/ 7 January 2008

CAA safety standards get thumbs-up

South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) safety standards compare favourably with the best in the world, a United States Federation Administration Audit report said on Monday.

CAA spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu said the audit was conducted from July 30 to August 2 2007, and the report was released on Monday.

CAA CEO and commissioner for civil aviation Colin Jordaan said the authority was very excited about this report.

”As the custodian of aviation safety in South Africa, we are proud to have addressed all of the issues in the initial audit report, especially within the very short timeframe that was made available for corrective actions,” he said.

The audit focused mainly on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’s standards and recommended practices for processes relating to licensing, flight operations and airworthiness and legislative issues. These are regarded as the core elements of any state’s civil aviation infrastructure and functioning.

”It is a very encouraging sign that whatever safety-enhancement measures the authority has taken so far is a step in the right direction.

”A negative report would have reflected badly on South Africa, with the resultant loss of confidence in the country’s aviation industry,” said Jordaan. — Sapa