Following the CAA’s announcement that it is to merge the activities of its Safety Regulation Group and Department of Airspace Policy, initial details of the new Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) have been announced.

Effective from today, the new merged department will be led by Mark Swan, previously the CAA’s Director of Airspace Policy.

Under Mark’s leadership the new group will be split into five teams:

• Intelligence, Strategy and Policy

• Flight Operations

• Airworthiness

• Airspace ATM and Aerodromes

• Business Management

The Intelligence, Strategy and Policy and Business Management teams will be centralised to undertake these roles for the whole group. This will allow joined up strategy and policy and help to keep an outcome and business delivery focus to meet our commitments.

Speaking about the new Group, Mark Swan said: “We have identified opportunities to work more effectively by joining up similar activities to provide a more consistent approach across the CAA. There are real safety benefits from bringing together our safety and airspace management activities into one function, without compromising our safety regulation, liaison with the military, or our airspace policy approval roles.”

Commenting on the appointment of Mark Swan to oversee the new team, Andrew Haines, CAA Chief Executive, said: “Mark Swan brings huge strengths to his new role. His leadership of our airspace work has won him considerable respect both within the UK and internationally and he spent many years as a pilot during his service in the RAF.”

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