", are expressly mentioned the responsibilities of the state aeronautical authority, such as "Fulfillment of all obligations dictated by international conventions for the regulation of air navigation " and " Regulation and policy of all air navigation, excluding military aviation ".

On June 5, 1932, by Decree no. 1890/1932, the first regulatory document with legal value was issued, namely: the law on the organization of aeronautics and the establishment of the State Undersecretariat of the Air, which included the Civil Aviation Directorate. This, in art. 156 - Special provisions, stated that ”the exercise of civil air navigation, air transport (passengers, cargo, mail and messengers), air work (...) and in general any movement of private aircraft, national or foreign, in its territory or in the space subject to the sovereignty of the Romanian state, is under the control of the state, exercised through the State Undersecretariat for Air ". Within the Civil Aviation Directorate, four central services were set up (navigation and air operation; technical, control and maintenance; air navigation protection; commercial and administrative) and several external services (regional inspections of air navigation, airports and radiotelegraph stations necessary for air navigation, undertakings for the operation of air transport, weather and transmission stations, civil air education schools, warehouses, workshops,

The Air Code, approved by Decree no. 516/5 December 1953, replaced the above law. Its provisions were aligned with those of international post-war civil aviation conventions. According to them, the main responsibility of the Romanian aeronautical authority (art. 6) was "the regulation, coordination and control of the entire aeronautical activity in the air and on the ground, in the air traffic space".

The continuous development of civil aviation in Romania and the desire to share, at international level, the results and performances obtained in this field, could not be achieved without Romania becoming a part of the international civil aviation structures. Thus, in 1965, Romania adhered to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO), concluded on December 7, 1944 in Chicago, becoming, by Decree No. 194 of April 24, 1965, an ICAO contracting state. In order to do so, the powers of the national aviation authority had to be brought in line with the provisions of the Chicago Convention and its Annexes.

In 1991, Romania joined the member states of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), an intergovernmental organization that aims to promote the continuous development of flight safety and an efficient European air transport system, reason for which the policies and practices of the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority needed to be harmonized with those of the ECAC Member States.

The Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority, in the form in which it currently operates, was established by Government Decision no. 405 / 08.12.1993. Art.2 of this decision stipulates the following: "The Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority is the specialized technical body whose object of activity is to exercise, under the conditions provided by the Civil Aviation Code, the function of flight safety supervision in civil aviation, at national level, and of the competences delegated by the Ministry of Transport in the field of civil aviation security according to the regulations in force”.

The Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority, Romanian legal entity, based in Bucharest, Şos. București-Ploiesti no. 38-40, operates as an autonomous administration of national public interest, based on economic management and financial autonomy, carrying out its activity according to the provisions of the Civil Air Code, government decisions and ordinances, orders of the relevant minister, director general decisions and other specific, applicable regulations, in force.

In 1993, the national aeronautical authority, together with the aviation authorities of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, signed, on behalf of Romania, a Memorandum of Understanding for the rotating election to the ICAO Council of the countries they represented and, consequently, between 1996-1998, Romania was elected to the ICAO Council.

Starting with 1996, Romania becomes a member of EUROCONTROL. Our country's accession to the "International Eurocontrol Convention on Cooperation for the Safety of Air Navigation" (concluded on December 13, 1960) and to the "Multilateral Agreement on Air Route Tariffs" (signed in Brussels on December 12, 1981) was ratified, by the Romanian Parliament, through Decree no. 353 / 13.11.1995 (published in the Official Journal of Romania no. 112 / 27.05.1996). In this context, the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority became an active participant in the development of the European program for harmonized and convergent implementation in the air traffic management field. At national level, the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority ensures the implementation and compliance with EUROCONTROL requirements on safety regulation - ESARR, implementation of programs and projects for development and modernization of the ATC system, controls the smooth running of ROMATSA activities in this regard, including collaboration with the military (with emphasis on compliance, through common civil-military regulations, especially in air traffic management, risk reduction in ATMs, etc.), representing the Romanian civil aviation in the NATO Commission for Air Traffic Management (NATMC), a specialized body which ensures the civil-military interface for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

In December 2000, due to the sustained efforts undertaken by the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority, Romania became a member with full rights of the JAA, which led to the transposition into national aviation legislation and, at the same time, the implementation of European regulations specific to civil aviation activities, design, manufacture and maintenance of aircraft, flight operations and licensing of flight crew.

