How to obtain an Air Operator’s Licence in Cameroon
To operate as an air transporter in Cameroon, an enterprise must obtain an Air Operator’s License and an Air Operator’s Certificate from the CCAA.
An Air Operator’s License is a document granted to an enterprise by the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA), authorizing it to carry out, against payment of a fee, air transportation of passengers, mail and/or fright as indicated on the licence.
The said document attests that an enterprise has satisfied the legal, financial, economic and moral conditions required by the regulations in force.
To obtain an Air Operator’s Licence, an enterprise has to address a request to the attention of the Director General of the CCAA specifying the kind of air transport activity (regular/Scheduled, non regular/chattered, or Cargo flights) it intends to operate.
Apart from the above request, the enterprise will have to submit the following information and documents which will permit the CCAA to evaluate the viability and the profitability of the project:
- Name and address of the head office of the enterprise;
- A duly registered statute of the enterprise;
- Organograms precising the names and qualifications of the managers responsible for operations, maintenance, training, operations on the ground and flight safety;
- List of aircraft to be operated and volume of activity envisaged;
- Description of planned operation including zones, routes, airport of destination and alternative airports and the main base of operation;
- Projections on traffic and revenue for the first three years;
- Economic study of routes taking into consideration the cost of operation of the aircraft type to be used;
- A marketing strategy that the enterprise intents to adopt;
- Provisional operations accounts and balance sheets of the enterprise for the first three years;
- Disposition taken with regards to offices, acquisition or lease of aircraft, its maintenance and insurance policy;
- Provisional expenses on fuel, tariffs, mass salaries, aircraft lease, maintenance, aeronautical charges, tax, insurance and training;
- Date of commencement of operations and details of the take off cost including the source of financing;
- Financial guarantee to cover the cost of operations for the first six months of activities.
Upon reception of the preliminary request, the Director General forwards it to the Air Transport Division of the CCAA where the Service for Authorisations carries out an analysis on the legal, economic and financial aspect of the project in order to conclude on its viability and profitability.
If the analysis shows that the request is receivable, a certification commission made up of personnel from the following departments directly concern with the certification of an airline is set up, Air Transport and Regulation, Air Security and Flight Safety.
The CCAA then invites the prospective operator and its designated persons for a presentation of the project to the CCAA who in turn enlightens the applicant on the applicable regulations and the activities involved in certification process.
If the commission is convinced based on the documents submitted and the presentation given that the project is viable, a recommendation is made to the Director General for the statute of the enterprise to be forwarded to the General Delegation for National Security for administrative investigation on the share holders in order to establish the moral guarantee.
If the outcome of the above mentioned investigation is favourable, a report proposing the issuance of an Air Operator’s Licence is submitted for the appreciation of the General Manager.
It is important to note that this document alone does not give an enterprise an air carrier’s title in Cameroon.
After obtaining a license, the enterprise will have to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate from the CCAA before it can operate as an air carrier in Cameroon.
