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| March 22, 2007 | Thursday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1428 |
Checking by ‘unqualified inspectors’ rejected
ISLAMABAD, March 21: The Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (Palpa) has threatened to stop monitoring and checks of its members by ‘unqualified inspectors’ of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
“Any inspector detailed for standard checks should have the requisite qualification or else we will be constrained to tell our members not to undertake such inspections,” Palpa president Capt Khalid Hamza said in a letter to the CAA director-general.
The letter specifically mentions the initial line checks, which pilots have to undertake before being permitted to captain any particular type of aircraft.
As a regulator of the aviation sector, the CAA has to carry out certification and surveillance, but it has been suffering from capacity issues for long.
The association’s move, experts believe, may have long-term legal implications, besides hampering the operation of the airline and safe conduct of flights.
Most of the inspectors, Palpa claims, do not meet the basic criteria specified for their job as they are either not rated on the aircraft they inspect or are not current. They are basing their claim on an International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) ruling that states: “To conduct line proficiency check, the inspector must be type-rated and current with a minimum of 100 hours flying experience on the type and has flown the routes/comparable routes within the preceding 12 months.”
The dispute is already blocking the line checks of six Boeing 737 pilots, who have completed their training but can’t take up active duty until cleared by the CAA. The inspector desirous of conducting the tests is allegedly not qualified.
The inspector agrees to the option of getting the tests done by some other qualified person, but is insisting on his presence in the tests not realising that the cockpit doesn’t allow a fourth person due to oxygen limitations.
Palpa’s stance is that being the professional body of the pilots it has always adhered to standard procedures being followed the world over, which require that any inspector detailed for such a duty should be duly qualified.
Sources say the CAA, instead of responding to Palpa’s concern, has written a letter to the PIA management saying the ‘competent authority’ has taken serious note of the letter written without observing proper channel.
Now that their concerns have not been entertained by the CAA, the pilots plan to approach the defence ministry on the issue.
There are also concerns that with Icao audit due this year, the CAA might be downgraded if the flaws are not rectified.
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