Federal Office for Civil Aviation

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Federal Office for Civil Aviation FOCA
"Corporate Design Federation" - logo of the federal authorities of the Swiss Confederation
Headquarters Ittigen
Chief Christian Hegner
Employees 350
At sight Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication DETEC
Website www.bazl.admin.ch
Building of the Federal Offices FEDRO , FOCA and BFE

The Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA ( French Office fédéral de l'aviation civile OFAC , Italian Ufficio federale dell'aviazione civile UFAC , Romansh Uffizi federal d'aviatica civila UFAC ) is the aviation authority of the Swiss Confederation .

history

In 1920 the Federal Aviation Office was created as the supervisory authority for civil aviation and in 1979 it was renamed the Federal Office for Civil Aviation .

task

Within the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), it is responsible for regulating and supervising civil aviation . Civil aviation in this sense includes staff (including air traffic control officers and pilots ), aircraft (including commercial aircraft and hot air balloons ) and infrastructure (mainly airports). As a regulator for civil aviation, the FOCA sets guidelines and standards. The FOCA initiates sanctions for violations of the air traffic rules.

In addition to this, the FOCA looks after Switzerland's international contacts in the field of aviation, for example in connection with the numerous aviation agreements with other countries. The FOCA also grants permits for dangerous air freight transports; this primarily applies to hazardous chemical substances such as ammunition, but also biological or radioactive goods. These permits are communicated to the Air Force, which then monitors the corresponding flight in Swiss airspace with the FLORAKO system. The FOCA is also the point of contact for the embassies of other nations if they want to use Swiss airspace with a state aircraft. The FOCA issues so-called Diplomatic Clearances for this, which are generally valid for 72 hours. The Swiss Air Force monitors compliance with the Diplomatic Clerance , which is authorized within the meaning of the FOCA to grant (or refuse) such permits if these are issued outside of the FOCA's opening hours.

In 2004 the FOCA had a budget of 75 million Swiss francs and carried out its tasks with 194 jobs. The headquarters of the FOCA are located together with the Federal Office of Transport , the Federal Office of Energy and the Federal Roads Office in the DETEC building in the Bern suburb of Ittigen .

FOCA aircraft

The FOCA operates the civil aircraft for the federal government, since the FOCA is a government agency, these are so-called state aircraft. Their home airport is Bern-Belp Airport (ICAO: LSZB).

HB-KEZ aircraft of the FOCA

In order to maintain factual independence when investigating incidents in air traffic, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Office was not affiliated to the FOCA. As of November 1, 2011, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (BFU) and the Accident Investigation Unit Railways and Ships (UUS) were merged to form the Swiss Accident Investigation Unit (SUST). However, the FOCA has operational responsibility for the SAUST aircraft, whose home base is the Payerne military airfield (ICAO: LSMP).

Former aircraft

Other civil state aircraft in Switzerland

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Markus Häfliger: The new Bazl boss should improve flight safety. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from August 19, 2015
  2. ^ Federal government buys a Pilatus aircraft ( memento from October 19, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), luzernerzeitung.ch
  3. ↑ HB-FWA in the aircraft register
  4. ^ S / N 338 , pc-6.com.
  5. ↑ BAZL aircraft register

Coordinates: 46 ° 58 ′ 30.5 "  N , 7 ° 28 ′ 27"  E ; CH1903:  602,703  /  202,675