Not all aviation countries are truly equal nor are all businesses equal, so caution is prudent. However, inform your national authority if you find anything abnormal or not up to standard, as they need to know and follow up. These agreements are based on reviews and a lot of trust. As Ronald Reagan said, “Trust, but verify.” This is always good advice.


CONCLUSION My time working on these agreements was a time of meeting well-qualified people from around the world, reviewing governmental systems and visiting many industrial sites. One should not take for granted the usefulness of the international agreements, which allow us to function smoothly internationally. Make sure you understand the basic requirements of the agreements when purchasing aircraft or parts or when sending such items offshore for maintenance or modification. Remember that between ICAO standards and bilateral agreements, there are established procedures that cover operations, aircraft and component design, maintenance and manufacturing, as well as all the licencing of aviation personnel. I have not gone into a great deal of technical detail in this


article as that would fill volumes. I could tell many stories of the work and of conducting surveillance over foreign operators working between countries but those are best left for hangar flying time. You can do your part by ensuring you get the correct documentation and help your authority by giving then any feedback on failures. Remember to clearly and plainly document your requirements when working outside your normal framework. Remind yourself that while English is the worldwide aviation language, it is not everyone’s first language, so care is needed to avoid many interpretation issues. Finally if you work outside your own country, enjoy the experience. It can be enriching and profitable.


Roger Beebe


is the president of Plane Talk Consulting (www.planetalkconsulting.com). Prior to establishing Plane Talk Consulting in 2007, Beebe was employed as regional director, Civil Aviation, Prairie


and Northern Region with Transport Canada. He held this position for 10 years and was based in Edmonton and Winnipeg. Beebe held other positions during his Transport Canada career, including acting director general of Western and Central Region; director, Airworthiness; and chief, Manufacturing and Maintenance for Canada at headquarters in Ottawa where he was responsible for all maintenance and manufacturing activities and AME licencing. Beebe served in the Ontario region as an inspector and as superintendent Manufacturing, Repair and Overhaul. He was involved in approving aircraft maintenance programs for new aircraft being certified in Canada. This work included assessing manufacturing and maintenance programs in many countries and conducting audits and inspections of air carriers, maintenance facilities and manufacturers. Beebe’s civil aviation experience includes Wardair, based in Edmonton and Toronto and Air Canada, based at Toronto. His aircraft maintenance experience was on the B747, Lockheed L1011, DC-8 series, DC-9 series, Boeing 707 and 727 aircraft. He also worked on the Bristol freighter, DHC-6 twin Otter and the DHC-3 otter and the Viscount. Beebe served over six years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, four of those years were with 1 Wing Marville, France and later at Lahr, Germany, maintaining the CF-104 Starfighter aircraft. He serviced many 1960’s military aircraft from several allied air forces. Immediately prior to leaving the RCAF, Beebe maintained CF-5 and T-33 aircraft for 434 Squadron based at Cold Lake, Alberta. During Beebe’s career, he was involved in many national and international activities relating to aviation. In addition to his technical duties, he was involved in all the activities associated with management and executive responsibilities.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68