Airline Grounded By SACAA

[ian16th]

The one and only airline to fly between Margate and Joburg.

We're cut orf, we are!

[Cacophonix]

Pelane Phakgadi | a day ago
JOHANNESBURG – The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has moved to ground 12 planes operated by CemAir indefinitely.

This follows the company’s failure to submit credible proof of compliance to the aviation authority.

An audit by the aviation authority found that aircrafts serviced at CemAir’s maintenance organisation were cleared as airworthy by unqualified personnel.

Spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu says certificates of airworthiness privileges for the12 planes will only be issued once the crafts have been serviced by qualified personnel who would satisfy requirements of the SACAA.“When we suspend the approval of the AMO it means they can’t fly and they would need to be re-maintained

Aaagh!

Anybody who writes the word "aircrafts" should not be reporting on aviation!

I don't understand what the fool is babbling about in English! How do you re-maintain something? If something has not been maintained and then is maintained then it is "maintained"!

Like me trying to write and article for the Völkischer Beobachter Newspaper in Swahili...!

Caco

[Cacophonix]

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has effectively grounded CemAir (5Z, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) after it temporarily withdrew Certificates of Airworthiness (CoA) for 12 of the carrier's aircraft on Friday, February 2, 2018.

SACAA said in a statement it had taken the measure after its inspectors discovered during an audit that some of CemAir's aircraft that were serviced at its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) had been released back to service or cleared as airworthy by unqualified personnel. This is in contravention of Part 43 and Part 121 of the South African Civil Aviation Regulations.

"This practice poses an imminent danger for crew members, passengers, and the public at large, and has a direct impact on aviation safety, since the airworthiness status of the aircraft concerned cannot be confirmed and/or is questionable," the regulator said.

The original directive was only due to be effective for a period of 24 hours and was to have expired early on the morning of Saturday, February 3. However, the embargo has been rolled over twice since then.

CemAir says it has held "constructive" talks with SACAA to resolve the matter adding that both organizations would commit the necessary resources to expedite the action items and processes needed to achieve a resumption of service.

As such, its scheduled flight operations remain suspended until further notice. Affected passengers have been accommodated through alternate arrangements.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, prior to the grounding, Cem Air's active fleet had entailed six CRJ-100LRs, one CRJ-200ER, one CRJ-200LR, one Dash 8-100, two Dash 8-300s, one Dash 8-400 as well as several Beech 1900Ds used to serve Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Bloemfontein, Hoedspruit, Margate, Plettenberg Bay, Sishen, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and George.

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... mro-lapses

I note that their website has been down today...

Caco

[Cacophonix]

Like me trying to write and article for the Völkischer Beobachter Newspaper in Swahili...!

It's infectious...

Caco

[ian16th]

The CEO of CEMAIR is Miles van der Molen.

Germiston plane crash victims 'burned alive'

Pprune Page

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39779

[Cacophonix]

The CEO of CEMAIR is Miles van der Molen.

Reminiscent in some ways of the Nationwide maintenance scandal...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationwid ... uth_Africa)

Our "friend Miles" crops up all over the place...

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Plane-crash-Regulations-flouted-20020529

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ljXDY-pUnQ[/bbvideo]

Caco

[ian16th]

Rules are meant to be broken!

[Cacophonix]

Rules are meant to be broken!

Clearly this is the new mantra! It wasn't always thus in South Africa but the anything goes attitude permeates the industry there now.

Look at the Huey helicopter scandal in the Cape!

But here's our man Miles again...

More Mileage...

Beech 1900C, the flight 5Y-FLE that killed GOSS officials is said to have been sold, leased, or donated by CemAir (Pty) Ltd, even though the company is claiming to reserve its rights of silence—refuses to confirm or refute either of the allegations. Nonetheless, other sources indicate clearly that the origin of this flight is none other than CemAir (Pty) Ltd.

For starters, CemAir is a South African based aircraft leasing company, specifically located at Lanseria Airport near Johannesburg. The company specializes in the supply of commuter turboprop aircraft to operators across the African continent and the Indian Ocean Islands. According to the statement by the company, it focuses on the United Nations and Non-governmental Organizations where it established charter and airline operators, and places “aircraft on short, medium or long-term leases.” Not surprisingly, the company has in its fleet, the Beech 1900s and Cessna Caravans, essentially the only two types of aircraft in its fleet.
CemAir is headed by a notorious, Miles van der Molen, a gentleman with a proven track record, which have been the subject of several investigations by the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority. For example, on December 6, 1999, a flight carrying 9 computer company employees en route to Oranjemund in Namibia crashed near Rand Airport, killing all those on board including the pilot. It was found to be “engine failure, compounded by the aircraft being overloaded and negligence on the part of the aircraft charter company, led to the fatal aircraft crash.” That flight belonged to the charter company known as Flightline Charter Services and Miles van der Molen was the chief executive of the company. According to the inquest of South Africa Civil Aviation Authority, which was concluded in 2002, Molen in particular and in his capacity as the chief executive plus the company as an entity was found to be in violations of series of rules and regulations indicated as follows:

Miles van der Molen, did a test flight with the plane shortly after it was bought by the company, while he was not a registered test flight pilot.

