The sixth meeting of the Regional Working Group on Aerodrome Operations (RWGAO/6) of the European and North Atlantic Office of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was held in Bucharest, Romania.

Representatives of aviation authorities from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Poland, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Morocco, Türkiye, Greece, and Romania participated in the event.

The participants focused on the effective implementation of ICAO international standards in the fields of flight safety and aerodrome operations in the European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) region, which includes the Republic of Kazakhstan.

During the meeting, issues related to heliport certification, the implementation of new Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS), and the improvement of aircraft ground handling standards were discussed.

Representatives of the Department of Aerodromes and Ground handling of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan - Head of Aviation protected zones approvals division  - chief aviation inspector Irina Khusainova, and Senior Aviation Inspector Bakhtiyar Seitakhmetov — delivered several presentations on the implementation of ICAO initiatives in Kazakhstan and proposed further developments. In particular, they presented initiatives to improve heliport certification, including additional requirements for facilities located on offshore drilling platforms, the development and implementation of standards for vertiports in line with the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) concept, the adaptation of obstacle limitation surface requirements for vertiport placement, including on elevated structures, as well as the implementation of a transition plan for Kazakhstan’s airports to adopt new OLS standards.

The materials presented by Kazakhstan generated strong interest and active discussion among the working group participants. Following the meeting, the proposals put forward by the Kazakh side were accepted for further consideration within ICAO’s профильных technical committees.

Participation in RWGAO/6 confirms the Republic of Kazakhstan’s commitment to international standards and best practices in ensuring flight safety, as well as the country’s active role in developing modern aerodrome infrastructure and implementing innovative solutions in civil aviation.