Air operator's certificate

The Air Operator Certificate (AOC ), German: air operator's certificate (in the U.S. Air Carrier Operating Certificate ) in the European Union, is a prerequisite for the granting of an operating license for the provision of air services to a company. The basis for the granting of an operating license based on the AOC Council Regulation ( EC) 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which replaced Council Regulation (EC ) No 2407/1992 on 1 November 2008.

In Germany the issue of the AOC in § 61 of the Air Traffic Licensing Regulations ( LuftVZO ) is regulated. It stipulates that the procedure for approval of aircraft that are used for commercial air transportation of persons and property, in accordance with the provisions of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EU -OPS ) depends 1.175 et seq.

One distinguishes three categories:

• AOC for MTOW up to 5.7 tonnes maximum take-off weight
• AOC for MTOW over 5.7 and 10 tonnes MTOW
• Great for AOC MTOW over 10 tonnes MTOW

There is also the distinction of freight or passenger traffic. The Operational Area may be restricted, for example to Europe. These criteria are included in the respective granted AOC.

Is granted the AOC by the competent aviation authority; in Germany an AOC is issued by the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt ( LBA) in Braunschweig. ( Exception: AOC for companies that operate exclusively under visual flight rules (Visual Flight Rules VFR ) are granted by the state aviation authority having jurisdiction ).

In accordance with the EASA guidelines, the AOC must be carried on board each aircraft.

Before issuing a comprehensive technical and economic reassessment. These financial strength shall be verified and competent persons are appointed within a company who are technically able to fill in the corresponding positions. Whether the persons nominated are also accepted, is responsible for the issuing authority. These people are called in the jargon Manager (Head ) and Post Holder ( Head of Department ). These include the following: Accountable Manager ( acting chief ), Quality Manager ( Head of Quality System), Post Holder Flight Operations (Head of Operations ), Postholder Ground Operations (Head of Ground Operations ), Post Holder Maintenance System (Head of Maintenance System), Postholder Crew Training (Head of crew training).

As a rule, particularly at a first division, the AOC issued for a limited period. Also during this period, the approval may at any time be revoked. Reasons could be unreliability in the technical and flight operations or economic reasons.

Since the introduction of the so-called European guidelines ( Joint Aviation Requirements JAR ) a uniform regulation of the issuance of an AOC is sought. The overarching European body called the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA ). The JAA issued only proposals which will standardize European cooperation in aviation. The JAR are based on a legal tender act adopted in national law ( eg regulation ). The national law remains applicable as far as it relates to aspects that are not covered by the JAR.

EASA has taken over 2003, the tasks of the JAA in Europe. With the European Parliament and Council Regulation (1592/2002), EASA also got a legislative task. It is thus over national law. Counterpart in the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ) are called the Regulations Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR ).