20000128

Need to streamline

CAA flight standard

stressed

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Air Marshal Aliuddin, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has emphasised the need for streamlining the CAA flight standards to enable private airlines operate as an economically viable industry without compromising on safety standards.

Speaking after distributing certificates among the CAA officers who have attainned the qualification of Flight Inspector, he said both the national carrier and the private airlines needed encouragement. Any inflexible attitude, at a stage when private operatrors were still in infancy might prove disastrous for further growth. This important aspect must be kept in mind while ensuring that the private operators meet the minimum required standards, he said.

Referring to the problems being faced by the private operators with regard to aircraft registration and wet lease, the CAA Director General pointed out that at a time when this industry was passing through a severe cut-throat competition, it was important that economic constraints and market conditions be taken into consideration while assessing the problems of the private airlines. No airline would like to remain in operation while running losses, he said.

Air Marshal Aliuddin appreciated the initiative taken by the CAA Flight Standards Directorate, to improve its working with a view to regain Category One (CAT-I) status from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). One of the key observations during the FAA assessment was, the dearht of qualified technical staff in the CAA. He was assured that after almost three years since these observations were made by the FAA team, CAA had been able to meet the requirements of the FAA by training CAA inspectors and also inducting qualified sensior technical staff.

The CAA Director General, said that with the completion of the course and passage of time when these inspectors complete their OJT, the CAA's flight standards directorate would be in a very comfortable position to accompalish the surveillance tasks as per the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Those who have successfully completed a five-week flight inspector's course include Wing.Cdr. Khalid Razzak, Capt. Ahmed Saeed, Wing.Cdr. Syed Ghazanfar Hussain and Wing.Cdr. Syed Aftab Hussain.