The FAA has signed an agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) that will allow the two agencies mutual surveillance of foreign certified repair stations. The maintenance agreement guidance furthers the maintenance implementation procedures (MIP) agreement signed in February 2016 by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and the Singapore authority. It is the first of its kind in Asia and reduces costs by allowing the reciprocal acceptance of Singapore and the U.S.’s surveillance of maintenance work.

Those agreements, in turn, build on the 2004 U.S.-Singapore bilateral safety agreement, which has benefitted both countries by saving time and reducing costs in aircraft design and manufacturing. Under the latest measure, the FAA and CAAS have agreed to conduct inspections on each other’s behalf to ensure compliance with the respective regulatory requirements for maintenance and applicable special conditions. There are currently 58 FAA-approved repair facilities in Singapore, and the agreements will free up inspector resources for the authorities and reduce the regulatory burden on industry.

The two agencies also partner under Singapore’s air traffic management center of excellence to expand understanding and build air traffic management capacity in the region.