JUST 10 months before the worst air disaster in Cypriot history the ministry in charge of aviation affairs had been warned of inadequate flight safety procedures.
On August 14 of last year, a Helios airliner smashed into a mountainside just north of Athens, killing all 121 passengers and crew on board. Most of the victims were Cypriot families going on holiday.
Ever since, a number of press reports have come out suggesting that the Civil Aviation Department was cutting corners when it came to flight safety.
A probe into the causes of the accident is believed to point to a combination of human error and technical faults.
On October 27 2004, the Cyprus Regional Manager for the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority P.A. Varley addressed a letter to the Ministry of Communications and Transport.
Varley sounded the alarm bells, effectively saying that no measures had been taken to improve the operation of the Safety Regulation Unit (SRU).
The letter, published by Politis yesterday, reads:
“It is now almost exactly six years since the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority established an office in Cyprus, at the request of the Department of Civil Aviation. The office was set up with the aim of assisting the Department to develop its own aviation safety oversight capability in order to satisfy EU accession and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) obligations.”
After noting that “there have been some notable successes along the way,” such as the granting of European Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) full membership status to Cyprus, Varley goes on:
“Unfortunately, our optimism now appears to have been misplaced. Recent events appear to be undoing much of what has been achieved. The SRU is now missing some key technical staff; while others have not been permitted to attend much needed training courses agreed with the JAA as a condition for full membership.
“We also learned today that the head of the SRU, Michael Agisilaou, is to take up a new post on Monday without being replaced.
“Given these developments, the SRU would not qualify the Department for full JAA membership status today.”
It went on:
“The current problems in the SRU are the latest in a long line of examples that show a lack of any real commitment at your level to try and establish a working, credible aviation safety oversight organisation within the Department of Civil Aviation. The Republic of Cyprus has a legal obligation to ICAO and the EU to ensure that it manages aviation safety in accordance with the international agreements and protocols it is a signatory to.
“For many years, there has been the expertise within the aviation community in Cyprus that, with the correct training and infrastructure, could carry out this work to international standards with little or no assistance from external bodies like the UKCAA. Instead, efforts in this direction have been frustrated by a lack of action, as well as suspicion, distrust and envy within the Department and Unions.”
The most telling part of the letter came next:
“We have lost count of the hours of work, letters, memos and other documents we have produced over the last six years with the aim of helping Cyprus create a credible aviation safety regulatory body. A European Union funded project in 2001/2002 that cost the European Union 357,963 euros failed completely, mainly due to the inability of the Department to recruit suitable technical staff within an acceptable timescale.”
It concluded on an ominous note:
“The UKCAA is willing to give all possible assistance to help establish an aviation safety body worthy of the people of Cyprus, but unless comprehensive measures are taken, the increase in size of the aviation industry will see oversight capabilities inevitably decline to third world levels.”
Transport Minister Harris Thrassou yesterday declined to comment on the Politis story or the letter.
“As long as the inquiry into the crash is ongoing, it would be improper to say anything that pertains to it,” he told the Mail.
Thrassou was referring to the inquiry headed by Panayiotis Kallis that is investigating possible liability for the crash.
