Kazakhstan will undergo an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) conducted by the US Federal Aviation Administration from September 21 to 25, the press service of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan said, according to infohub.kz.
The ministry said the 2026 assessment continues preparatory work with the FAA. Over the past two years, the Ministry of Transport, together with the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan and the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the United States, has been working to launch direct air service between Kazakhstan and the US.
"The assessment covers the state's safety oversight system and is aimed at determining whether Kazakhstan's aviation authorities comply with the applicable standards and recommended practices set out in Annex 1, 'Personnel Licensing,' Annex 6, Part I, 'International Commercial Air Transport — Aeroplanes,' and Annex 8, 'Airworthiness of Aircraft.' During the audit, FAA experts will review aviation legislation, subordinate regulations and the state's ability to provide oversight in line with the eight critical elements of a state safety oversight system," the statement said.
The ministry also said a technical visit by the FAA team to Air Astana is scheduled for September 24. The airline has applied to the US Department of Transportation for permission to conduct commercial operations.
"The purpose of the visit is to confirm the information received from the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan as part of the transparency process; the visit is not an inspection of the airline as a certificate holder. Afterward, the FAA will hold a final briefing with the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan and will subsequently provide a written report on the areas reviewed. Conducting the IASA assessment is an important step in further strengthening the state safety oversight system and advancing work to open direct air service between Kazakhstan and the United States," the Ministry of Transport said.
Recall that in April, Air Astana described the difficulties affecting the launch of direct air service between Kazakhstan and the United States. In May, Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev said direct flights to the US are planned to be launched in the second quarter of 2027.