UK Civil Aviation Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore expand collaboration

At a glance

• The UK Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have signed a Technical Arrangement for Airworthiness Certification.
• Under this technical arrangement, both regulators will mutually recognise and reciprocally accept or validate each other’s design certifications and production approvals.
• This streamlines regulatory inspections and reduce costs for air operators and industry stakeholders in both countries.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have signed a Technical Arrangement for Airworthiness Certification to further enhance safety oversight and promote closer sharing of work practices and safety oversight information between the two authorities.

Specifically, this Agreement seeks to reduce regulatory compliance time and cost for design and production approvals and to facilitate the opening of more aviation business markets for approval holders of both Authorities.

The technical arrangement was signed on 19 February 2024 by Tendai Mutambirwa, Interim Group Director of Safety and Airspace Regulation and Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS on the sidelines of the Changi Aviation Summit held in Singapore.

Under this technical arrangement, the UK Civil Aviation Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will mutually recognise and reciprocally accept or validate each other’s design certifications and production approvals.

This streamlines regulatory inspections and reduce costs for air operators and industry stakeholders in both countries by eliminating the need for Design Organisation Approval (DOA) and Production Organisation Approval (POA) holders to obtain duplicate approvals from both CAAS and UK CAA to operate in both Singapore and the UK.

This latest agreement complements the first Technical Arrangement for Aircraft Maintenance established under the framework of the CAAS-UK CAA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on 18 December 2020.

The MOU facilitates cooperation across a wide range of areas in international civil aviation, in particular, to improve aviation safety and training, and address emerging complex issues, such as cybersecurity in air transport systems and safeguard public health in air travel.

Tendai Mutambirwa, Interim Group Director of Safety and Airspace Regulation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:

“The signing of this arrangement with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is another step towards more seamless collaboration between us, ensuring we can speed up and simplify approval processes between our countries.

"This will allow both our aviation sectors to continue thriving together, bolstering international aviation and aerospace trade and helping to create a more efficient and interconnected global industry."

Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, said:

“The civil aviation authorities of Singapore and the UK have a long-standing relationship and continue to share the same commitment to uphold the highest standards in aviation safety.  

"As our respective aviation sectors see growth prospects in air travel, the deepening of our bilateral partnership will benefit air operators and industry stakeholders in Singapore and the UK.”

Notes to editors

• The UK Civil Aviation Authority is the UK’s aviation and aerospace regulator. We work so that the aviation industry meets the highest safety standards and consumers have choice, value for money, are protected and treated fairly when they fly.
• The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation.