Uproar over ‘rookie’ CAA inspectors
Aviation authority’s fast-track plan slated
● The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is insisting on fast-tracking inexperienced pilots to provide oversight of new SAA Airbus jets.
The move has caused turbulence in the commercial aviation community weeks before the national carrier takes possession of two new 330-seat A350 jets.
The SACAA is insisting on SAA paying for two inspectors to receive full A350 training before the planes can take off, and several aviation sources — including senior SAA pilots — say its actions amount to “extortion”, partly because cash-strapped SAA is eager to get the new jets operational as soon as possible. They are scheduled to replace older jets on the Johannesburg-New York route, where they are expected to produce a 20% cost saving.
The SACAA denied anything unusual about the conversion training, which it said was part of its statutory mandate. It said the two inspectors earmarked to provide A350 oversight are suitably experienced.
“It is important to indicate that the qualifications required need to compare favourably or exceed those of the operator’s personnel with whom they will engage during inspections and surveillance activities,” said spokesperson Kabelo Ledwaba.
However, the Sunday Times has established that:
● Both A350 training inspectors, Cebile Mndawe and Rohan Mulder, have limited operational experience;
● Mulder’s aviation licence reveals he has simulator training for a passenger jet, a Boeing 737-800, but has never flown one;
● Mndawe ’s flight logbook records only 102 flying hours as “pilot in command”. She worked briefly for Air Namibia before joining the SACAA. Her logbook shows she achieved a “third pilot” rating on the Airbus A340.
The SACAA would not confirm the authenticity of copies of Mulder’s licence and Mndawe’s logbook in the possession of the Sunday Times. Independent sources said the documents appeared legitimate.
Mulder referred queries about the A350 training to the SACAA, while Mndawe could not be reached for comment.
A senior SAA pilot with knowledge of training protocols said although the SACAA had a legal mandate to provide oversight, providing theoretical Airbus training to inexperienced inspectors who could not fly jets was pointless. “Mulder and Mndawe can do precisely nothing with this [A350] rating. It’s like having a nurse oversee a brain surgeon performing an operation,” he said.
“This was no more than a very expensive jolly for absolutely no rational reason that will benefit SAA.”
He said the crux of the problem was that the SA CAA no longer employs anybody with the qualifications and experience to do the job properly.
Another pilot said the training for Mulder and Mndawe was irregular, particularly as the inspectors were not “rated” on SAA’s other Airbus models, the A330 and the A340.
Pilots need to be rated on particular aircraft types in order to fly them.
“That is why this is extortion,” the pilot said. “It is totally out of the norm.”
A senior flight school manager defended the CAA, saying transformation was part of its mandate and modern aviation did not require the same oversight as previously due to huge advances in aircraft sophistication. “There is a joke that says the safest cockpit is a man and a dog,” he said. “The dog is there to bite the pilot if he touches the controls.”
Airline pilots would not comment officially on the matter due to fear of reprisals. The SAA Pilots Association declined to answer queries.
SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said: “We are aligned with SACAA on what needs to be done and SAA will avoid being distracted. We will focus on seeing this initiative through.”