Mihran Khachatryan has been relieved of his post as head of Armenia’s Civil Aviation Committee. In a farewell message to the Committee’s staff and partners, he reviewed the work carried out in the country’s civil aviation system in recent years.
Khachatryan said that an EU assessment visit in 2020 found that Armenia’s state oversight system in civil aviation, as well as the structure of the aviation authority, did not meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). According to him, the Committee at that stage faced staffing and functional gaps, making the main task not the correction of isolated shortcomings but the creation of an effective and sustainable institutional system.
He said that two new divisions were created for that purpose, the pay system for inspectors was revised, and the groundwork was laid for a competency-based remuneration model. More than 30 new policies and procedures were also drafted from scratch, approved and introduced, while a competency-based training plan was launched to provide the Committee’s specialists with the training they needed.
Khachatryan said the oversight process became more systematic, documented and traceable, while an internal quality management system is now in its final stage of formation. He also said a draft law was prepared to amend the Law on Aviation, with the aim of creating the legal basis needed for the operation and oversight of general aviation, including unmanned aircraft systems and VTOL aircraft.
His message also highlighted broader cooperation with the European Union under several programmes and initiatives, including the Eastern Partnership, Twinning and the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. He also referred to cooperation with the aviation authorities of Romania, France, Croatia, Slovakia and Lithuania, and thanked ICAO/EURONAT, DG MOVE/EASA, the European Union Delegation and Ambassador Vassilis Maragos.
According to the former chairman, the Committee now has a structure that meets international requirements, built-up professional capacity, and management, quality assurance and oversight systems based on international standards. He said this progress was confirmed both by the advances recorded in ICAO’s 2024 audit and by the results of the EU assessment visit in 2025.
Khachatryan said there is still much work to do in the sector, but that effort will continue on the basis of the system already built, the experience accumulated and the new professional capacity created. He added that although he is leaving the post, he is not leaving the sector and remains ready to contribute to the continued development of Armenia’s civil aviation with his experience and knowledge.
