The Wicks Group has performed several projects for the Trinidad and Tobago's Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA), as well as a project for the former flag air carrier.
Our most recent work for the TTCAA has focused on supporting its FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program Category 1 rating, which indicates the country is in compliance with international aviation safety oversight and monitoring standards. Due to significant growth by the country's major air carrier, the TTCAA had been informed that the FAA would be conducting a new IASA audit in the summer of 2012. The TTCAA engaged TWG to assist with preparations for the audit, and we provided intensive technical assistance to the agency in the months preceding the audit. Our work included developing and executing a strategy for effective pre- and post-audit communications with the FAA; a pre-audit diagnostic activity; preparing or revising components of its Inspector Guidance Manual System; developing an appropriate Inspector Training Program, including in-house training curricula; helping the TTCAA correct issues in its past certification of the major air carrier, and advising TTCAA management and staff on the audit standards and processes. The FAA IASA audit was conducted in July 2012. The FAA announced on November 8, 2012 that Trinidad and Tobago had retained its Category 1 rating because of the recent improvements resulting from TTCAA and TWG joint efforts over the technical assistance project period.
The Wicks Group is continuing to assist the TTCAA by providing Category 1 sustainment services that help ensure the TTCAA continues to operate in compliance with international standards. Sustainment services include notifying the TTCAA of changes to international standards that need to be incorporated into TTCAA guidance and making periodic site visits to deliver specialized inspector training and conduct various types of quality assurance reviews. TWG also periodically conducts comprehensive reassessments of compliance status using the FAA IASA audit checklists to detect any areas in which compliance slippage may have occurred.
The Wicks Group provided the TTCAA with strategic planning and analytical support related to the development of a state-of-the-art General Aviation/Business Aviation (GA/BA) facility at a secondary airport. Services included preparing a detailed strategic business plan, making comprehensive financial projections focused on revenues and job creation, advising on critical aviation regulations governing GA/BA (and drafting proposed new enabling regulations), and preparing a presentation on the plan and projections for government decision-makers.
The TTCAA also contracted with TWG to provide strategic business planning services for an airport development project. Our work included conducting a review of General Aviation/Business Aviation facility market opportunities, drawing on examples from around the world. TWG also developed and applied a revenue forecasting model to estimate the direct, indirect and induced economic output that could be expected from the project. TWG also advised the TTCAA on an appropriate concession strategy for the aviation cluster to be developed, including a Public-Private Partnership strategy and approach; industry best practices for the concession of aeronautical and non-aeronautical services; and financial evaluation of various concession approaches for multiple strategic business units.
The TTCAA also hired TWG for a project in 2005 to assess the legal and regulatory constraints and opportunities presented by Trinidad and Tobago law and regulations, relevant international agreements, current route right granting practices, and international safety standards for the development of an effective regional airline. TWG completed our review in a timely manner and provided the government with specific recommendations for revising their economic licensing regulations to reflect the country’s current policies and priorities and to meet international standards and norms. TWG also offered the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago recommendations regarding its safety oversight and certification framework, the need to recertify its national flag carrier (BWIA West Indies Airways) as part of an effort to gain an FAA IASA Category 1 rating, and the efficacy of various multilateral and bilateral agreements to which it was a party.
As a result of our successful completion of the earlier TTCAA project, TWG was hired by BWIA West Indies Airways to provide management and technical assistance with a full recertification process due to the issuance of new civil aviation regulations. In addition to providing project management guidance to the air carrier, TWG had a team of technical consultants and writers working intensively with the client to complete more than 25 technical documents and manuals. TWG personnel worked around the clock to ensure that BWIA’s goal of recertification was met by the statutory deadline. Recertification of the airline by the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (with FAA oversight) was accomplished within a one-year period, and was critical to the TTCAA being moved to IASA Category 1 status by the FAA.