Supreme Civil Aviation Authority

The Supreme Civil Aviation Authority is part of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) and acts as higher and partly as oversight authority for further aviation authorities (like Austro Control, Aero Club, Federal Provinces and districts).

Main task of the Supreme Civil Aviation Authority are the regulation of the legislative basis on national level, the representation of Austria at the EU and at international organizations as well as the negotiation of bilateral aviation agreements.

Based on the effective legal provisions aviation regulatory permissions, e.g. commercial transport, aerodromes, air navigation service providers and aerodrome fees are granted.

Furthermore the Supreme Civil Aviation Authority executes oversight of organizations, especially aerodromes, aerospace companies, air navigation service and providers as well as quality control in the sense of safety in aviation.

The Supreme Civil Aviation Authority comprises the following divisions

  • IV/L1, Strategy and International Affairs
  • IV/L2, Aviation Law
  • IV/L3, Aviation Infrastructure
  • IV/L4 Safety Management and Air Traffic Control

Strategy and International Affairs

Tasks handled by the department Strategy and International Affairs, email: l1@bmk.gv.at (brief excerpt from its range of activities):

  • Strategic issues like:
    • aviation strategy,
    • development and coordination of strategic position in respect of aviation,
    • coordination and policy of SAFA
  • EU and multilateral issues like:
    • coordination and development of positions in respect of the EU, international organizations and the ABIS-office,
    • issues in respect of the Air Safety Committee
  • bilateral issues, like:
    • conduct of bilateral negotiations on aviation;
    • conclusion of aviation agreements;
    • enforcement of the International Air Transport Law (BGzLV) as well as oversight of Austro Control GmbH
  • economically issues, like:
    • strategic economic issues,
    • assessment of financial fitness of organizations,
    • fees,
    • general economic issues.
  • environmental issues, like:
    • emission and noise affairs
    • development of environmental principles and standards.
  • passenger rights
  • facilitation

Aviation Law

Tasks handled by the department Aviation Law, email: l2@bmk.gv.at (brief excerpt from its range of activities):

  • drafting of air transport legislation
  • approval of operation
  • approval of transportation
  • legal action in respect of aviation
  • arbitral procedure in respect of slot coordination

Aviation Infrastructure

Tasks handled by the department Aviation Infrastructure, email: l3@bmk.gv.at (brief excerpt from its range of activities):

  • administrative procedures relating to airports and security systems, including monitoring of their operation and safety
  • certification of aerodromes
  • technical issues in respect of aerodromes
  • higher authority in respect of aerodromes
  • approval and oversight of ground handling
  • obstacles and objects with optical and/or electrical interference
  • aviation events in the case if more than 4 provinces are effected
  • security in respect of aerodromes, aviation and ground handling personnel (security programmes, national quality control, approval of reliability)

Information on the air accident investigation can be found on this website only in german.

Safety Management and Air Traffic Control

Tasks handled by the Department Safety Management and Air Traffic Control, email: l4@bmk.gv.at (brief excerpt from its range of activities):

  • coordination and control of safety coordination and control of safety related tasks Austrian aviation authorities (e.g. State Safety Programme, Continuous Monitoring Approach), compliance management and standardization;
  • supervision of operations and safety through Austro Control GmbH and the Austrian Aeroclub as required by § 141 of the Aviation Act (LFG) (e.g. those of its responsibilities which are delegated to the Austrian Aeroclub);
  • procedures under § 140 b of the Aviation Act (e.g. inspection responsibilities delegated to maintenance organisations);
  • coordination and controlling of the quality management as well as the training programme of the Supreme Civil Aviation Authority;
  • air navigation service issues, like
    • coordination and development of positions including international representation,
    • restricted area,
    • certification and oversight of air navigation service providers and their training providers,
    • development of benefit plans of national air navigation service providers in cooperation with the EC.
  • Coordination, Certification of Air traffic control systems and restriction of areas