Nearly six years after the creation of a civilian-run aviation agency was first proposed, Brazil’s civil aviation authority, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), has yet to become reality. But observers expect the nation will move away from full military control of civil aviation this year. According to Declides Amaral, the Brazilian senator in charge of the bill to create the new agency, the government plans to turn its attention to the agency’s creation over the next few months.

Senator Amaral told AIN that he has held a series of meetings with important players in the transition, including aviation company executives, air force officials and Vice President José Alencar, who is also the country’s defense minister. Amaral said that the bill should be under consideration by the first of three committees by the end of this month and he hopes that the senate will pass it by the middle of this year.

“All sectors are in favor of the creation of ANAC and recognize that the fact that ANAC has not yet been created has serious consequences for Brazil’s aviation industry,” Amaral said.

Aviation industry executives agree that Brazilian aviation has suffered from the lack of a clear authority, arguing that the apparent imminence of the ANAC has made the existing, military-led Departamento de Aviação Civil (DAC) reluctant to implement new plans and programs.

Adalberto Febeliano, executive vice president of Associação Brasileira de Aviação Geral (ABAG), the Brazilian business aviation association, said he is convinced that the government will vote the ANAC bill into law this year. “The aviation industry has been given a great deal of attention in the past year, and the need for ANAC is more pronounced than ever,” he said.