5 July: ÌåôÜ ôçí åðéóôïëÞ Varley ãéá êÜëõøç ôùí êéíäýíùí óôçí áóöÜëåéá ðôÞóåùí áðü ôéò Ýîé óïâáñÝò áäõíáìßåò ôïõ ÔÐÁ, ï ïðïßïò ðñïåéäïðïéïýóå ðù ò áðïôõ÷ßá äñÜóçò ïäçãåß óå áåñïðïñéêü áôý÷çìá, ç äéåýèõíóç ôïõ ÔìÞìáôïò óõíÝ÷éóå íá åðáíáðáýåôáé…
Áãùíéþäç Ýêêëçóç ãéá ôç ëÞøç ìÝôñùí ðñéí íá åßíáé áñãÜ áðïôåëïýóå, üðùò ôá ãåãïíüôá êáôáìáñôõñïýí, ç åðéóôïëÞ ôïõ Âñåôáíïý óõìâïýëïõ ðïõ áðïêÜëõøå ÷èåò ï “Ð”, ìå ôçí ïðïßá æçôïýóå íá åíçìåñùèåß ï Õðïõñãüò ãéá ôïõò Ýîé èáíÜóéìïõò êéíäýíïõò óôçí áóöÜëåéá ðôÞóåùí. Ï ôÝùò õðïõñãüò Óõãêïéíùíéþí Êßêçò Êáæáìßáò, ìå ãñáðôÞ ôïõ äÞëùóç “åî üóùí èõìÜôáé”, áíáöÝñåé üôé äåí ðáñïõóéÜóôçêå åíþðéüí ôïõ ç åðéóôïëÞ P.A.Varley, ùò áñìüäéïõ Õðïõñãïý. ¼ðùò åßìáóôå óå èÝóç íá ãíùñßæïõìå, ï ê. Êáæáìßáò èõìÜôáé êáëÜ. ÌåôÜ ôçí åðéóôïëÞ ôïõ ê. Varley åß÷å ãßíåé áðëþò ìßá õðçñåóéáêÞ óýóêåøç, óôçí ïðïßá óõììåôåß÷å êé ï ôüôå Ãåíéêüò ÄéåõèõíôÞò ôïõ Õðïõñãåßïõ, Óçìåþí ÌÜôóçò ðáñïõóßá ôïõ Âñåôáíïý óõìâïýëïõ êáé ôùí åðéêåöáëÞò ôïõ ÔìÞìáôïò ÐïëéôéêÞò Áåñïðïñßáò (ÔÐÁ). Ùóôüóï, áêüìá êáé ìåôÜ ôç äñáìáôéêÞ Ýêêëçóç ôïõ Âñåôáíïý êáé ôéò óïâáñÝò åðéóçìÜíóåéò ðïõ áðáñéèìïýóå óôçí åðéóôïëÞ ôïõ ãéá ôïõò êéíäýíïõò áðü ôçí áðñáîßá ôïõ ÔÐÁ, öáßíåôáé üôé ç çãåóßá ôïõ ÔìÞìáôïò óõíÝ÷éóå íá åðáíáðáýåôáé. Ìéá óõìðåñéöïñÜ ðïõ êáô’ ïìïëïãßá ôïõ ê. ÌÜôóç Þôáí åìöáíÞò óôï ÔìÞìá, ëüãù ôïõ óõìâïëáßïõ ðïõ õðÞñ÷å ìå ôïõò Âñåôáíïýò, ýøïõò £350 ÷éëéÜäùí åôçóßùò.
Mayday Âñåôáíþí
Ôï èÝìá Þôáí ðùò ïé Âñåôáíïß óýìâïõëïé, üðùò ëÝ÷èçêå êáé ôçí ðåñáóìÝíç âäïìÜäá êáôÜ ôçí êáôÜèåóç ôïõ íõí äéåõèõíôÞ ÐïëéôéêÞò Áåñïðïñßáò åíþðéïí ôçò ÅðéôñïðÞò Äéåñåýíçóçò, åß÷áí óõãêåêñéìÝíá êáèÞêïíôá ãéá íá åêôåëïýí, áöïý áðïôåëïýóáí áíáðüóðáóôá ìÝëç ôçò ÌïíÜäáò ÁóöÜëåéáò ÐôÞóåùí. Äåí åß÷áí äéêáßùìá ïýôå íá äéáìïñöþóïõí ðïëéôéêÞ, ïýôå íá ðÜñïõí áðïöÜóåéò ãéá èÝìáôá ðïõ åðçñÝáæáí ôçí áóöÜëåéá