With Covid now behind it, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) is flying high with a new purpose-built building and streamlined online data management solutions. Thanks to its focus on personalised service and its proactive relationships with clients, stakeholders and industry players, the CAACI has set itself apart as a leading regulatory authority – not only regionally but globally as well. Richard Hagan met with Director-General Richard Smith to get the latest news from the CAACI’s office.
ASwe all know, the pandemic created unique challenges for businesses and industries worldwide. The aviation industry, however, was particularly hard-hit. And while it may take some time yet for the industry to fully recover, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) has managed to emerge from the difficulties of the pandemic remarkably strong.
Electronic data management
Records management is a core part of the CAACI’s daily work and it is a role in which the authority enjoys a stellar track record. Prior to the pandemic, the CAACI implemented electronic data management solutions that have since proven to be invaluable in even further improving the efficacy and accuracy of the authority’s processes.
“Whether it’s a new registration, a renewal or a de-registration, our new VP-C Online bespoke electronic data management system has increased our efficiency in processing applications,” said CAACI Director-General Richard Smith. “Our customers expect to receive the high-quality service that we are known for, and our VP-C system has continued to deliver on that expectation. Therefore, the CAACI will roll out a phased updated version of VPC-Online starting in 2023 and running through to late 2024, which will be more powerful and even more user-friendly for our clients.”
In general, the VP-C system makes it easier for customers to manage their registration and compliance with the CAACI, with features such as a secure online portal
for document submission, a streamlined process for submitting renewal applications and access to critical information such as expiration dates, fees and approvals. The VP-C platform ensured that the CAACI was able to remain efficient and effective even during the pandemic.
Success in relationships
In March 2021, the CAACI moved into its own purpose-built building near the Owen Roberts International Airport, the centre of the aviation industry on Grand Cayman. The new building provides a holistic ergonomic environment for the CAACI's staff to work from while being surrounded by the industry that they regulate on a daily basis.
The building is energy efficient and is outfitted with modern IT and communications
equipment, positioning the CAACI well for the future. In addition to its energy efficiency, a set of updated remote work policies ensures that the authority’s office foot print is as small as possible. In 2023, the new building will also be fitted with solar PV panels to reduce its total environmental impact even further.
The building’s physical proximity to the industry also reflects the intentionally close nature of the CAACI’s relationships with the industry and its stakeholders. The CAACI prioritises building close relationships across the industry, taking feedback from all of those industry players, whilst simultaneously monitoring trends in the business and corporate aviation marketplace.
“Our role as a regulator is all about relationships and building industry relationships,” said Mr Smith. “That’s how we are able to monitor what’s happening out in the industry and what the trends are.”
He also emphasised the benefits of this approach for the CAACI’s compliance enforcement efforts: “We take a personalised approach with all of our partners and suppliers as we understand the value of these relationships. There are various means of enforcing the compliance required by the assorted regulations, but we’ve found that having a strong relationship with our stakeholders allows us to manage stakeholder compliance in a more personalised manner which, we find, generally results in better outcomes.
“For example; given our strong relationships, we find that operators are more willing to report issues to us proactively,
even when those issues aren’t mandatory,” Mr Smith continued: “Our robust mandatory reporting system is part of our VP-C electronic management system which allows operators to report issues to us 24/7. Therefore, the extent to which we receive proactive reporting from our operators gives us a sense of how effective we are in terms of managing their compliance.”
The CAACI also works closely with other National Aviation Authorities (NAAs), including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and all others, to accommodate clients' needs to register their aircraft in the jurisdiction and operate globally. The authority constantly seeks to understand the technical regulations of various jurisdictions (and how they interface with its regulatory code) to offer bespoke solutions to clients, all in keeping with the mandated standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Giving back to the community
Despite its busy schedule, the CAACI is engaged in multiple charitable initiatives, particularly in the form of donations to deserving causes. These include the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, Meals on Wheels, and the Cayman Heart Fund. The authority’s charitable programme was established and maintained by CAACI staff as an unofficial team project, but impressively, as of 2023, the board has approved the authority’s official involvement in - and contributions to –approved charities.
“The staff propose various charities that we should be focusing on,” said Mr Smith. “For example, February 2023’s focus was on mental health, and we concentrated in that month on supporting charities working in the mental health field.”
The authority now has a dedicated team to manage its involvement in these initia -
tives. The Social & Charity Committee comprises members of various departments and its role is to plan fundraisers and events such as beach clean-ups, restoration projects and tree planting. In 2023, the Committee will also be participating in the islands’ annual Chamber of Commerce Earth Week Clean-up.
Concluding, Mr Smith highlighted the CAACI’s team and their passion for customer service as reasons why he believed that the CAACI will continue to enjoy a bright future. “Our staff are eager and committed to their responsibilities, which certainly makes my life a lot easier: but most of all, it makes us an authority that is committed to its role.
“We have high standards that we constantly strive to live up to. And we are passionate about our highly responsive,
solutions-based approach to customer service which we believe really sets us apart and which ultimately leads to the sector getting better and better.” n
