Shuttle suspension lifted on Trans Guyana Airways

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has officially lifted the suspension on shuttling operations for Trans Guyana Airways after completion of a rigid inspection and certification process. This comes after close to one week since the Authority imposed the suspension in light of the three recent aviation crashes in the interior of Guyana.
The GCAA said in a press statement on Wednesday that the decision was taken after the domestic airline completed a five-phase process used by the GCAA. This process entailed a pre-application and application phase, document evaluation, demonstration and inspection, and certification.
It was also noted that a flight operations inspector from the GCAA worked all day aboard Trans Guyana Airways flight on September 2, 2017, conducting demonstration inspections to ensure documented procedures were observed by the operator. Inspections were conducted on flight operations into areas frequented by the airline that included: Olive Creek, Blake Slater and Kamarang aerodromes.
Although it was initially advised that the National Air Transport Association (NATA) should submit an industry document and work with the GCAA to conduct reviews and inspections, Trans Guyana had taken its own initiative to do what was necessary to have the suspension lifted.
President of NATA, Annette Arjoon-Martins told this newspaper recently that NATA will be responsible for getting the input of every single air transport operator at the Eugene F Correira International Airport before submitting their safety procedure manual to the GCAA by this week.
Arjoon-Martins claimed that this instruction was given following the move by Trans Guyana Airways to go ahead and submit its own safety procedures, instead of submitting collectively with NATA. The NATA head feels that they should have been done as one standard industry procedure.
The GCAA said it will continue to work with the other domestic operators to have their shuttle operations approved so that they also can resume shuttling operations.
In addition to approving manuals for shuttling operations, the GCAA is also considering other measures to enhance safety for flight operations within the hinterland region.
The GCAA reiterated that the actions taken were necessary to enhance safety of the travelling public and aviation personnel. The Authority said that it will continue its increased surveillance of air operators to minimise any future accidents that have occurred in most recent times.
The GCAA on August 30, 2017, ordered all domestic shuttle operations be suspended until operators can provide Standard Operational Manuals and other documents showing how they conduct their business. Approval by the GCAA was necessary before operations could be resumed.
GCAA Director General, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Egbert Field had said then that the decision was necessary, since shuttle operations have expanded over the years, and this is the first time it is going to be fully regularised. The GCAA boss acknowledged the impact the decision would have on the mining industry as well as on some Indigenous communities.
In addition to increased monitoring, the GCAA is also seeking to collaborate with Police and soldiers in the interior for them to look out for shuttle flights during the suspension period.
Field had warned that if any operator or pilot is found violating the suspension, then there would be adverse consequences resulting in suspension of the pilot’s licence or the air operators certification revoked.