ðôÞóåùí áëëÜ äåí áöïñïýóáí ìüíï ôïõò åëÝã÷ïõò. Åßíáé ãé’ áõôüí ôï ëüãï ðïõ ï ê. Varley æçôïýóå áðåãíùóìÝíá áðü ôïí ôüôå äéåõèõíôÞ ÔÐÁ, ÓôÝëéï Âáóéëåßïõ, íá åíçìåñþóåé áìÝóùò ôïí Õðïõñãü, þóôå üðùò áíÝöåñå ÷áñáêôçñéóôéêÜ “íá ÷áñá÷èåß ðïëéôéêÞ”, íá êáëõöèïýí ôá êåíÜ, íá ðñïóëçöèåß ðñïóùðéê
ü, íá åöáñìïóôïýí ïé êáíïíéóìïß ôùí äéåèíþí ïñãáíéóìþí ãéá ôçí áóöÜëåéá ôùí ðôÞóåùí êáé ï Ýëåã÷ïò íá ãßíåé ðéï áõóôçñüò. Ðáñüëá áõôÜ, ôá áñíçôéêÜ ó÷üëéá ôùí Âñåôáíþí äåí Ýöôáíáí óôá êÝíôñá ëÞøçò áðïöÜóåùí. ¸ðåöôáí óôï êåíü, üðùò êáé ïé åêèÝóåéò äéåèíþí ïñãáíéóìþí üðùò ï ICAO êáé ç JAA ðïõ Þôáí êáôáðÝëôçò ãéá ôçí áíåðÜñêåéá ôïõ ÔìÞìáôïò. Ç áðÜíôçóç ðïõ Ýðáéñíå ï Ãåíéêüò ÄéåõèõíôÞò üôáí ãéíüôáí ëüãïò ãéá ôá êåíÜ óôï ÔÐÁ, Þôáí ðùò “ãéá ôçí áóöÜëåéá öñïíôßæïõí ïé Âñåôáíïß”.
Óçìåþí ÌÜôóçò
ÕðÞñ÷å åöçóõ÷áóìüò “Ç ãåíéêÞ ðñïóÝããéóç ðïõ õðÞñ÷å áðü ôï ÔìÞìá ÐïëéôéêÞò Áåñïðïñßáò, Þôáí ðùò ïé Âñåôáíïß Ýëõíáí ôï èÝìá ôçò áóöÜëåéáò ðôÞóåùí. ÅðïìÝíùò óå áõôÜ ôá ðëáßóéá ôïõ åöçóõ÷áóìïý, Þôáí êáé ç åíçìÝñùóç ðïõ Ýðáéñíå ôï Õðïõñãåßï áðü ôï ÔìÞìá ÐïëéôéêÞò Áåñïðïñßáò”.
Êßêçò Êáæáìßáò
“Äåí Ýöôáóå êïíôÜ ìïõ”
“Áðü ôï äçìïóßåõìá, öáßíåôáé üôé ôï óçìåßùìá áöïñïýóå âáóéêÜ èÝìáôá ðïõ åß÷áí ó÷Ýóç ìå ôçí åëáöñÜ áåñïðïñßá. Ç äçìïóéåõèåßóá åðéóôïëÞ, åî üóùí èõìÜìáé äåí Ýöôáóå åíþðéüí ìïõ, ùò áñìüäéïõ Õðïõñãïý. Ç ðéï ðÜíù áíáöïñÜ äåí óçìáßíåé üôé ôï ðåñéå÷üìåíï ôçò åðéóôïëÞò äåí óõæçôÞèçêå óå õðçñåóéáêü åðßðåäï, ãåãïíüò ðïõ äýíáôáé íá åðéâåâáéùèåß ìïíÜ÷á áðü ôï Õðïõñãåßï.
¸÷ïíôáò õðüøç üôé îåêßíçóå ç äéáäéêáóßá åîÝôáóçò ôïõ ôñáãéêïý áåñïðïñéêïý äõóôõ÷Þìáôïò ôïõ ðåñáóìÝíïõ Áõãïýóôïõ áðü áñìüäéá ÅðéôñïðÞ, ðáñüìïéá äçìïóéåýìáôá êáé ó÷åôéêÝò åéäÞóåéò, êñßíù üôé ðñÝðåé íá ðáñïõóéÜæïíôáé ðïëý ðñïóåêôéêÜ êáé åìðåñéóôáôùìÝíá Ýôóé ðïõ íá ìç äçìéïõñãïýí ëáíèáóìÝíåò åíôõðþóåéò óôçí êïéíÞ ãíþìç”.
