12 Year Compulsory Overhaul
CAA has promulgated amendments to Part 43 of the Civil Aviation Regulations. According to unofficial comment from CAA officials these amendments have had the effect of cancelling the exemption provided in AIC18.18(pdf 119kb) and AIC18.19 (pdf 171kb). This is of great concern to the General Aviation sector of South Africa.
The motive of CAA is being questioned in that the Commissioner of Civil Aviation supported the exemption when AIC18.18 and 18.19 were promulgated. No further information has become available that would make the removal of the exemption necessary. The various Representative Organisations of General Aviation (GA) making up the Aviation Council are embarking on initiatives to rectify the situation and prevent GA form being subjected to more cost pressures.
Documents we have received in this regard are:
- A summary of the issue(pdf 18kb)
- A letter to Aero Club raising the issue(pdf 29kb)
- Legal opinion obtained by AAF/AOPA(pdf 29kb)
We understand that legal opinion for two sources has confirmed that the CAA has not acted properly in this matter.
At a meeting between the Aero Club and CAA, the Commissioner confirmed that the matter would be resolved and the status quo restored. In addition the Airworthiness section issued an email to AWSA in which they provided the requirements for temporary exemption - See theAWSA newsletter
The monitors of AWSA received complaints that the process to obtain interim exemption was drawn out and laborious, contrary to the process as published by the Airworthiness Section. In addition there were a number of rumours as to the possibility of AIC 18.18 and 18.19 not being re-issued to restore the status quo. At the Industry Liaison forum held on 19 October 2006 and attended by General Aviation representatives, consisting of Aero Club, AAF, AOPA, AWAC and CAASA the matter was taken up with CAA again. A commitment was received from the Acting Commissioner that the draft AIC would be published at the end of October 2006 and would be published during the November cycle. This AIC would restore the status quo.
The SACAA once again disapointed the aviation community by negotiating in bad faith. The draft AIC18.18 was issued on 2 November 2006 and did not contain the amendments as promised at the Industry Liason meeting. In fact the AIC merely repeated the regulations contained in Part 43 and included some additional requirements for aircraft in the private category. If this AIC is published then only aircraft used privately will be exempted from the 12 overhaul Service Buletin.
- The Draft AIC18.18(pdf 11kb)
- The SAPFA response(pdf 29kb)
- The AAF/AOPA response(pdf 61kb)
- The AWAC response (pdf 46kb)
The responses listed above were submitted to CAA before the deadline for comment.
In a press release to General Aviation the SACAA has stated that the exemption previously contained would be re-instated with effect from 16 December 2006. The monitors of AWSA congratulate all parties on the resolution of this issue. The new AIC 18.19 has also been issued.
- CAA Press release(pdf 72kb)
- AIC 18.19(pdf 283kb)
This matter is now closed.
Contact AWSA at awsa@awsa.co.za if you would like any of these documents faxed to you or supplied in another format.