Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PRETORIA2602
2009-12-18 11:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:  

SERIES OF AIRLINK INCIDENTS TESTS SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL

Tags:  EAIR ECON PREL CASC OTRA ATRN FAA ICAO SF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0095
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #2602/01 3521101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181101Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0656
INFO RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAN/AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO 0891
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 3930
RUEHLS/AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 3823
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 6189
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2936
RUEHMB/AMEMBASSY MBABANE 4604
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 002602 

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB/TRA/OTP
DAKAR FOR MO KEANE
FAA FOR NANCY ANGELO
ROME FOR ANTHONY GIOVANNIELLO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PREL CASC OTRA ATRN FAA ICAO SF
SUBJECT: SERIES OF AIRLINK INCIDENTS TESTS SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL
AVIATION AUTHORITY'S OVERSIGHT REFORMS

REF: A. 08 PRETORIA 1791, B. 08 PRETORIA 73, C. STATE 38571

PRETORIA 00002602 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 002602

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB/TRA/OTP
DAKAR FOR MO KEANE
FAA FOR NANCY ANGELO
ROME FOR ANTHONY GIOVANNIELLO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PREL CASC OTRA ATRN FAA ICAO SF
SUBJECT: SERIES OF AIRLINK INCIDENTS TESTS SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL
AVIATION AUTHORITY'S OVERSIGHT REFORMS

REF: A. 08 PRETORIA 1791, B. 08 PRETORIA 73, C. STATE 38571

PRETORIA 00002602 001.2 OF 003



1. (SBU) Summary. A spate of recent accidents/incidents involving
South African Airlink has raised concerns about the safety record of
the carrier. Privately owned Airlink also provides regional service
to Lesotho, Mozambique, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
with over 3,500 flights per month. The South African Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) took swift and what appears to be appropriate
oversight action. Airlink worked through the weekend to address
corrective actions and avoided being grounded by the CAA. The
Department of Transport gave Airlink until December 21, to address
all compliance requirements identified by the CAA. CAA oversight
capacity was boosted significantly after a round of FAA consultative
meetings from 2007-2008. The CAA took swift action in a similar
case with low-cost carrier Nationwide in early 2008; Nationwide
ceased operations in April 2008. The CAA insists lack of
alternatives to Airlink for regional air services at a time of high
holiday season demand does not have an impact on how Airlink is
being handled. Post will continue to monitor and report on the
status of the CAA investigation and oversight process. End
Summary.

--------------
AIRLINK HISTORY AND NETWORK
--------------


2. (U) Privately owned South African Airlink (SA Airlink)was formed
through the amalgamation of a number of small local airlines (Border
Air, Citi Air, Link Airways, Lowveld Aviation Services, Magnum
Airways and Midlands Aviation) in 1967. The airline, renamed
Airlink in 2006, has developed into South Africa's first feeder
network, specifically aimed at linking smaller domestic cities and
regional centers hubs throughout Southern Africa. Airlink operates

over 3,500 flights per month and serves more than 25 destinations in
Southern Africa. It provides regional service to Lesotho,
Mozambique, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Quite a
few USG personnel use the carrier regularly for their regional
duties and for personal travel.


3. (U) Airlink formed a strategic alliance with South Africa's
national carrier South African Airways (SAA) in 1997. The alliance
was dissolved in 2006, but Airlink retains certain cooperative
agreements with SAA such as joint online booking and ticketing
systems. Airlink carries over 65,000 passengers every month
utilizing a fleet of Jet stream 41 aircraft, ERJ 135 jet aircraft,
BAe 146-200 aircraft, and BAe 146-RJ85 aircraft. Airlink's
passenger profile is composed of 70 percent business and 30 percent
leisure travelers. Airlink successfully completed the International
Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit and was
placed on the IATA Register on February 6, 2008.

--------------
SERIES OF AIRLINK SAFETY INCIDENTS
LEADS TO CAA INVESTIGATION
--------------


4. (U) A spate of incidents in late 2009 (July, September, October,
November, and December) have raised concerns about safety procedures
at Airlink. One of these incidents, the crash of Airlink flight
Qat Airlink. One of these incidents, the crash of Airlink flight
8911 near Durban, was due to engine failure and caused one fatality
(pilot). Engine failure was also the cause of the July incident in
Cape Town. In response to these incidents, the CAA audited
Airlink's maintenance and flight operations programs.



