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, feasibility studies, training, reverse trade missions 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

Mongolian Aviation Expansion Project – A $771,600, multi-phase grant is assisting Eznis Airways, a private airline, in devising a strategic expansion plan for its commercial aviation business. IOS Partners is conducting this assistance.

China Search and Rescue Operations – In support of the Ministry of Transportation’s (MOT) plan to further develop its inland Search and Rescue (SAR) capacity, USTDA provided a $230,000 grant to support a training program for 20 SAR pilots from MOT’s Bureau of Rescue and Salvage. The training will be conducted by SRT Helicopters (Bakersfield, California).

U.S.-China Airport Environmental Partnership – In April 2009, USTDA, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established the U.S.-China Airport Environmental Partnership. In launching the Partnership, USTDA stated its intent to host an reverse trade mission to the United States to 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’s contributions to the ACP total over $5.5 million and have been supported by additional contributions from the ACP’s 36 U.S. private sector member companies and the FAA and the CAAC.

Airport Emergency Management – USTDA brought 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 related U.S. security, safety and environmental technologies.

Europe and Eurasia

Afghanistan Aviation Law and Regulatory Framework – USTDA provided $309,705 to the Afghan Ministry of Transportation to assist in reviewing and reforming the country’s national civil aviation regulatory framework.

Azerbaijan Air Safety – USTDA approved $310,200 to assist the State Civil Aviation Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan in conforming with International Civil Aviation Organization guidelines and enable Azerbaijan to obtain Category One status under the FAA's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program.

Latvia Air Traffic Management System Advanced Modernization – 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. DORS International of Alexandria, VA, is providing the assistance.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Brazil Tancredo Neves International Airport Master Plan – A $573,000 USTDA grant is being used to update the master plan for Tancredo Neves International Airport. The study will also provide recommendations with respect to the options for possible public-private partnerships at the airport.

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 funded 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 FAA, USTDA sponsored 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 forum.

Indonesia Airports Safety and Security – USTDA provided $443,500 to the 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.

Vietnam Aviation Safety – To support the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam’s efforts to comply with the FAA’s IASA 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 ACP in 2007, together with the FAA and U.S. aviation companies, to work directly with the Indian civil aviation sector on its modernization and safety priorities as it undergoes rapid growth. Under this public-private partnership, USTDA has sponsored an conference in New Delhi, a multi-phase Air Traffic Management Training Program, and technical workshops on certification of India’s satellite navigation system, GAGAN, and Air Traffic Flow Management practices. New projects include a Helicopter Aviation Safety and Aviation Standards and Processes technical assistance program for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa Aviation Safety and Security Conference – USTDA is sponsoring a conference October 26-28, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia, 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 region.

Ghana Kotoka International Airport – 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 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 Consulting was selected to develop the plan.