History of the Aviation Authority

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Velocity Interoperability Network is a young institution. The milestones below record how the regulation of civil aviation in the Network passed from individual member organisations to a single authority, and will be extended as the Authority's programmes come into operation.

1. Before September 2026

   Flying regulated by member organisations

   Before the Authority existed, each member organisation of the Network that operated aircraft or an aerodrome regulated its own activity. Licences, aircraft registers and aerodrome standards differed between organisations, airspace around the principal sites was coordinated by agreement between neighbouring aerodromes, and there was no common system for reporting occurrences.

2. 10 August to 5 September 2026

   The transition period

   In the four weeks before establishment, member organisations transferred their aviation functions and records to the Authority in formation. The records of 214 aircraft, 1,120 licence holders, 14 operators and six aerodromes were reconciled into single registers. Flying continued under the interim arrangements throughout, with 6,840 aircraft movements and 38 occurrence reports recorded.

3. 6 September 2026

   Authority established

   The Civil Aviation Authority of the Velocity Interoperability Network was formally established as the regulator of civil aviation in the Network, with responsibility for airspace, aerodromes, personnel licensing, the certification of operators, the aircraft register and safety oversight.

4. 6 September 2026

   Official website launched

   The Authority launched aviation.gov.vin, carrying press releases and official statements, the structure of Network airspace, the register of aerodromes, and guidance on licensing, aircraft registration and occurrence reporting.

5. 6 September 2026

   Airspace structure, registers, licensing arrangements and first statistical release published

   On the day of its establishment the Authority published the structure of Network airspace and the register of aerodromes, announced the opening of licensing and aircraft registration on 14 September 2026, set out its safety oversight programme and published its first statistical release, covering the transition period.

6. 14 September 2026

   Airspace structure takes effect; licensing, registration and reporting begin

   The published structure of Network airspace comes into force at 00:00 on Monday 14 September 2026. Applications for licences, certificates and aircraft registration are accepted from the same day, and the reporting of occurrences to the Authority becomes mandatory.

7. 21 September 2026

   First oversight cycle begins

   The Authority's inspectors begin the first cycle of 48 audits and inspections of operators, maintenance organisations and aerodromes, to be completed by 31 March 2027.

8. Forthcoming

   Conversion of existing licences and quarterly reporting

   Licences issued by member organisations before establishment remain valid until 31 March 2027; holders who register with the Authority by 30 November 2026 will have them converted. The Authority's first full quarterly statistical report, covering the quarter ending 30 September 2026, and the schedule of charges for licences and registration will be announced in the Newsroom.

Announcements are published in the Newsroom. For the Authority's present responsibilities, see About the Authority; for its reporting on the activity it regulates, see Statistics.