ÓéãÞ é÷èýïò Óô. Âáóéëåßïõ
¸ëëåéììá åðéêïéíùíßáò
×èåò, ðñïóðáèÞóáìå íá åðéêïéíùíÞóïõìå ìå ôïí ðñþçí äéåõèõíôÞ ôïõ ÔÐÁ, ÓôÝëéï Âáóéëåßïõ, óôïí ïðïßï áðåõèõíüôáí ç ðñïåéäïðïéçôéêÞ åðéóôïëÞ ôïõ ê. Varley. Ï ê. Âáóéëåßïõ äåí áðÜíôçóå óôá ôçëåöùíÞìáôÜ ìáò. Äåí åßíáé ç ðñþôç öïñÜ ðïõ ôïõ æçôÞóáìå äÞëùóç ãéá ôá èÝìáôá ôçò ÐïëéôéêÞò Áåñïðïñßáò ðïõ âãÞêáí äõóôõ÷þò óôçí åðéöÜíåéá ìåôÜ ôï ôñáãéêü áåñïðïñéêü áôý÷çìá. Ï ê. Âáóéëåßïõ äåí èÝëçóå ðïôÝ íá ìéëÞóåé åðéóÞìùò. ÅðéìÝíåé óå áõôÞ ôçí ôáêôéêÞ. Åßíáé ðÜíôùò åìöáíÝò üôé ìåôáîý ôïõ ÔÐÁ êáé ôçò çãåóßáò ôïõ Õðïõñãåßïõ, áíÝêáèåí õðÞñ÷å Ýëëåéììá åðéêïéíùíßáò, ðÝñáí áðü Ýëëåéììá áíôßëçøçò. ÌåãÜëï ñüëï óå áõôü Ýðáéîå ôï ãåãïíüò üôé ôï ÔìÞìá Þôáí áêÝöáëï ãéá ìåãÜëá ÷ñïíéêÜ äéáóôÞìáôá. Ôáõôü÷ñïíá ïé äéïñéóìïß – üðùò óõíÝâç êáé óôçí ðåñßðôùóç ôïõ ê. Âáóéëåßïõ – áêõñþíïíôáí ìåôÜ áðü ðñïóöõãÝò. Óå äéÜóôçìá ðÝíôå åôþí ôï ÔÐÁ Üëëáîå ðÝíôå äéåõèõíôÝò (Þ áíáðëçñùôÝò). Áðü ôï Õðïõñãåßï Óõãêïéíùíéþí ðÝñáóáí ôÝóóåñéò ãåíéêïß äéåõèõíôÝò êáé ôÝóóåñéò Õðïõñãïß!
Óõããåíåßò: Äéáöáßíïíôáé ïé åõèýíåò
Ï åêðñüóùðïò ôùí óõããåíþí ôùí èõìÜôùí ôçò áåñïðïñéêÞò ôñáãùäßáò, äÞëùóå óôïí “Ð” üôé áðü ôá óôïé÷åßá ðïõ âëÝðïõí ôï öùò ôçò äçìïóéüôçôáò êáé áðü ôéò ðñþôåò êáôáèÝóåéò ôïõ íõí äéåõèõíôÞ ÔÐÁ óôç ÄéåñåõíçôéêÞ ÅðéôñïðÞ, äéáöáßíïíôáé “óïâáñÝò åõèýíåò ôçò ÐïëéôéêÞò Áåñïðïñßáò êáé ôïõ êñÜôïõò, ðïõ ïäÞãçóáí óôï áåñïðïñéêü. Åßíáé åìöáíÝò üôé áíôéìåôþðéæáí åðéäåñìéêÜ êáé ôá èÝìáôá êáé ïëéãùñïýóáí. Ìéá áíôßëçøç ðïõ óõíå÷ßæåôáé ìÝ÷ñé óÞìåñá. Åßíáé ãé’ áõôÜ ðïõ åìåßò áíçóõ÷Þóáìå êáé äéáìáñôõñçèÞêáìå áðü ôï ðñþôï ëåðôü ìåôÜ ôï áåñïðïñéêü áôý÷çìá. ÌÜëéóôá ìáò êáôçãüñçóáí üôé áíôëïýóáìå óôïé÷åßá áðü ìç áñìüäéá Üôïìá êáé ü÷é êáôåõèåßáí áðü ôéò áñìüäéåò Áñ÷Ýò. Ïé ïðïßåò íá ìáò Ýëåãáí ôé; ¼ôé äåí Ýêáíáí óùóôÜ ôç äïõëåéÜ ôïõò, äåí åíÞñãçóáí óùóôÜ êáé ÷Üóáìå 121 áíèñþðïõò; Äåí åßíáé ïé ìüíïé ðïõ åõèýíïíôáé ãéá ôï áåñïðïñéêü ôï ÔÐÁ. Åìåßò ðåñéìÝíïõìå ôï ðüñéóìá êáé åëðßæïõìå íá ëÜìøåé áëÞèåéá êáé íá áðïäïèåß äéêáéïóýíç”. ÓÞìåñá ç ÅðéôñïðÞ ôùí óõããåíþí èá ðñáãìáôïðïéÞóåé óõíÝëåõóç ãéá íá óõíôïíßóïõí ôéò åíÝñãåéÝò ôïõò êáé ôá åðüìåíá âÞìáôá äñÜóçò ôïõò.
IN A MEMO directed to Civil Aviation on December 10, 2003, the Cyprus Regional Manager for the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority P.A. Varley warned that unless six gaps in aviation safety were addressed, there would be an “increased risk of a serious accident” involving a Cypriot plane.
On August 14 of last year, a Helios airliner smashed into a mountainside just north of Athens, killing all 121 passengers and crew on board. Most of the victims were Cypriot families going on holiday.
