Brazil's civil aviation authority (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil - ANAC) has suspended all aircraft certification actions, and pilot and flight attendant examinations as part of a broader 40% reduction in inspection activities following a BRL24 million reais (USD4.6 million) freeze on federal funding.
“ANAC reiterates that budget cuts affecting core activities of regulatory agencies cause direct harm to Brazilian society, as well as a drop in revenue, as in the case of suspension of certification actions. Without certification, no operation of new aircraft occurs in the Brazilian civil aviation market,” the agency said in a statement.
Initial inspections of new aircraft imported into the country, whether new or used, private or commercial, are suspended. These inspections are required for issuance of airworthiness certificates. Maintenance operations may also be affected, as regulatory approval is often required prior to return to service.
The agency further halted certification exams for pilots and flight attendants, laid off outsourced workers, interrupted investments in information technology, and cancelled participation in several events.
ANAC president Tiago Faierstein said the agency is working with the government to restore funding. The Brazilian government announced a freeze of BRL22.1 billion (USD4.3 billion) in the federal budget due to increased projected spending in other areas.
