US experts arrive to modernise the system
THE ISLAND’S Civil Aviation Department is set to get a new face lift after the arrival of aviation experts from the United States.
Experts from the world’s leading aviation consulting firm, Simat Helliesen & Eichner (SH&E), have already begun arriving on the island to assist the department in an advisory capacity as part of the government’s effort to bring the aviation department up to par with European standards.
Last September, President Tassos Papadopoulos ordered that the Civil Aviation Department be upgraded with immediate effect after it was revealed that there were huge flaws in the departments operations.
Many of the flaws were discovered during investigations into the tragedy of Helios Airways flight ZU522 which mysteriously crashed into a mountainside just north of Athens on August 14, last year killing all 121 passengers and crew members on board.
Most of the victims were Cypriot families going on holiday. The final report is due out later in the year.
Problems, raised in particular from the crash victims’ relatives committee, also surfaced when Helios Airways obtained the relative licences and certificates to change its airline name to a-jet while still under investigation for the crash in Greece.
Also arriving on the island this week according to Communications Minister Harris Thrassou is Greek Air Crash Investigator Akrivos Tsolakis who is also to set “to give his expert opinion in matters concerning air safety”.
A contract between the government and SH&E was soon signed in which officials of the firm would come to Cyprus and upgrade the infrastructure while at the same time train most of the department personnel in matters concerning routine checks and safety.
Already one SH&E official has settled into one of the offices of the Civil Aviation , where he is evaluating the exact areas were work is needed to bring the department up to modern flying and safety standards.
According to Panayiotis Kallis’ investigating committee, the department also needed specific improvement in the sectors of general aircraft inspections, licensing of aircrafts and airline company inspections.
According to some of the findings of the committee, some of the air-worthiness licences granted to airline companies did not bare expiry dates.
The Director of the Civil Aviation Department Leonidas Leonidou told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the SH&E officials would be looking to make a complete restructure of the aviation department.
He added that another four SH&E officials are set to arrive on the island this week whilst another two officials are expected to arrive next week to train the recently appointed aircraft engineering officials of the Civil Aviation that have been hired to inspect all aircrafts on the island.
“The role of these officials will not be specifically to change certain sectors of the department, but to restructure the way in which the entire aviation department operates”, said Leonidou.
He adds, “For example, the firm has decided to make for us a manual in which to base the aviation operations on. This manual would be like a bible, if you will, and would also work as an organiser for the entire department. They are also set to train our recently appointed inspectors and create a survey for us to look into with regards to what changes need to be made.”
Meanwhile, the aviation department has already begun reshuffling their departments most notably with the appointment of more personnel to the Air Safety Department.
“It is vital that the Civil Aviation Department meets the standards required for a European nation”, said Leonidou.
But the aviation department still has personnel problems according to Leonidou who believes that higher salaries are needed in most cases to lure aircraft experts to the Civil Aviation sector.
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