The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Its headquarters is located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, its infrastructure, flight inspection, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation.

ICAO defines the protocols for air accident investigation that are followed by transport safety authorities in countries signatory to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

Standards And Recommended Practices (SARPs) are technical specifications published by ICAO in the form of Annexes to Chicago Convention.

SARPs do not have the same legal binding force as the Convention itself, because Annexes are not international treaties.

Moreover States agreed to "undertake to collaborate in securing uniformity", not to "comply with".

Each Contracting State may notify the ICAO Council of differences between SARPs and its own regulations and practices.

This Course considers the primary Annexes for Aircraft Operation & Maintenance:

- Annex 1 – Personnel Licensing
- Annex 6 – Operation of Aircraft
- Annex 8 – Airworthiness of Aircraft
- Annex 19 – Safety Management

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