221 Somalia
Light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center. The blue field was originally influenced by the flag of the UN but today is said to denote the sky and the neighboring Indian Ocean. The five points of the star represent the five regions in the horn of Africa that are inhabited by Somali people: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the North East Province (Kenya).
Flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook
Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook
Exhumed skeletal remains of victims of the Isaaq genocide found from a mass grave site located in Berbera, Somaliland.
Government
According to Britannica, under the 1979 constitution, amended in 1990, the president and his supporters held the important positions of power, and a People’s Assembly had no real power. The legal system was based largely on Islamic law; an independent judiciary did not exist; and human rights were frequently violated. Only one legal political party, the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party, and various socialist-style mass organizations existed. Following the collapse of the central government in 1991, the constitution was ignored. Various clan-based political coalitions and alliances attempted to establish control throughout the country. In May 1991 one such alliance declared the formation of the independent Republic of Somaliland in the north, and in July 1998 another declared the formation of the autonomous region of Puntland in the northeast. Each formed its own government, although neither is recognized by the international community. Meanwhile, the fragmented, conflict-riven south lay largely in the hands of various clan-based militia groups at war with each other, despite several attempts to end the conflict and form a new government. The last transitional government was the result of the Transitional Federal Charter, promulgated in 2004. It provided for a Transitional Federal Parliament and a Transitional Federal Government, which consisted of a president, a prime minister, and a cabinet called the Council of Ministers. The charter was amended in 2009 to extend the transitional government’s original five-year mandate for another two years and again in 2011 to extend it for one more year. On August 20, 2012, the day that the transitional administration was due to expire, the lower house of a new federal parliament was sworn in; the next month, that body elected a new president for the country.
Civil / National Aviation Authority (CAA/NAA)
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA ) is a government agency responsible for the regulation & oversight of aviation safety & security, the provision of airport & air navigation services, and the development & economic oversight of air transport within Somalia.
The civil aviation functions that started with Somalian airspace management have grown on a phase-by-phase basis, to the provision of Air Navigation Services (ANSs) based in Mogadishu by 2018 and then the whole SCAA structure has been re-situated in Mogadishu since 2018.
As of 2019, vast efforts have been exerted towards the re-establishment of SCAA based in Mogadishu followed by the organizational restructuring, redeployment of civil aviation personnel scattered elsewhere, ratification of the civil aviation Act by 2020, the appointment of Somali Diaspora/scholars, formulation of regulatory texts & operational manuals, HR recruitment & training, publicity & advocacy.
The main four divisions under the SCAA are Aviation Regulation & Oversight, Airport Service, Air Navigation Services & Corporate Services.
The Aviation Regulation & Oversight is entitled to oversight, certification & licensing of operators (airlines, airports, AMO, ATO), aviation personnel (pilots, aircraft engineers, flight attendants, dispatchers), equipment (aircraft, simulators), and operational systems. The airport & air navigation wing of SCAA is responsible for the provision of airport & air navigation services respectively while the corporate service discharges administration & logistics support to line functions of the SCAA.
Airspace
SkyVector – Google Maps – ADS-B Exchange
ICAO countries publish an Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). This document is divided into three parts: General (GEN), En Route (ENR) and Aerodromes (AD). ENR 1.4 details the types of airspace classes they chose to adopt from classes A through G. Somalia eAIP
Drone Regulations
None found by the author.
However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Regulations & Policies
None found by the author.
However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) News
None found by the author.
However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!
Short Essay Questions
Question 1
You have been hired by a Drone Startup Company. Your boss has immediately assigned this job to you.
They need you to prepare a one-page memo detailing the legalities of using a drone to film in Somalia.
They need you to mention any national laws and local ordinances.
They specifically want to know what airspace you will be operating in and whether or not you need an airspace authorization.
Does it matter whether or not you are a citizen of the country?
Lastly, there is a bonus for you if, as you scroll through this chapter, you find any typos or broken links!
Question 2
Do you need a certificate to fly UAS?
If so, how do you obtain one?
Are there fees associated with this?
If so, how much?
Question 3
May you operate beyond visual line of sight?
If so, what procedures must you follow?
Question 4
Does the country have UAM/AAM laws? If so, describe, citing the exact law.
Question 5
Are you aware of any new laws or policies not mentioned above? If so, describe, citing the exact law or policy.