A_P_2015_04

April 2015 African Pilot 3

editor
Athol Franz 082 552 2940 [email protected]

assistant editor
Divan Muller [email protected]

marketing
Janine Boessenkool 079 880 4359 [email protected]

copy reader
Gordon Dyne [email protected]

designers
Michelle Carrolo [email protected]
Divan Muller [email protected]
Maria Leader [email protected]

admin / accounts manager
Helena Kurland [email protected]

subscriptions
Paulinah Motlhabi [email protected]

transport
Ephraim Ndlovu

publisher / production
Wavelengths 10 (Pty) Ltd

durban correspondent

Pete van der Spek

cape town correspondent

Irene McCullagh

lowveld correspondent

Jean van der Riet

printing

Ronlen Fine Print 011 609 5737

distribution

On the Dot 011 401 5938

african pilot

Local 0861 00 11 30

International +27 11 466 8524 / 6

Fax +27 11 466 8496

PO Box 30620, Kyalami, 1684, South Africa

African Pilot House

No. 6 Barbeque Heights, Dytchley Road,

Barbeque Downs, Kyalami, South Africa

website: http://www.africanpilot.co.za

Editorial

African Pilot’s Annual Aviation Services’ Guide
Regular readers will notice that this year our annual Aviation
Services’ Guide has been included at the end of the monthly
magazine as opposed to the usual annual separate A5 publication.
This move is to ensure that the Services’ Guide does not ‘fall out’
of the magazine and the secondary advantage is that all listings are
within a full A4 section and therefore double the size of previous
service guides. Having published the annual Aviation Services’
Guide for the past nine years, we trust that this is a valuable service
to our readers.
Role of aviation in fighting fires
During early March, Cape Town experienced devastating wild fires
that destroyed thousands of hectares of pristine mountain vegetation
and killed many animals that were unable to escape the blaze. The fires
took five days to bring under control. Thanks to the significant part
that ‘Working on Fire’ played with its Huey helicopters and fixed wing
water bombers much more damage was prevented. Many brave men
and women fire fighters worked almost continuously over the five day
period without much rest, whilst the airborne fire fighters could only
work in the daylight hours. Based in Nelspruit ‘Working on Fire’ during
the dry winter months and in the Western Cape during that province’s
dry summer months attending to wild fires. African Pilot salutes all
those pilots who flew many sorties in uncomfortable and dangerous
situations in an effort to provide ground fire fighters with enough cooling
retardant from above. Let me also mention the great work done by the
ground-crews who kept the aircraft fuelled up and airworthy. Sadly as this
edition was going to press a helicopter pilot lost his life on Sunday 8 March
whilst fighting fires at the Cape Point nature reserve. Our condolences to
the family and friends of Willem Hendrik ‘Bees’ Marais - RIP.

What is happening at the SA CAA?

Over the past few months I have received several reports advising

me of various ‘witch hunts’ that appear to have been instigated by

certain inspectors at the Civil Aviation Authority. In addition, several

serious non-compliance and safety issues have been raised, but these

are not being managed correctly. From many accounts it appears that

certain officials within the airworthiness and inspectorate sections

are simply interpreting ‘aviation laws’ as they think fit without

much logic being applied to the specifics of the issue or certification

requirement at hand.

Over the coming months I will be delving into some of these allegations

in great depth and where necessary I will expose the officials who are

not performing as they are required to do. Fortunately, the Aero Club

of South Africa (AeCSA) and the Commercial Aviation Association

of South Africa (CAASA) appear to be on top of the present situation

and these two bodies have highlighted several serious shortcomings

within the regulator’s attitude towards the very customers they are

mandated to serve. Fundamentally, the SA CAA has to understand

that second to overall aviation safety; its function is to promote civil

aviation in South Africa. It is also not wise for any regulatory body to

fob off the media because history has shown that this action always

leads to instability within the particular body that ultimately leads to

the undoing of senior officials within the regulator.

Thank you for your loyal support. Fly safely and remember altitude is

your friend.

Athol Franz