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The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) today (August 29) in Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) known as "Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance".
The new agreement is an extension of the MOU signed by both parties on December 16, 2004. It expands the scope of mutual recognition of approvals of maintenance organisations to cover all aircraft, engine and component maintenance.
The MOU allows maintenance organisations in Hong Kong to maintain aircraft registered in Singapore without seeking additional approval from CAAS. Likewise, maintenance organisations in Singapore may maintain aircraft registered in Hong Kong without separate approval from CAD.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Norman Lo, said, "Partnership and co-operation among regulatory authorities through mutual recognition will reduce duplication of approvals and auditing activities, thus maximising the utilisation of resources of both the regulators and the industry partners.
"It will also bring about an improved quality of aircraft maintenance through the use of common airworthiness standards."
Hong Kong has had similar mutual recognition arrangements on aircraft maintenance with Canada since 2005 and will continue to extend the mutual recognition arrangement to other overseas regulatory authorities.
Ends/Friday, August 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:01
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