According to Politis, which published the document yesterday, one of the trouble areas that Varley urged be addressed – that private Cypriot carriers do not receive frequent and thorough inspections – seems to have played a role in the Helios crash.
“We strongly recommend that this document is brought to the attention of the Ministry and incorporated into the future aviation policy of the Ministry and Department of Civil Aviation,” Varley wrote in the memo to the then Civil Aviation Authority Director Stelios Vasilliou.
The Communications and Works Minister at the time was Kikis Kazamias. The Director of Civil Aviation and the relevant Aviation Safety Official were both out of the country yesterday and so Civil Aviation could not comment on their response to the memo and on whether or not it had been forwarded to Kazamias.
Varley followed up the letter with more memos about the gaps in aviation safety and the undue laxity regarding proper inspections, especially regarding small private planes.
The six weakne
sses that Varley identified were:
1. The large number of aircraft registered in Cyprus but operating out of other countries due to the ease with which licences are given, thereby making Cyprus a “flag of opportunity” for overseas and private carriers. As Civil Aviation has little control over the operations and inspections of these aircraft, Varley recommended that Cyprus either assign staff specifically to inspect these craft or make licensing conditions more stringent. Currently there are 150 aircraft registered in Cyprus, many of which are based offshore.
2. The high frequency of aircraft striking birds at the Larnaca and Paphos airports during takeoff and landing, costing companies tens of thousands of pounds every year in damages and increasing the likelihood of serious accidents.
3. Insufficient maintenance of single-engine and dual-engine aircraft, many of which do not meet even the minimum ICAO and JAA standards.
4. The dispensing of Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) to companies with insufficient funds and technical experience.
5. Insufficient examination standards for those testing for private pilot licences.
6. Illegal transportation of the public for compensation by pilots licensed to fly private crafts but not licensed to transport the public.
In light of the Helios crash, the concluding lines of Varley’s memo sound a darkly prophetic note:
“Failure to act on these issues will not only impact on the international credibility of Cyprus in the aviation field, it will also lead to an increased risk of a serious accident involving a Cyprus registered aircraft[U1].”
[U1]
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