The JAA membership status with full rights, conferred the premises of the first sectorial integration of Romania in the European structures and ensured:

1. implementation of European standards and regulations in the field of civil aviation, as part of the acquis Communautaire, in specific national legislation;
2. facilitating the access of Romanian aviation products and services on the European market;
3. relaunching the Romanian air operators in the competitive conditions in Europe.

The Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority had a major contribution to the signing of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA). This Agreement designates the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority - Executive Agent for the application, on behalf of Romania, of the provisions of the BASA Agreement, concluded in September 2002, between the Government of Romania and the Government of the United States of America, for the promotion of civil aviation safety.

The field of activity of the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority covers the regulatory aspects for the implementation and observance of standards, regulations, procedures, norms, etc. on the administration of the Romanian airspace, licensing of the aeronautical personnel, performance of air operations, assurance and maintenance of airworthiness continuity, development of air navigation and airport operations.

The Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority, by delegation of competences granted by the relevant ministry, currently the Ministry of Transports and Infrastructure, is its specialized technical body, having the following main responsibilities:

1. drafting of regulations, implementation and enforcement of national civil aviation regulations;
2. licensing of civil aeronautical personnel;
3. certification of aircraft, products and associated parts intended for civil aeronautics;
4. registration, inspection and control of civil aircraft;
5. evaluation, authorization and supervision of organizations carrying out civil aeronautical activities in Romania;
6. regulation and supervision of operation safety in the field of air traffic management;
7. analysis and approval of technical documentation for development / modernization projects/programs for national airports, of draft standards and regulations in the fields of aerodromes / airports and related, as well as of their application conditions;
8. ensuring compliance with the provisions of the aeronautical agreements and arrangements to which Romania is a part of.

The strategic objectives of the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority, aligned with the "Civil Aviation Strategy 2001+", established by the relevant ministry, were defined so as to ensure the establishment of an appropriate regulatory framework and a transparent, non-discriminatory and stimulating oversight process for all organizations that carry out activities in the field of civil aeronautics in Romania. These objectives have in mind:

- ensuring and maintaining civil aviation safety standards, in Romania, at European and international level;

- adherence to the structures of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); EC Regulation no. 1592/2002 on the establishment of EASA, was adopted by the European Parliament on 15.07.2002, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 07.09.2002, entered into force on 28.09.2002 and became operational starting with 28.09.2003. EASA, through a transition process monitored by the European Commission and the JAA, will take over all JAA responsibilities in approximately 3 years;

- attracting in the RCAA, personnel with the highest qualification and professional experience in the aeronautical field.

The main objectives of the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority have been established in such a way as to harmonize with the objectives of the international aviation bodies to which Romania is a part of - ICAO, ECAC, JAA, EUROCONTROL. Thus, the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority aims to achieve the following main objectives:

- ensuring and maintaining civil aviation safety standards, in Romania, at European and international level;

- continuing the steps in order to complete the process of sectorial integration in the European aviation structures, taking into account EASA - the new civil aviation structure of the European Union;

- harmonization of the national aeronautical legislation with the European and international one, in order to create an optimal environment for the free access of the Romanian products and services, including personnel, on the European market;

- supporting Romania in its efforts to become a part of the European Community and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In order to achieve the proposed objectives and fulfill its responsibilities, the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority established an organizational structure, similar to the European Civil Aviation Authorities, so as to ensure compartmental intercorrelations of the specific activities carried out.