Miles Van der Molen also inserted documents into the aircraft’s operating manual which did not reflect the correct maximum take-off mass allowed. The papers he inserted were photo-copied from another manual and reflected information for an aircraft fitted with specialized equipment.

The time for the aircraft to undergo a mandatory periodic inspection, as stipulated by aviation legislation, had also expired at the time the flight crashed.

The Flightline Charter Service was found to have deviated significantly from the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority approved Operators Manual in terms of the critical issue of weight and balance of the aircraft. Actually, the aircraft was more than 800 pounds overweight when it crashed.

Once again in 2000, the aircraft that belonged to Flightline with registration ZS-NGV was taking off from Inhambane, Mozambique to South Africa , however, it was reported to have hit a high tension wires where it crashed, killing the pilot and the technician who were on board.

Investigating fraudulent issuance of license to the pilot involved in this fatal crash incident, the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority, found:
CN Delacovia, the pilot of the aircraft did not hold a valid CPL with instrument rating.

Since then, the Flightline Charter Services has long been closed down by South Africa Civil Aviation Authority. Now, with the emergence of CemAir, under the same management, people begin to wonder whether it is the same Flightline and the old Miles van Der Molen, emerging under guise. Also, considering that CemAir has just been formed in 2007, the guise seems to be more apparent. Perhaps, the pilots who are putting their lives into the line by taking to the skies understand the gravity of this situation more than others. Listening to them will make the rest also understand what they go through. One of the pilots who is familiar with Miles van der Molen’s established track record can just “wish the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority would go after all the companies that send young guys off outside the limits.” Another pilot warns that one would “think South Africa Civil Aviation Authority would do something about this guy (Miles van der Molen), like have him shot if he comes within 500m of an airport.” And a pilot who claimed to have worked for Molen wonders that “some people just keep on getting away with killing people while better ones like Nelair gets stopped.” At any rate, the story is far from over, especially due to the fact that young guys are continuing to be sent “off outside the limits” for their demise

.

Caco

[Cacophonix]

CemAir's record laid bare by the US Dept of Transportation

Caco

[ian16th]

Caco

When CEMAIR started flying to/from Margate I'd not heard of them, so I looked them up. Saw the record of Miles and as a result, I decided not to use them.

But then I used to be in the business and I am cautious.

[Cacophonix]

I had assumed Van der Molen was in prison.

The fawning treatment this shyster gets on SA aviation websites is embarrassing.

Journalists, writing about aviation in English, who can't speak English! Aircraft engineers and technicians, who 'maintain' but who are not authorised or (in many cases) qualified to maintain! Rogue outfits run by rogue operators and convicted (but unpunished) shysters! Aviation and local sites and media giving shysters fawning and unctuous treatment on programmes and sites that you would expect to call them to account and a CAA that is appears to be totally unfit for purpose.

Let's face it, all symptomatic of a South Africa that is f@cked!

Caco

[Cacophonix]

The South African aviation regulator has grounded 12 aircraft from the fleet of carrier CemAir after finding irregularities in the maintenance procedures of the aircraft.
CemAir operates both scheduled and nonscheduled services in and beyond South Africa.

The South African CAA (SACAA) declined to give details of the aircraft affected, but CemAir’s website lists a mixed fleet of Bombardier CRJ100s, Dash 8 turboprops and Beech 1900D commuter aircraft.

In a statement, the SACAA said the suspension of the aircraft’s certificates of airworthiness was ordered on Feb. 2 after the discovery during an audit by SACAA inspectors that some aircraft serviced at CemAir’s aircraft maintenance organization had been released back to service or cleared as airworthy by unqualified personnel.

“This practice poses an imminent danger for crew members, passengers and the public at large, and has a direct impact on aviation safety, since the airworthiness status of the aircraft concerned cannot be confirmed and/or is questionable,” the authority said in a statement.

The SACAA added it had received full cooperation from the airline and would provide the company with any assistance possible to help resolve the matter.

Calls to the airline’s phone number were met with a recorded message saying, “The system is congested” and an email requesting information was not answered.

The suspension was initially planned to end after 24 hours, but an SACAA spokesman told ATW Feb. 5 that the situation had not changed.

