The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is responsible for the investigation of civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents within the UK and its overseas territories. It is part of the Department for Transport. Content here on the GOV.UK site includes AAIB bulletins and reports of various kinds, guidance documents, regulations and memoranda of understanding.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the UK. Its functions include economic regulation, safety regulation, consumer protection, and the regulation of airports, air traffic services, airlines, tour operators and air travel organisers. In relation to airport operation services and the supply of air traffic services it also exercises competition powers concurrently with the Competition and Markets Authority. The site’s Aviation Legislation section may be found via Our Work > Publications > Search for a Publication > Publication Categories. It includes the full text of the loose-leaf publication CAP 393: Air Navigation: the Order and the Regulations, which sets out the provisions of the Air Navigation Order (both the 2009 and the 2016 versions) as amended and regulations made thereunder.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union which is responsible for various regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civil aviation safety and environmental protection. Responsibilities include giving advice to the European Union for drafting new legislation, and implementing and monitoring safety rules. EU Regulations, EASA Opinions and Decisions and many other documents are published on the site.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is an agency of the United Nations based in Montreal, Canada. It was created by the Convention on International Civil Aviation 1944 (the “Chicago Convention”) and came into being in 1947. Information on the Chicago Convention includes texts of all nine editions to date, and a list of contracting states. “Treaty Collection” (found under “About ICAO”) includes lists of parties to multilateral air law treaties from the Warsaw Convention (1929) onwards, and status information on individual states with regard to multilateral air law treaties. Further legal information is provided by ICAO’s Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau (within the site’s “Secretariat” section).
Founded in 1960, the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) was created with the purpose of cooperating with international and national organisations to foster the development of space law and study the legal and social science aspects of the exploration and use of outer space. The web site includes standing committee reports, the statutes and bylaws of the IISL and publications, including conference reports and proceedings.
The Institute’s site includes a “Research Online” section which has conventions, protocols and other documents relating to air, aviation and space law.
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is the UN office responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. The site’s Space Law section includes United Nations and other treaties and agreements governing space activities; General Assembly resolutions relating to outer space; a database of national space laws; and space law FAQs.
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