1. What is PASO?
PASO is the Pacific Aviation Safety Office, a non-profit International organisation, set up under the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST).
2. Who are the members of PASO?
The PASO member countries are Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
3. What is the role of PASO?
PASO is responsible for overseeing regional aviation safety and security oversight for its members. It is responsible for overseeing airport and airline operational safety and security standards, and ensuring they are met. Its core set of responsibilities include:
▪ Airworthiness;
▪ Aviation Security;
▪ Aerodromes;
▪ Flight Operations; and
▪ Personnel Licensing for these disciplines.
The primary goal of PASO is to provide in the long term an improvement in quality and extension of these services, at a lower total cost than would have to be paid by the industry and member governments to achieve these goals by themselves.
4. How does PASO work?
PASO provides an advisory service to the national aviation authorities of participating states and also provides support to the local aviation industry.
PASO carries out audits and inspections through its inspectors, and submits the reports to the national authorities. These reports identify deficiencies and set out the required remedial steps and possibly alternate remedial steps. Once recommendations are accepted and enforced by the national authority, their implementation will be continuously monitored by PASO until full compliance has been achieved. These audits and inspections are undertaken in accordance with the legal environment of the state of operation, using local regulations and ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as the base materials.
5. Who is eligible for the PASO services?
PASO services are available to its members, however, it is anticipated that other Pacific countries will join PASO over time as their needs require and as the organisation demonstrates its value and capabilities. It is also possible that some countries will utilise PASO services on a contract basis. PASO is designed to accommodate future growth through both of these mechanisms.
6.How can PASO work effectively with the various operating aviation environments of the Forum Island Countries (FICs)?
PASO recognises the different operating aviation environments of the FICs and understands that for PASO to work effectively across its members, it is essential that a standard operating environment be established across all member countries. This has been identified and a harmonisation process will address this. All but one of the current member countries have moved toward adopting the New Zealand CAA rules, which is to become the de facto operating environment for the Pacific region. Regardless of the standard chosen by member countries, PASO will provide technical assistance to member countries to facilitate harmonisation.
7. Is PASO replacing the national aviation safety authorities?
No. PASO will not replace the national authority for aviation safety. Though it will provide advice, it will remain the responsibility of national civil aviation administrations to implement that advice and sign the documents that give legal effect to the matters concerned.
8. How is PASO being funded?
PASO receives annual membership fees from its member countries as well as service fees which helps fund the operations of the organisation. PASO is also exploring other avenues for funding, looking at donor and industry support for its inception phase.
9. What is PICASST?
PICASST is the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety & Security Treaty, a multilateral treaty formalising PASO under international law. This was open for signing at the Forum Leaders Meeting in 2004 in Apia, Samoa. The Treaty became legally binding on the Parties on 11th June 2005.
There are nine countries which have signed the document and these are the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.