General
SAFA (Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft) Ramp Inspections can be conducted in any state. Whilst most inspections are conducted on commercial aircraft, increasingly non-commercial operators are being subjected to ramp checks.
The most common programme is the European Union Ramp Inspection Programme (EU RIP). The EU RIP includes all EASA member states, plus other participating states such as the UAE, Canada & Australia.
The IOMAR has trained EU RIP Inspectors who are tasked with supporting our operators following a ramp inspection.
SAFA Ramp Procedures
A SAFA Ramp Inspection can be performed on arrival or prior to departure and will comprise a number of items from a standard checklist depending on the time available.
A SAFA Ramp Inspection should be conducted against ICAO Annex 6 Part II.
Any findings resulting from the ramp check, are classified according to their severity. More serious findings could include restrictions on the flight operation, corrective actions before flight, detention of the aircraft by the inspecting authority or revocation of the operator’s entry permit.
Proof of Inspection (POI)
The PIC will be provided with a Proof of Inspection report which will usually highlight the areas that have been inspected and any findings.
The PIC will typically be asked to sign the POI. The signature is required to confirm an inspection has been conducted, it is not to accept the findings.
The POI shall always be sent to the operator.
Findings Follow Up
All SAFA findings shall be processed through the operator’s safety management system (if applicable). Operators shall aim to identify actions to prevent the recurrence of non-compliances rather than purely corrective action which, in some cases, could have been taken before the return flight.
Disputed Findings
Operators wishing to challenge findings shall contact the inspecting national authority directly – only the inspecting authority can amend a finding. Contact details can be found on the Proof of Inspection and Inspection Report given to the pilot-in-command.
The IOMAR Flight Operations Team ( flightoperations@gov.im ) should be copied into such communications.
The IOMAR team of highly experienced experts are here to answer any questions you may have. Please contact us by email at aircraft@gov.im.
