As part of new air safety measures, pilots and other aviation operators will now face the possible revocation of their licences if found culpable of deviating from regulations set by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
This was announced yesterday by Director General of the GCAA Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field, during a press conference held to discuss the implementation of three new oversight programmes to ensure air safety in wake of the recent accidents involving domestic aircraft.
The programmes are expected to be implemented with immediate effect.
Pilot Lincoln Gomez and Policeman Michael Grimond had to be rescued on the evening of February 18th, 2019 after a Guyana Adventist Medical Aviation Services (GA-MAS) medevac plane crash-landed on the West Bank Demerara.
Initial reports indicated that the single engine Cessna 182, bearing registration number N8704T, had reported a fuel emergency. The two men, both of whom suffered non-life threatening injuries about their bodies, were at the time transporting a corpse from Region Seven.
Two days later, Domestic Airways pilot Randy Liverpool died when his plane, a Cessna 206, crashed upon approach at the Eteringbang Airstrip.
The Guyana Police Force, in a statement issued following the accident, explained that the aircraft was travelling from Ekereku to Eteringbang and was about five minutes away from the airstrip when it went down. A loud explosion was heard and fire was seen coming from the aircraft.
Addressing the investigations into the accidents, Field told members of the media that they are being conducted by the designated accident investigator in charge, Paula McAdam, who will be reporting directly to the subject minister.
Notwithstanding, the GCAA is assisting the investigator with its expert inspectors, operations inspector, and airworthiness inspector being assigned to her during the probe.
According to Field, Guyana has for some time enjoyed an “unprecedented” safety record within the domestic aviation sector but with the recent turn of events he has been meeting with those in the industry to discuss a way forward.
The most recent meeting was on Monday evening, when they were told of the necessity of having more stringent oversight programmes that will extend beyond the ambit of GCAA inspectors, particularly since its human resources are already limited.
‘See something, say something’
With the lack of human resources, the GCAA has opted to use members of the general public as watchdogs for errant operators and pilots in its, “See something, say something; step up, save a life,” campaign.
Under this initiative, the authority has established a hotline for receiving anonymous calls and reports concerning the violation in the local air space, which according to Field extends from ground level to sixty thousand feet. These calls can be made to 608-4222. Posters with information about the hotline will be posted at aerodromes within the interior and at strategic points.
“The public will be asked to report on any untoward movements or any activity which does not conform to regular practice of operation of aircraft either by operators or by pilots. Such reports will be investigated and once the operators or pilots are found culpable of violating the safety of our skies or the handling of any aviation machinery contrary to the regulations, I will use the powers bestowed on me in the law, including our recently approved Civil Aviation Act, to apply sanctions,” Field said, before noting that similar programmes already exist in various sections of the global aviation industry.
It was noted that sanctions include but are not limited to the revocation of licensing or air operators’ certificates.
“The authority is not able with the human resources in-house to monitor the outlying areas, such as the interior or hinterland, effectively, thus we are calling on the public who are also part of the flying community to assist us in conducting oversight of our aviation sector,” he added.
The second programme to be implemented focuses more on monitoring and tracking the movement and activities of the planes through the newly-acquired Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast System (ADSB).
According to Field, the locations around Guyana that are used in this system comprise Annai in Region Nine, Port Kaituma in Region One, Kaieteur and Kamarang in Region Eight, and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri.
“The signals, provided that the aircraft has corresponding equipment or transponder installed, will allow air traffic controllers to track the aircraft through at least 75 to 80 percent of Guyana from ground level to sixty thousand feet, thus noting any aircraft deviating from its standard route or indulging in any activity contrary to the regulations of our airspace,” he explained.
At present, only 60 to 65 percent of the local aircraft are actually equipped with the transponder. However, the GCAA has been in discussions with the remaining operators to have the system installed in July, 2019, when they hope to roll out the system, following the completion of its current testing phase.
When asked about the existence of evidence that would indicate deviance by those in the industry, Field said the GCAA is still working to develop the capacity to monitor and track aircraft. “We don’t have any evidence right now and that is one of the reasons for the implementation of the programme. You get the little reports or the comments you hear being made every now and then about the deviation of pilots but there is no formal reporting system and that is why we are rolling out the ‘see something, say something’ programme for the public to make their reports to the GCAA. And each report will be investigated,” he said.
Meanwhile, mentorship will be the key component in the third programme as the GCAA has requested that the local aviation industry establish a framework that will allow “seasoned pilots” to become mentors for younger pilots in the industry.
Stabroek News understands that the GCAA has requested that the proposed framework be submit to the authority for approval by March 31st.
“At present in the industry, there are junior pilots; some of them are very, very professional in their outlook and outgoing and we aim to honour that professionalism, while there may be a few who lack that professionalism … This mentorship programme will therefore pair junior pilots and senior pilots for a mentorship period,” Field said.
It was noted, too, that in addition to the implementations of these three new programmes, the GCAA has taken additional steps to enhance the surveillance of its air operators through increased ramp inspections and aircraft inspections.
“The GCAA remains committed towards creating a safe, secure and modern civil aviation sector…the Civil Aviation Act of 2018, which was signed in December by His Excellency, the President, has increased the powers of the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct its business and to maintain safe and secure skies and we will do that to the extent of the law,” Field emphasised.