“The SACAA can confirm that both parties met over the weekend. During the meeting, the operator agreed to make the necessary resources available to ensure full compliance with the Civil Aviation Regulations. Likewise, the SACAA committed to making resources available to review submitted documentation, soon after it is received,” it said in a further statement.

http://atwonline.com/regulation/south-a ... r-aircraft

The SACAA (for all its faults) is right to pursue this course of action!

Caco

[Cacophonix]

van der Molen argues his case here

Caco

[ian16th]

There seems to be bad blood between the SACAA and CemAir.

The accusations of overloading, if true are very serious.

The now CEO of CemAir was behind this operation.

Whatever, it is going to upset some would be holiday makers as CemAir is the only airline to fly the Joburg - Margate route.

[ian16th]

CemAir can take to the skies again - under certain conditions

[Capetonian]

Grounded again :

Cemair has been suspended with immediate effect - again.

"The suspension comes after the most recent annual renewal audit revealed CemAir’s inability to prove the continued airworthiness of its fleet, says the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).

Passengers are being advised to contact the airline to make alternative arrangements.

Cemair was initially suspended on 13 December 2018 due to non-compliance of safety specifications related to both its small and large aircraft.

However, an out of court settlement negotiated saw the airline take to the skies, only to have 8 aircraft grounded on 26 December as the SACAA continued its full audit of the airline.

In a statement issued on Friday 11 January the SACAA says, "Based on the renewal audit findings and the subsequent confirmation of the systemic maintenance failure, it is evident and without a doubt that CemAir is simply unable to prove the continued airworthiness of its entire fleet."

Cemair has been issued with a corrective plan and recommendations directly from the aircraft manufacturer "on what the operator needed to do in order to get the maintenance status of their fleet on track" .

However, the regulator slammed the airline saying, "The responsibility to ensure safe and secure aviation operations lies primarily in the hands of each and every licence-holder. The ‘catch-me-if-you-can’ attitude or predisposition to await recommendations and findings before attending to safety and security matters is dangerous and puts the lives of many at risk."

“Due to the serious nature of the findings and the impact they have on aviation safety, a decision was taken to immediately suspend CemAir’s Part 121 and 135 AOCs.”

The SACAA says it is on stand-by to assist CemAir to comply with the requisite civil aviation regulatory prescripts. Cemair has 30 days to appeal, by 11 February 2019.

[ian16th]

This is from African Pilot

CemAir’s Air Operator Certificates suspended with immediate effect



The following is the text received from the SACAA early on Friday evening 11 January 2019
“The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has put a stop to CemAir’s operations following the suspension of the airlines’ Part 121 and 135 Air Operator Certificates (AOCs). The suspension is with immediate effect (i.e. as at 17h00 on Friday, 11 January 2019). The suspension was necessitated by the SACAA’s concerns over the systemic failure of the airline’s maintenance controls. In a nutshell, the most recent annual renewal audit revealed CemAir’s inability to prove the continued airworthiness of its fleet.

It is against the norm for the SACAA to publicly detail a chronological account of events leading to its oversight decisions. However, given several previous records with alternative information; on this occasion, the SACAA will reluctantly provide a synopsis of events leading to this decision, lest an inaccurate version miraculously emerges.

1. Subsequent to the settlement that was made a court order relating to the first suspension that followed the prohibition order issued against CemAir, the SACAA proceeded with the finalisation of the renewal audit of CemAir’s operations between 21 and 24 December 2018.
2. This audit revealed eleven (11) findings of which five (5) were classified as Level 1. The operator has submitted an acceptable Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for 10 of the findings.
3. CemAir subsequently submitted a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) aimed at addressing one of the Level 1 findings related to the continued airworthiness of the operator’s fleet. The initial CAP and subsequent revised versions were reviewed and found to be unacceptable.
4. On 26 December 2018, the SACAA, and in the interests of aviation safety, grounded eight (8) of the airline’s aircraft with immediate effect.
5. Between 28 December 2018 and 11 January 2019 there were numerous interactions between the operator and the regulator. In between, the SACAA also visited CemAir operations in order to gather evidence and confirm that the continued airworthiness finding is addressed satisfactorily. These follow-up inspection exercises did not meet the regulators’ expectations and the necessary evidence could not be produced by the operator.
6. During the audit, the SACAA also learnt that an aircraft manufacturer had given CemAir an assessment of their aircraft maintenance schedule with findings and recommendations on what the operator needed to do in order to get the maintenance status of their fleet on track, and worryingly the operator could not produce sufficient evidence to authenticate that all recommendations were fully implemented. Ignoring manufacturer’s recommendations is not only bizarre but is also a very serious and dangerous omission that should be avoided at all cost by any licence-holder.
7. Based on the renewal audit findings and the subsequent confirmation of the systemic maintenance failure, it became evident and without a doubt that CemAir is simply unable to prove the continued airworthiness of its entire fleet.
8. Due to the serious nature of the findings and the impact they have on aviation safety, a decision was taken to immediately suspend CemAir’s Part 121 and 135 AOCs.

