The Wicks Group (TWG) recently deployed a technical assistance team to Tokyo, Japan in support of a regulatory harmonization project for the country’s civil aviation authority, the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). The team, which included Managing Director Glenn Wicks and Paralegal-Research Assistant Steven Kloos, analyzed Japan's approved maintenance organization (AMO) regulations and facilitated understanding of the JCAB approach to a visiting team of US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives.
TWG is currently performing a project for the government of Japan to assist the country with harmonizing its regulations governing Approved Maintenance Organizations with those of the United States. TWG is supporting the JCAB in these crucial efforts by providing technical assistance in comparing and bringing into closer alignment the regulatory systems. If ultimately achieved, this maintenance harmonization would allow for each CAA to oversee the repair stations in its home country that are licensed by the partner CAA under a BASA-MIP agreement. This arrangement requires a great deal of technical confidence-building and understanding of each system, which TWG is helping to facilitate.
During its most recent visit, the TWG team facilitated the review of the JCAB legal structure and rulemaking process, the JCAB organization structure, as well as AMO-related regulations. This work entailed developing detailed documentation binders in preparation for the meetings and providing guidance for the JCAB on how best to explain their safety oversight system to the FAA representatives.
For over a decade, TWG has provided research and analytics consulting support in Japan, including conducting comprehensive analyses and studies, participating in or moderating industry study group meetings, and preparing materials for or participating in industry conferences hosted in Washington and Tokyo. Recent studies produced for the firm’s Japan practice have covered the growth and impact of the regional airline industry, strategies for maximizing the potential of multiple-airport markets, trends in airline alliances, antitrust immunity in airline mergers, and the impact of Open Skies Agreements on the US-Europe and US-Japan markets.
The Wicks Group is a multi-disciplinary legal and consulting firm that provides specialized services to clients with aviation and transportation-related interests. The firm has advised countries on achieving their civil aviation development objectives, whether achieving compliance with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or providing specialized technical and legal counsel.
For more information about The Wicks Group’s involvement in regulatory harmonization or to learn more about the firm’s legal and technical services, please contact Glenn Wicks (gpwicks@wicks-group.com), and for information on TWG’s Japan services please contact Michael Fleming (mfleming@wicks-group.com).