This article discusses the responsibilities and compliance requirements associated with becoming a Regional TrainAir Plus Centre of Excellence (RTCE).
Obtaining the status as a Regional TrainAir Plus Centre of Excellence (RTCE) member is a prestigious honor that provides opportunities for your training center. Institutes like the East African School of Aviation (EASA) in Kenya or the Académie Internationale Mohammed VI de l'Aviation Civile in Morocco qualified to become regional centres of excellence and compliance. Being a regional qualification hubs, lead to strongly increased turnover and headcount, continuously improving equipment due to higher budgets, guidance and support by ICAO and world-wide reputation of a top class education institute.
However, becoming an RTCE comes with responsibilities and requirements that you comply with those responsibilities. Failure to comply could put your RTCE status in jeopardy.
Responsibilities of RTCE Members
The purpose of becoming an RTCE member is to work with the ICAO to improve the performance of ITP by developing and delivering training on behalf of the ICAO. The clock starts ticking once the TrainAir Plus member has passed the Global Aviation Training Office (GAT) assessment. GAT will send an invoice for the initial annual membership fee. Upon payment of this fee, the member will receive an official plaque and a certificate listing the authorized areas that courses can be developed for. The certificate is valid for three years and is conditional to the member’s compliance with the requirements of maintaining RTCE membership.
New RTCEs are required to submit an ITP proposal and receive approval to begin development through the TPeMS during the first year of being approved as an RTCE. If not done within the first six months, GAT will email a reminder to the RTCE. Another reminder will be sent three months before the deadline is up.
All RTCEs are required to complete an ITP development process through the TPeMS every two years. Those who have been approved in more than one authorized area are required to develop at least one ITP per area every two years. Again, GAT will email reminders at six months and three months before the deadline date.
RTCEs are required to deliver their developed ITP(s) at least once a year. GAT will send reminders six and three months prior to the due date. To make it easier to monitor ITP deliveries, RTCEs are required to submit their delivery schedules to GAT between 1 January and 15 February each year.
RTCEs must demonstrate that they are continuing to meet all ICAO RTCE requirements that were met during their assessment to become RTCEs. This involves submitting proof to GAT every six months that they still meet RTCE acceptance criteria.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
If new RTCEs fail to submit their ITP proposal and obtain approval to begin development in TPeMS by their deadline, their RTCE status will be temporarily suspended. If the proposal and approval is not completed within the following six months, the member’s RTCE status will be revoked.
RTCEs that fail to complete their ITP development process in TPeMS by their due date will have their RTCE status temporarily suspended. If not completed within the following six months, the member’s RTCE status will be revoked.
If an RTCE fails to maintain their acceptance criteria, GAT will send a written notice that requests the issue be addressed by a given deadline. A second notice will be sent before that deadline. If the issue is not resolved by the given deadline, the RTCE status will be temporarily suspended until it is resolved. Failure to resolve the issue by six months of the deadline will result in revocation of the member’s RTCE status.
If corrective actions required by a TPP reassessment of an RTCE are not addressed within three months of notification, a temporary suspension of the RTCE status will occur until actions are completed. If the issues are not resolved prior to three months after the original due date, RTCE status will be revoked.
Temporary suspension of RTCE status will prevent members from activities afforded with this status. Once RTCE status has been revoked, the member will not be allowed to reapply for three years from the date of revocation unless it successfully completes a new reassessment. RTCEs who have developed an STP within three years of having their status revoked will be reclassified as a TPP Full Member. RTCEs who have not developed an STP will be reclassified as a TPP Associate Member.
Protecting RTCE Status
Becoming an RTCE is advantageous for training organizations because of the opportunities it brings, including added revenue. However, it is important for members who apply for this status to be sure that they will be capable of complying with the responsibilities that come with being an RTCE.
References and Additional Reading
- Additional Articles on ICAO's TrainAir Plus program (2018 - today), by Dawn M. Turner, Ulrich Scholten, Dennis Vasilev et al.
- TRAINAIR PLUS Programme description (retrieved July 2019), by ICAO
