Black boxes behind grounding of flights

ISSUES: PROBLEMS FOUND WITH FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS

Aviation authority points to maintenance discrepancies.

SAA, Mango and Comair flights disrupted by claims of bogus parts being used in maintenance.

The civil watchdog inspection that grounded three airlines this week was triggered by claims of fake spare parts being used, although the transport department insisted that no evidence of this had been found.

According to the department, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SAACA) flagged “procedural” discrepancies with the maintenance of aircraft flight data and cockpit voice recorders at the South African Airways Technical (SAAT), which maintains Mango Airlines, South African Airways and Comair aircraft.

The civil aviation authority directed the airlines to conduct their own verification processes after an inspection of two planes following media reports that SAAT was infiltrated by rogue elements using bogus parts.

Transport department spokesperson Ayanda Allie-Paine told Radio 702 yesterday morning “SAACA inspected the two planes. I must reiterate no evidence as yet … of bogus parts were found.

“However, there were some procedural issues that were detected.

“The way in which the flight data recorder is being maintained, for example; the way in which the cockpit voice is being maintained.”

She explained the airlines were told about the discrepancies, to go and “introspect” and come back with a solution on how to fix the problem.

The airlines grounded the planes they thought were problematic, which Allie-Paine said was commendable, although this resulted in the cancellation and delay of flights.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, SAACA boss Poppy Khoza and Airports Company South Africa chief operations officer Fundi Sithebe are expected to shed more light on the matter today.

The planes are back in service, with Mango Airlines spokesperson Sergio dos Santos saying they were still quantifying the costs of the grounding.

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