– GCAA

INVESTIGATIONS into the two recent aircraft accidents at Eteringbang in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) are 60% complete, says head of the Accident and Investigation Group, Paula McAdam.

She was speaking at a meeting between officials of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and airline operators on August 11 at the body’s Kingston head office.
According to a release from the GCAA, Director-General of the aviation umbrella body, Lt. Col. (ret’d) Egbert Fields and other officials of the Authority held discussions with the airline operators to address the many issues affecting the aviation industry and which are of major concern to the GCAA.

The aircraft accidents at Eteringbang, involving a Roraima Airways Britton-Norman Islander, bearing registration 8R-GRA which crashed on July 25 and another in which a Wings Aviation CESSNA single-engine plane, bearing registration number 8R-GPR, which crashed on August 8, were discussed at the meeting.

Former Guyana Defence Force Major Collin Martin, Roraima’s chief pilot, perished in the July 25 accident as he approached for landing. Wings Aviation pilot Dominic Waddell escaped without major injuries in the recent accident which occurred as he took off from the border aerodrome.

Fields told the gathering that while the accidents are tragic, the country could be considered fortunate to have such a low aircraft accident record, given the volatile environment in which domestic aircraft operate. However, he said the aim remains to reduce the current number of aircraft accidents and hold that to a minimum.

Lengthy delays
At the meeting, the issue of flight delays by the international air carriers was brought to the table. Recently, Dynamic Airways customers have experienced lengthy delays at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) as well as the JFK Airport in New York.
The director-general noted that the recent encumbrances faced by passengers and the airline operators while unfortunate, were not by design. In one instance the delay of the flight was necessary as safety concerns were given high priority over the efficiency and punctuality of the flight.

The operators were also encouraged to improve their safety management systems to ensure that safety standards remain high.
“We are moving into an expanding industry, we are moving into more sophisticated aircraft, soon we’ll have the offshore helicopters operating…ensure that your qualities and standards are beyond question…I am therefore calling upon you to assist us in our venture of making this industry a safe and accident-free industry,” Fields said.