THE Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is hoping to have at least one aviation operator back on shuttle service to the interior by Wednesday.

The agency said it continues to work feverishly to have pertinent shuttle operations returned to hinterland communities following the resubmission of policy and procedure documents by Trans-Guyana Airways and other operators.

GCAA’s communication department told the Guyana Chronicle Monday that Trans-Guyana is the operator closest to having their shuttle suspension lifted, but is yet to resubmit documents requested in the final leg of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) five-phase approval process. “We are still awaiting resubmission from Trans-Guyana. Once everything goes according to plan, approval will be granted,” the GCAA said.

At least seven local aircraft operators were ordered to submit their operation’s shuttle service manuals following three aircraft accidents that left two pilots dead and one injured in less than two months. All of the operators were sent back to make corrections highlighted by the GCAA, except for Trans-Guyana, which was described as having a “very acceptable” manual.

The GCAA said it adopted ICAO’s five-phase process for approval of operator’s manual on shuttle operations. The process involves the pre-application phase, then the application phase, document evaluation, demonstration and inspection and finally, certification. At this point, Trans-Guyana Airways has completed the demonstration phase, which occurred at interior aerodromes. The airline was asked however to make some corrections that would complete the inspection aspect of the process. Once this is done, the airline will become certified and given the green light.

GCAA said it continues to work with the operators, most of whom have moved pass the pre-application phase. Mining operators, hinterland residents and other business persons have registered great inconvenience since the suspension of all aircraft shuttle services. The GCAA reiterated that the suspension was absolutely necessary since the common thread in the recent spate of accidents is that the pilots were all conducting shuttle operations.

Outside of technical concerns, it has been found in the past that pilots opt to earn extra cash by adding to items they are authorised to shuttle. This led to increase weigh on the plane and dangerous situations. GCAA’s Director General, Captain Egbert Field, had related last week how expensive it is to fly fuel, for example, to certain parts of the interior. This would see operators taking the fuel to certain locations via land and then have it flown to destinations not accessible by road. “That type of operation is risky… shuttling cargo in areas or across mountain ranges or through mountain gorge…it is a little more risky than the normal run-of-the-mill flying. It is for this reason Field said that operators must also submit documents that show among other things, proper refueling facilities, along with the qualification of cargo loaders.