The Canadian Government advocates expanded partnerships with not-for-profit organizations in the design and delivery of services that reflect the needs and priorities of citizens rather than the internal structures of government organizations.
Government policy is reflected in Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) strategic plan Flight 2010 which encourages the exploration of opportunities for transferring tactical responsibility and accountability for safety to industry, so as to allow TCCA to concentrate on strategic management of the system.
Perceiving a potential for reaching those goals through helicopter industry self-management, TCCA proposed the Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC) consider taking over management of the H-AOC Program; this lead to the creation of the joint TCCA/HAC Helicopter-AOC Management Modernization Task Force.
The Task Force is mandated to examine the feasibility and possible methodology of transferring responsibility and accountability for helicopter air operator certification and oversight to the Association. Its Terms of Reference task HAC with conducting a feasibility study, in consultation with the industry.
Before finalising the study, industry as a whole must express its opinions on the subject. The HAC Board of Directors has therefore authorized the publication of the Preliminary Report on H-AOC Industry Self-management, for the purposes of consultation.
Stakeholders from every facet of the industry a encouraged to down load the Report from the HAC web site (http://www.h-a-c.ca/Industry_Self-mgt_Report.pdf), to make their opinions known to HAC management and to participate in a forum on the subject to be held at 08:30 Monday April 16th 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver, during the HAC Annual Convention.
Following preliminary industry consultation, the HAC Board of Directors will make recommendations on the subject of H-AOC Industry Self-management to the HAC Annual General Meeting, to be held immediately following the Consultation Forum, April 16th 2007.
