The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is an organization established in 1944 through Chicago Agreement to regulate and develop civil aviation and began operations in 1947 as a specialized agency of the United Nations. ICAO, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, promotes global cooperation to ensure safe, orderly and sustainable international aviation.
ICAO, with 193 member states worldwide, World, aims to ensure the safe operation of air transport, develop aviation infrastructure and adopt environmentally conscious aviation policies. To this end, ICAO establishes common standards among countries, creates monitoring mechanisms and encourages international cooperation.
ICAO’s Functions and Objectives
ICAO’s core functions focus on ensuring the safe, orderly and sustainable development of civil aviation. These include:
- International Cooperation: Creates a secure cooperative environment by harmonizing aviation standards among countries.
- Aviation Safety: Develops international standards and recommendations to enhance safety in the aviation sector.
- Environmental Sustainability: Formulates policies to reduce carbon emissions and minimize environmental impacts.
- Economic Efficiency: Regulates competition in air transport and provides guidance to make the sector economically sustainable.
- Support for Technological Development: Encourages the use of modern navigation and communication technologies.
- Air Transport and Infrastructure Development: Supports the effective use and development of airports, airspace and air navigation systems.
Organizational Structure
ICAO operates through a democratic structure with three principal organs:
- Assembly: The highest decision-making body, meeting every three years. Each member state has one vote. The Assembly determines the organization’s general policies and approves its budget.
- Council: The executive body composed of 36 member states, selected with consideration for geographical balance and level of aviation activity. It oversees the development and implementation of standards.
- Secretariat: Manages ICAO’s operational and administrative functions. Through technical divisions, it provides guidance in areas such as air navigation, environment, law, safety and economics.
ICAO Annexes
ICAO has established 19 main annexes that member states are required to comply with. These annexes provide standards and procedures covering all aspects of international aviation:
- Annex 1: Personnel Licensing – Regulates the competencies and licensing procedures for pilots, air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel.
- Annex 2: Rules of the Air – Specifies visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) necessary for flight safety.
- Annex 3: Meteorological Services – Sets standards for providing meteorological information to pilots and air traffic control.
- Annex 4: Aeronautical Charts – Defines the design and use of standard charts used by pilots and air traffic controllers.
- Annex 5: Units of Measurement – Standardizes units of measurement used in civil aviation.
- Annex 6: Operation of Aircraft – Covers operational safety standards for air carriers.
- Annex 7: Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks – Regulates rules for aircraft registration and nationality.
- Annex 8: Airworthiness of Aircraft – Contains standards determining the airworthiness of aircraft.
- Annex 9: Facilitation – Aims to expedite passenger, cargo and postal procedures.
- Annex 10: Aeronautical Telecommunications – Details standards and procedures for aviation communication systems.
- Annex 11: Air Traffic Services – Provides standards for air traffic management and airspace regulation.
- Annex 12: Search and Rescue – Regulates search and rescue operations in the event of aviation accidents.
- Annex 13: Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation – Establishes procedures for investigating aviation accidents.
- Annex 14: Aerodromes – Covers design and operational standards for airports.
- Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services – Regulates the sharing of information essential for air navigation.
- Annex 16: Environmental Protection – Aims to reduce the environmental impact of aviation.
- Annex 17: Security – Enhances aviation security against unlawful interference.
- Annex 18: The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods – Ensures the safe carriage of dangerous goods by air.
- Annex 19: Safety Management – Covers aviation safety management systems.
ICAO’s Areas of Activity
Economic Development of Air Transport
- Imposes fair regulations to prevent unfair competition.
- Provides guidance on air transport agreements.
- Develops crisis management and economic recovery strategies.
Environmental Protection
- Supports environmental goals through carbon offset programs such as CORSIA.
- Proposes innovations to reduce noise pollution and carbon emissions.
- Promotes the use of sustainable fuels.
Aviation Safety and Facilitation
- Develops airport security protocols to enhance passenger safety.
- Offers biometric verification and electronic visas through facilitation policies.
- Implements security measures against unlawful interference.
Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency
- Supports modern navigation systems such as GPS and ADS-B.
- Optimizes air traffic management.
- Improves flight safety by increasing airspace capacity.
Türkiye and ICAO
Türkiye is one of ICAO’s founding members and actively participates in the organization’s activities. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation (SHGM), Turkish, has aligned Türkiye’s civil aviation sector with international norms by implementing ICAO standards. In 2016, Türkiye was elected to the ICAO Council, enhancing its active role within the organization.
