Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)

Civil Aviation Authority
AbbreviationCAA
Formation1972
Legal statusStatutory corporation
PurposeAviation regulator
Location
Region served
United Kingdom
British Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies
Chief Executive
Rob Bishton
Chair­man
Sir Stephen Hillier
Parent organization
Department for Transport
Websitecaa.co.uk
Photo of the front entrance to Aviation House at Gatwick
Aviation House, the CAA main office at Gatwick

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the statutory corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the United Kingdom. Its areas of responsibility include:

  • Supervising the issuing of pilots and aircraft engineers licences, testing of equipment, calibrating of navaids, and many other inspections (Civil Aviation Flying Unit).
  • Managing the regulation of security standards, including vetting of all personnel in the aviation industry (Directorate of Aviation Security).
  • Overseeing the national protection scheme for customers abroad in the event of a travel company failure (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing – ATOL).

The CAA is a public corporation of the Department for Transport, liaising with the government via the Standards Group of the Cabinet Office.