The Wicks Group Consulting provides a wide array of services and support to aviation-related businesses and authorities, encompassing management consulting, technical consulting, research and analytics, and other specialized assistance. Many of our consulting clients are “repeat customers,” attesting to their satisfaction with our services. Descriptions of the main types of consulting services we provide follow.
The Wicks Group Consulting assists foreign civil aviation authorities (CAAs) with preparing for and responding to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) IASA program audits and reviews, which are conducted by the FAA to determine whether a country in is compliance with international aviation safety oversight and monitoring standards. A country determined to be in compliance is given an IASA “Category 1” rating, and a country that falls short of compliance is given an IASA “Category 2” rating. All of our IASA audit preparation projects to date (Azerbaijan, Cabo Verde, India, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine) have resulted in Category 1 ratings by the FAA.
Our IASA consulting team, which includes former FAA IASA auditors and other aviation safety inspectors, attorneys, management consultants, and technical writers, assesses the extent to which a country is in compliance with IASA audit standards, recommends corrective actions as necessary, and then provides technical assistance to the country so that the required corrective actions can be carried out. This technical assistance typically includes statutory and regulatory review and revision, development of inspector guidance materials, development of an inspector training program and training curricula, certification file review and correction, development and implementation of appropriate surveillance and problem resolution procedures, and improvement of personnel licensing practices and procedures. Many of these services are delivered through a joint work process with the country’s civil aviation authority (CAA) so that the CAA personnel develop the expertise needed to sustain a compliant system over time.
The Wicks Group Consulting also provides periodic IASA Category 1 sustainment services to foreign CAAs to ensure a Category 1 rating is not placed in jeopardy over time. These services generally include advising a CAA of changes to applicable international standards, conducting periodic site visits to perform quality assurance inspections and provide additional inspector training as needed, and advising a CAA on strategic communications with the FAA.
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The Wicks Group regularly provides consulting services to foreign air carriers and maintenance organizations undergoing a government certification process. Our certification services team includes many former FAA aviation safety inspectors who have decades of experience with air carrier and maintenance organization certification, both with regard to operations and airworthiness, as well as management consultants and technical writers. This allows TWG Consulting to provide comprehensive guidance and support regarding certification.
Our initial services often entail assessing whether an air carrier or maintenance organization is likely to meet certification standards, and recommending corrective actions as needed. TWG then typically provides “turnkey” consulting services for the certification process. These include developing the overall work plan for accomplishing the certification/recertification; revising existing management, operations, and maintenance practices and documentation; developing new or improved procedures and documentation; supporting preparation of the required application and supporting documents and manuals; advising management on what will be required for demonstrations and inspections; advising on strategic communications with the FAA or other government authorities during the certification process; and assisting management with monitoring and troubleshooting during the certification process.
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Our consultants provide expert assistance to domestic and foreign air carriers in conducting their US and other operations, including interactions with regulatory agencies.
Our assistance with regulatory agencies is provided for US, Canadian, and certain other operations. Examples include securing permits and approvals, making changes to approved Operations Specifications, determining the need for Last Point of Departure inspection and organizing such an inspection, establishing an Approved Security Program, coordinating with FAA oversight offices regarding monitoring activities; completing local registrations, obtaining a Class 3 Carrier Bond, providing immigration and visa support, and arranging for meetings with regulatory officials when needed.
Our consultants also assist air carriers with a variety of other operations-related needs, including establishing airport gate and facility agreements, preparing employment agreements, and training on key requirements for doing business in the US.
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The Wicks Group provides a broad range of airport-related consulting services, including assistance with regulatory compliance, market research and analysis, and business plan development. Our airport consulting client base spans airport authorities, airport operators/managers, and airport service providers, such as fixed-base operators and concessioners.
Our regulatory-related assistance to airports includes helping them comply with federal grant assurances, noise regulations, and safety standards, among other requirements. TWG provides information on the content of various requirements, assist our airport sector clients with understanding the implications of various regulatory requirements for how they operate, and help them come into compliance with the requirements by developing new or revised policies and procedures, programs, and documentation as needed. For example, TWG has assisted several airports with developing Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Airport Concessions Disadvantage Business Enterprise plans and procedures that comply with requirements imposed by federal grants, including developing and documenting program plans for submission to federal reviewers, determining participation goals, and reporting on actual participation rates achieved.
The Wicks Group also provides the airport sector with comprehensive research and rigorous quantitative analyses that produce valuable planning and competitive information. TWG routinely provides: air service development support, airport traffic and movements forecasting, analysis of airport trends and activities, general and business aviation activity forecasts for airports, assessments of regulatory impacts, and revenue projections, among other types of analyses to assist clients in the airports sector with their business planning, business development, and operational goals. TWG also assists airports and airport-related companies with developing and revising their business plans.
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The Wicks Group assists civil aviation agencies (CAAs) with the development or enhancement of their regulatory systems by providing a mix of consulting services, as appropriate for the particular client. Services provided often include: regulatory review, regulatory drafting, work group facilitation, and development of supporting processes and documents needed for implementation of new or revised regulations. Our regulatory development work reflects that fact that several of our consultants are also attorneys.
An example of our regulatory development work for foreign CAAs is a project in which TWG helped the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's CAA with developing and implementing new economic licensing regulations for domestic air carriers. Our team drafted a comprehensive set of regulations; developed the license bidding process, application form, and bid information documents; supported the CAA’s representatives during oral presentations by bidders; and documented the bid decision.
We also have done several regulatory development projects for the FAA. These projects have entailed drafting regulatory guidance related to designee management, flight program operations, and other activities, facilitating workgroup discussions of the draft guidance, and preparing the guidance for final administrative review.
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The Wicks Group Consulting assists aviation-related organizations with documenting and improving work and management processes, often preparing or revising policies and procedures manuals and offering recommendations for streamlining or strengthening various activities and functions. We also assist organizations with documenting existing processes, policies, and procedures to meet regulatory requirements or organizational goals. As an example, TWG helped FAA managers and staff implement a Flight Service Center within the agency, including assisting with refinement of the concept, drafting content for a comprehensive Flight Service Center policies and procedures manual, facilitating work group discussions of the draft manual sections; and preparing the manual in final form.
As another example, our professionals consulted with several Part 135 operators whose Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS) designs and documentation, General Operating Manuals, General Maintenance Manuals, or other technical manuals did not comply with FAA regulations and standards, or were out of date. Our consultants performed a gap analysis to identify the need for changes to existing documentation or for new documentation to be developed, prepared the new or revised content, and then trained the operators’ personnel on the revised policies, procedures, and documents.
The Wicks Group has also assisted air carriers and maintenance organizations with preparing application materials and supporting documentation needed to obtain an FAA air operator or repair station certificate. TWG has also assisted several foreign air carriers with preparing documentation required to obtain air operator certification from their own civil aviation authority, in accordance with the five-phase process that is the international standard for air operator certification.
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The Wicks Group Consulting undertakes aviation sector research and performs quantitative analyses to assist air carriers, airports, investor groups, and transportation institutes, among others, with meeting informational, business planning, and operational improvement goals. Analyses commonly conducted include airport traffic and movements forecasting, airline economic analysis, analysis of airport trends and activities, and general and business aviation activity forecasting for airports and across countries. As aviation specialists, TWG Consulting is able to calibrate and translate research and analytic results for real-world applicability and impact.
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