Simple Flying
Luke Bodell
24 October 2024
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have arrived in Argentina to complete the final stage of an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Program audit. The country's Category 1 status is under threat, and any potential downgrade would have significant implications for its aviation industry.
Argentina has maintained its top-tier Category 1 status since 2005 but is now in danger of losing it following years of declining aviation safety standards. An International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit conducted in 2022 found that the country's compliance with international standards was only at 60.47%, below other countries in South America.
Of the IASA Program's eight critical elements (CE), the country's worst-performing areas were in '(CE-2) Specific Operating Regulations' at 37.29%, and '(CE-3) State Civil Aviation System and Safety Oversight Functions' at 41.67%. The FAA then conducted its own evaluation in early 2024 and found 82 areas of concern.
Read on: FAA Audit Underway: Argentina Could Lose Its Category 1 Safety Rating
