Amman, March 17 (Petra) -- The Lower House of Parliament approved Monday an overhaul of the Kingdom's aviation regulations aimed at eliminating a backlog of abandoned aircraft and aligning national air safety protocols with international standards.

The amendments to the Civil Aviation Law modernize regulatory oversight and create independent crash investigation mechanisms in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, officials said during the parliamentary session chaired by Speaker Ahmad Safadi.

Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) Chief Capt. Haitham Misto told lawmakers the legislation addresses a longstanding problem of derelict aircraft at the kingdom's airports, with 32 abandoned planes previously languishing at Queen Alia International Airport.

"Thanks to government measures, we've reduced that number to 12 aircraft," Misto said. "We're addressing the remaining inventory at an accelerated pace to eliminate their presence and remedy the conditions that led to their abandonment."

Some aircraft have remained grounded for over three decades after arriving for maintenance, creating safety hazards and occupying valuable airport real estate. The new provisions establish clear pathways for reclassification.

"The regulations create mechanisms to transition aircraft from 'abandoned' status to 'stored' status with proper maintenance documentation," Misto said, using terminology aligned with ICAO and FAA storage classifications.

A central feature of the legislation establishes an autonomous accident investigation board, separating investigative functions from regulatory oversight a key requirement under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention.

"This legislation creates the necessary firewall between the regulator and the accident investigator," said Political and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Munim Al-Awdat. "The regulatory body cannot simultaneously serve as the investigating authority."

The amendments introduce the position of "designated minister" an independent official appointed by the prime minister specifically to oversee aviation accident investigations.

"This creates proper governance with segregation of duties," Al-Awdat explained. "The oversight entity cannot participate in investigations it will ultimately review."

State Minister for Legal Affairs Fayez Al-Qudah emphasized that Jordan, as a contracting state to the Chicago Convention, must implement these structural reforms to maintain Category 1 safety rating status.

"The technical investigation process established under this law operates independently from judicial proceedings," Al-Qudah noted. "While CARC will continue investigating minor incidents, this new structure applies to serious accidents meeting ICAO Annex 13 notification thresholds."

The legislation also harmonizes Jordan's definitions of "state aircraft" with international standards, specifically designating aircraft serving exclusively in military, law enforcement, customs, and emergency service roles.

Additional provisions allow aircraft lessors to transfer airworthiness management responsibilities from the state of registry to the state of the operator aligning with modern leasing practices under the Cape Town Convention.

The law takes effect 60 days after publication in the Official Gazette, against the government's recommendation for immediate implementation.

//Petra// AA

17/03/2025 20:37:32