USTDA Sector Brief - Aviation

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.

Aviation is a key sector for USTDA in its support for international development using U.S. private sector solutions. Below are examples of projects that USTDA has supported in this sector:

East Asia

U.S.-China Airport Environmental Partnership – In April 2009, USTDA, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the U.S.-China Airport Environmental Partnership. In launching the Partnership, USTDA stated its intent to host an orientation visit to the United States that will familiarize delegates from the CAAC’s Airport Department with U.S. best practices in sustainable airport development.

U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP) – China’s rapidly growing aviation industry has challenged efforts to maintain effective safety and security operations. Recognizing a need, USTDA helped to structure the ACP with the goal of facilitating U.S. government and aviation industry training and technical cooperation in priority areas identified by the CAAC. USTDA has contributed over $5.5 million to the ACP over five phases. This funding has been supported by additional support from the ACP’s 36 U.S. private sector member companies and by public sector contributions from the FAA and the CAAC.

Airport Emergency Management – USTDA brought 12 delegates from China to the United States in April 2009 to examine U.S. technologies and equipment related to airport emergency and rescue services.

U.S.-China Aviation Symposium – USTDA sponsored the U.S.-China Aviation Symposium in April 2009 to profile commercial opportunities associated with the development of China’s aviation sector and to highlight related U.S. security, safety and environmental technologies.

Europe and Eurasia

Afghanistan Aviation Law and Regulatory Framework Assistance – USTDA provided $309,705 to the Afghan Ministry of Transportation for technical assistance in reviewing and reforming the country’s national civil aviation regulatory framework. The grant supported the development and modernization of the aviation sector throughout Afghanistan.

Euro 2012 Infrastructure – USTDA sponsored an orientation visit to the United States to familiarize a delegation of Polish and Ukrainian aviation officials with modern airport technologies and design and management practices in advance of the 2012 European Football Championships.

Latvia Air Traffic Management System Advanced Modernization Program – USTDA is providing $690,170 to fund technical assistance in planning for air traffic capacity increases, air traffic control technologies upgrades and ongoing facilities maintenance at Riga International Airport. Contractor selection is currently underway.

Ukraine Bila Tserkva Cargo Hub Airport – USTDA provided $238,843 for investment analysis on the proposed rehabilitation of the Bila Tserkva airport. The study examined the construction of facilities to transform the airport into an air cargo hub. SolidTeam LLC of Claremont, CA, performed the study.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Brazil PROAERO Small Airports Network Program Expansion Plan – USTDA is providing $241,000 to the Transport and Public Works Secretariat of the State of Minas Gerais to review and provide recommendations on the proposed expansion plan for the PROAERO Small Airports Network Program.

Chile Air Navigation Technologies – USTDA awarded $980,000 to the Civil General Aviation Directorate of Chile to fund a pilot project in Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast and Local Area Augmentation System airspace technologies at the Arturo Merino Benítez airport in Santiago. If successful, the technology could be implemented at 11 other sites.

Jamaica Air Jamaica Privatization – USTDA is providing two grants totaling $820,180 to the Jamaican Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to facilitate efforts to privatize the Jamaican national airline, Air Jamaica. In collaboration with the International Finance Corporation, the grants will develop strategic options for the airline and provide recommendations on a legal framework for the privatization.

Mexico Ensenada International Airport Development – USTDA awarded a $630,000 grant to the Opcion Integradora Baja Aeropuerto, S. de R.L. de C.V. (OIB) to develop a roadmap for establishing a greenfield international passenger and cargo airport in Ensenada, Mexico. The project is a priority under Mexico's 2007-2012 National Infrastructure Program.

Middle East and North Africa

Egypt Air Maintenance & Engineering (M&E) ICT Modernization – USTDA is providing $642,577 to assist EgyptAir M&E in upgrading its ICT infrastructure to transform its operations into a modern system that can provide state-of-the-art service to both EgyptAir and its other international carrier customers.

Morocco Air Transport System Improvement Plan – USTDA awarded a $605,584 grant to the Office National des Aéroports of Morocco on the expansion and modernization of four major airports. Squire, Sanders and Dempsey provided the assistance.

South and Southeast Asia

APEC Aviation New Technologies Workshop II – In cooperation with the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd. and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, USTDA is sponsoring a symposium in June 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand, to promote the use of new satellite based aviation navigation technologies among the member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Indonesia Airports Safety and Security Assessment – USTDA approved $443,500 for the Indonesian Directorate General of Air Communications to assess current safety and security procedures at Indonesia's airports and provide recommendations for improvement. Aerospace Services International, Inc. is the contractor for the study.

Vietnam Aviation Safety Program – To support the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam’s efforts to comply with the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment program, USTDA is providing nearly $1 million to partially fund, with industry and the Vietnam government, three phases of technical assistance on upgrading Vietnam’s air safety regulatory system. Robinson Aviation, Inc. is the contractor.

U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP) – USTDA launched the India ACP in 2007, together with U.S. aviation companies and the FAA, to work directly with the Indian civil aviation sector on its modernization and safety priorities. Under this public-private partnership with the Indian government, USTDA has sponsored an Aviation Summit, a multi-phase air traffic management training program, technical workshops on the certification of India’s satellite navigation system, GAGAN, and air traffic flow management practices.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa Aviation Safety and Security Conference – USTDA is sponsoring a conference in Cape Town, South Africa, April 27-29, 2009 to promote advanced U.S. technical approaches and collaboration in sub-Saharan Africa’s rapidly growing aviation market, and to encourage a high-level dialogue in addressing key aviation issues throughout the region.

Ghana Kotoka International Airport ATCC – A $295,000 grant to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is funding recommendations on a location and the technical specifications for a new Air Traffic Control Center (ATCC) at Kotoka International Airport. Contractor selection is underway.

Zambia Airports Master Plan – A $725,050 grant to the Zambian Ministry of Communications and Transport, in conjunction with the Department of Civil Aviation and the National Airports Corporation Limited, is being used to develop a master plan for the airports of Lusaka, Ndola, Mfuwe, and Livingstone. Jacobs Consultancy is carrying out the study.