It must be noted that there is a provision in terms of Part 185 of the South African civil aviation regulations that affords the operator the right to appeal to the Director of Civil Aviation should they feel aggrieved by this suspension. The appeal must be made within 30 days from the date of receipt of the suspension letter, meaning that the appeal must be lodged before 11 February 2019. However, the submission of an appeal does not nullify the suspension.

The responsibility to ensure safe and secure aviation operations lies primarily in the hands of each and every licence-holder. The ‘catch-me-if-you-can’ attitude or predisposition to await recommendations and findings before attending to safety and security matters is dangerous and puts the lives of many at risk.

As with all operators, the SACAA is willing, able, and on stand-by to assist CemAir to comply with the requisite civil aviation regulatory prescripts.

The SACAA is mandated with regulating civil aviation safety and security thereby ensuring the safety of the flying community. The main reason why some enforcement actions are made public is to empower and alert the flying community to make informed decisions when utilising aviation operators.

The SACAA, once again, places it on record that it will undertake its mandate without any form of fear, favour, or prejudice. It is important that we do so lest we lose lives while turning a blind eye on non-compliances by those driven by profit and other factors. The SACAA’s mandate is strictly prescribed in the Civil Aviation Act and the regulator will not tolerate any behaviour that will undermine the safety of passengers, crew and those on the ground. The SACAA will always endeavour to protect the good safety record that South Africa has worked hard to maintain thus far.

Regards.

Pappie Maja
External Communications Specialist
Corporate Communications and Marketing

Editor comments

In my opinion there can be no doubt that the SACAA has an agenda and hopefully this latest grounding will also be tested in the High Court within the next few days. The SACAA’s emotional media releases are deliberately timed to produce as much damage to an honest business as possible.

Over the past few years, I have tried very hard to engage with and work with the SACAA, but it appears that the regulator’s agenda is to destroy South African Civil Aviation. Why am I becoming involved in this fight? Simple, if the regulator is allowed to continue on its path of destruction, many aviation companies will either close down (as many have already) or choose to move their business away from South Africa.

I am one of the very few people that walks the airport ramps and works with numerous aviation professionals throughout South Africa and wherever I travel the complaints about the ‘bullying tactics’ of SACAA inspectors is often discussed. It appears that the South African aviation industry is afraid to stand up to the sheer incompetence of SACAA inspectors for fear of having their operations suspended in the same way that the regulator has dealt with a privately owned airline – CemAir over the past year. If one digs deep enough into paperwork, there is probably not a single company that has all its paperwork 100% in order, including the South African Civil Aviation Authority.

In reality for many years almost every business in South African civil aviation has suffered at the hands of SACAA inspectors, many of who do not have adequate qualifications, whilst they interpret the regulations in any manner that they see fit often contradicting themselves. I am sure we all remember the inspector lady that grounded a Cessna 208 Caravan, because the crew were refuelling with Jet A at Lanseria? Then there are the significant delays in getting modification approvals from the regulator, the simple fact that e-mails are not answered and telephone calls go unanswered. I have several personal examples of SACAA incompetence, but I have been waiting for an opportunity to address these matters in the correct forum. The BIG question is: What are we going to do about this horrendous situation, where the SACAA appears to be a law unto itself with very few checks and balances?

[Cacophonix]

The SACAA may be incompetent and politicised, and, yes, it may have an agenda, but I still wouldn't fly Cemair while people like Miles van der Molen have anything to do with the operation and the running of the airline.

Trouble is that when organisations responsible for oversight are compromised, inefficient or simply not fit for purpose, then rogue outfits do flourish and in the sub-optimal, highly politicised conditions prevailing in South Africa today they get away with their transgressions by claiming foul and using diversionary tactics to evade closer scrutiny on the basis that SACAA is incompetent. The latter may be true but that doesn't undermine the fact that the operator may be running rogue itself.

Cemair may be as white as the driven snow now but they really should look at their internal management structure and note the history that continues to taint them and perhaps move to clean out the stable.

Caco

[Capetonian]

Thunder City.

[ian16th]

The SACAA may be incompetent and politicised, and, yes, it may have an agenda, but I still wouldn't fly Cemair while people like Miles van der Molen have anything to do with the operation and the running of the airline.

Caco

I too wouldn't use any a/c owned or operated by this guy!

He isn't a newcomer to accusations of overloading.