FAA confirms the Dominican Republic’s category 1 status following rigorous aviation safety audit

Santo Domingo.- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has reaffirmed the Dominican Republic’s Category 1 status after a thorough safety audit. Lawrence Fields, Executive Director of the FAA’s Flight Standards Service, presented the final compliance document to Igor Rodríguez Durán, Director of the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC).

The document certifies that the Dominican Republic continues to meet the obligations of the Chicago Convention and international aviation safety standards within the agreed deadlines, thus maintaining its Category 1 status after successfully passing the operational safety inspection.

The document, delivered through the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, notes that the country’s aviation system underwent the required audit to review compliance as part of the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program of the FAA. It highlights the significant efforts made by the Dominican Republic’s operational safety oversight system, which produced the positive results now being celebrated.

“We have determined that the Dominican Republic complies with the requirements and standards of the Chicago Convention and its annexes for civil aviation safety supervision. Based on the corrective actions taken by IDAC to date, the IASA category for the Dominican Republic will continue to be listed as Category 1,” stated Fields in the letter sent to the Dominican government.

In response, IDAC Director Igor Rodríguez, as the Dominican government’s representative, reiterated the commitment made by President Luis Abinader and IDAC to continue fully complying with international civil aviation requirements.

“It is important to highlight the efforts of Tourism Minister David Collado and the responsible personnel within IDAC’s various areas that contributed to achieving this certification. This creates an excellent environment for the Dominican civil aviation sector,” Rodríguez noted.

Fields emphasized in his statement that the evaluation activity regarding the Dominican Republic has concluded, and that the U.S. government will continue to monitor the country’s compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety standards.

“We appreciate the positive way IDAC worked with the FAA on this matter. IDAC has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring effective oversight of the Dominican Republic’s aviation safety system. We look forward to working with you in the future,” Fields added.

In mid-August, President Luis Abinader praised the results of the FAA audit and the country’s ability to maintain Category 1 status after passing the safety inspection and meeting operational safety standards. “With this certification, we hope to see more Dominican airlines traveling and competing for routes to the United States. The government is committed to fully supporting these airlines,” stated the President.