5. (U) The CAA submitted the results of its audits to Airlink and
the Minister of Transport Sbu Ndebele on December 11. (Note:
Airlink worked through the weekend to address initial corrective
actions and avoid being grounded by the CAA. End Note.) The
Department of Transport reviewed the CAA findings and announced that
Airlink could continue operations, subject to providing a
"comprehensive corrective action plan" and meeting compliance levels
within seven days (by December 21). An independent review of
Airlink's flight safety processes and procedures has also commenced.



6. (U) The CAA's audit raised concerns relating to administrative
procedures and management structures at Airlink's Technical

PRETORIA 00002602 002.2 OF 003


facility. While such reports are not normally made public, it was
reported that there were three "observations and recommendations"
regarding flight operations and 12 "findings" with respect to the
airline's maintenance program. CAA is making inspectors and other
technical experts available to Airlink to assist with this process.


--------------
CAA OVERSIGHT CAPACITY BOOSTED
AFTER FAA CONSULTATION PROCESS
--------------


7. (SBU) CAA oversight capacity was boosted significantly after a
round of FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA)
consultative meetings during 2007-2008. A FAA IASA consultation
visit in July 2007 identified significant deficiencies in the CAA's
aviation safety oversight system, which threatened South Africa's
ability to maintain its Category I status. As a result, the South
African Department of Transport created a special task team to
consult with the FAA on required reforms to the CAA and
corresponding national aviation legislation. A former SAA pilot
with years of safety and security oversight experience, Colin
Jordaan, was brought in as the new CAA CEO/Commissioner to head the
reform process (Ref B).


8. (SBU) The FAA validated South Africa's safety oversight system in
July 2008, after a collaborative consultation process. The FAA
concluded the consultation process once the CAA was able to
demonstrate progress with the recruitment and training of
airworthiness and other technical inspectors (Ref A). FAA's IASA
legal experts also provided technical assistance on amendments to
the South African Civil Aviation Act. A new Civil Aviation Act came
into force in December 2009 and provided the CAA with a direct
reporting line to the Minister of Transport.

--------------
CAA FLEXED OVERSIGHT MUSCLE
IN NATIONWIDE CASE
--------------


9. (SBU) Under the leadership of Colin Jordaan, the CAA took swift
action to ground low-cost carrier Nationwide after an accident in
November 2007. CAA suspended Nationwide's aircraft maintenance
organization and its fleet's airworthiness certificates after
inspection of its operations in early 2008. Nationwide did not
recover from the grounding and subsequent global economic downturn.
It ceased operations in April 2008.


10. (SBU) There are few alternatives to Airlink for regional travel.
Some industry commentators note that the CAA is likely to take less
severe action against Airlink than it took against Nationwide,
particularly with high demand for air services this holiday period
and for the coming World Cup. Nonetheless, the CAA insists lack of
alternatives to Airlink for regional air services has not influenced
how Airlink is being handled.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


10. (SBU) A few years ago, the South African CAA suffered from a
lack of independence and safety oversight capacity. Like other
civil aviation authorities in the region, the CAA and local aviation
industry was losing technical expertise to foreign carriers and
oversight organizations that offered higher salaries. However, SAG
leadership recognized the importance of retaining international
Qleadership recognized the importance of retaining international
safety oversight standards, under threat of losing South Africa's
Category I status with the FAA just before hosting the 2010 FIFA
World Cup. As a result of FAA consultations, the SAG launched
reform efforts and modernized civil aviation legislation to improve
oversight at CAA.


11. (SBU) The CAA has not hesitated in taking strict oversight and
corrective actions against carriers such as Nationwide and Airlink.
With the World Cup less than six months away, the CAA is anxious to
maintain international safety oversight standards and address any
safety capacity shortfalls at local carriers so that feeder service
will be available when football fans and teams arrive. Post will

PRETORIA 00002602 003.2 OF 003


continue to monitor and report on the status of the CAA oversight
and investigation process.

GIPS