FAA slams Ghana Civil Aviaition

[Gunship]

From Ghanaweb
http://69.41.227.74/GHP/img/pics/85533982.jpg
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that Ghana does not comply with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), following a reassessment of its civil aviation authority.

As a result of Ghana's failure to comply with ICAO standards, its safety rating was lowered from the highest score of Category 1 to the lowest rating, Category 2. A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority -- equivalent to the FAA -- is deficient in one or more areas such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record keeping or inspection procedures.

The FAA will remain engaged with the civil aviation authority in Ghana and will periodically review the situation with the intention of encouraging improvements that will qualify Ghana for a Category 1 rating.

This announcement is part of the FAA's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, under which the agency assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that operate to the United States and makes that information available to the public.

The assessments are not an indication of whether individual foreign carriers are safe or unsafe. Rather, they determine whether or not foreign civil aviation authorities (CAA) are meeting ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations.

Countries with air carriers that fly to the United States must adhere to the safety standards of ICAO, the United Nations' technical agency for aviation that establishes international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.

The FAA, with the cooperation of the host civil aviation authority, assesses countries with airlines that have operating rights to or from the United States or have requested such rights.

Specifically, the FAA determines whether a foreign civil aviation authority has an adequate infrastructure for international aviation safety oversight as defined by ICAO standards. The basic elements that the FAA considers necessary include:
1) laws enabling the appropriate government office to adopt regulations necessary to meet the minimum requirements of ICAO;
2) current regulations that meet those requirements;
3) procedures to carry out the regulatory requirements;
4) air carrier certification, routine inspection, and surveillance programs, and
5) organizational and personnel resources to implement and enforce the above.
The FAA has established two ratings for the status of these civil aviation authorities at the time of the assessment:(1) does comply with ICAO standards,(2) does not comply with ICAO standards.

[Wizard]

The inspection was done jointly by FAA and ICAO reps on 14th December. They mapped out what Ghana had to do to regain class 1 status. Unfortunately the GCAA and the Ministry didn't do any of it.

[Gunship]

Yip Wizard - a sad state of affairs.

I just took a walk around the airport this morning. We have been asking for an office / store room of some sorts (so has Virgin Nigeria). Less than 5% is occupied and there is no way you can get it !

Try and get a security pass ... nope the trolley man has a 100% better chance.

Try and suggest something like the baggage screeners must be awake (please) and you get asked where is your work permit.

I have seen now : "They" are purely stupid enough to protect "their" industry for one day that Ghana Airways (in whatever form) appears over the horizon....

I rest my case - did not have a good day :sad:

[surely not]

Hey Guns, where is the office accommodation that is free?
I know that Emirates are about to take over a large area in the Domestic Terminal.

FYI I am fingers crossed for a semi successful oucome to our requests. Shud know today. Coming back down to ACC next week, probably Thursday and Friday again so get ready to sink a pint or two!

[Gunship]

Looking fwd to it SN ;)

GCAA back peddling ...
From Ghana Web

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said on Wednesday that it was addressing its safety deficiencies, which had led to the lowering of its safety ratings by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).

The Acting Director-General of GCAA, Nii Adumansu Baddoo told Ghana News Agency in Accra that the Authority had begun training programmes to upgrade its technical experts to handle record keeping and facilitate the operation a new enacted by Parliament to meet the demands of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The FAA on Tuesday announced that Ghana did not comply with international safety standards set by ICAO, following a reassessment of the GCAA.

As a result of Ghana's failure to comply with ICAO standards, its safety rating was lowered from the highest score of Category 1 to the lowest rating of Category 2, a statement from the FAA sent to the GNA on Tuesday said.

A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority - equivalent to the FAA - is deficient in one or more areas such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record keeping or inspection procedures.

Nii Baddoo noted that one primary condition for awarding a country Category 1 status was for the country's national carrier to conform to ICAO's safety standards and be allowed to fly directly to agreed destinations in the USA.

According to him in the case of Ghana, FAA carried out periodic assessment on GCAA but there was no national airline now.

"This was a major setback in Ghana's situation at the time of the safety audit inspection of the GCAA, as we simply do not have a national carrier."

Nii Baddoo said the FAA had agreed to assist GCAA in the development and implementation of its international aviation safety checklist as basis to ensure that GCAA met its international obligations.

Meanwhile the FAA has commended GCAA for the considerable work it initiated in trying to address its safety oversight deficiencies and has assured GCAA that it would consider Ghana's rating once again when the deficiencies have been corrected.

The FAA statement said it would remain engaged with the GCAA and periodically review the situation with the intention of encouraging improvements that would qualify Ghana for a Category 1 rating. The assessment is part of the FAA's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme under which the Agency assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that operate to the United States and make that information available to the public.

"The assessments are not an indication of whether individual foreign carriers are safe or unsafe. Rather, they determine whether or not foreign Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) are meeting ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations."

Countries with air carriers that fly to the United States must adhere to the safety standards of ICAO, the United Nations' Technical Agency for Aviation that establishes international standards and recommends practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.

The FAA, with the cooperation of the host civil aviation authority, assesses countries with airlines that have operating rights to or from the United States or have requested such rights.

Specifically, the FAA determines whether a foreign civil aviation authority has adequate infrastructure for international aviation safety oversight as defined by ICAO standards.

The basic elements that the FAA considers necessary include laws enabling the appropriate government office to adopt regulations necessary to meet the minimum requirements of ICAO and current regulations that meet those requirements.

The others are procedures to carry out the regulatory requirements, air carrier certification, routine inspection and surveillance programmes, and organizational and personnel resources to implement and enforce the above.

The FAA has established two ratings for the status of these civil aviation authorities at the time of the assessment - does it comply with ICAO standards? Does it not comply with ICAO standards?

[policepilot]

As an 'aside', how does that affect MK's trans-Atlantic operation then? Arn't their 8's and 747's reg'd in Ghana? If so I'm sure they'll pull an ace from their sleeve.

[eggplantwalking]

Policepilot
They will probably pull more than an ace from their sleve; perhaps a whole deck as others are apparently doing. For example Johnsons Air, another Ghana registered carrier, has two (2) DC-8s which have been non-compliant with the DC-8 cargo door AD which became mandatory by the FAA on the 28 of January 2005. This is a massive structual AD which includes the cargo floor, sidewalls and forward bulkhead of all DC-8s which do not have the original factory doors from Douglas. Johnsons Air aircraft have the Rosenbaum doors and Monarch doors, both which are subject to the AD. Obviously, the Ghana CAA has no interest in inforcing this AD or others until such time that there is an inflight failure and the appropiate attention is attracted to the problem.

[tusker]

Well done FAA and ICAO,
I recently staged through Kano on a tech stop and had the joy of an Air Force corporal holding me to ransom for $300US for handling fees and "agent" appointment. When I told him to go ..... his granny he called up the tower so that when I asked for start clearance the tower did not reply.(Radio u/s) I then called on the approach frequency, got an answer, and when they realised it was me ,they could not hear again. Also, what bothers most of all is that if he takes a bribe , he will also take a bribe for unchecked baggage or overweight baggage or unaccompanied baggage. I may be sitting in the thing when it goes bang for his $300US. Not a bargain.
I recently visited Equtorial Guinea and for $50 US you can place unchecked and unaccompanied baggage on a flight into Spain.
As long as the bribery and corruption exists to get uncontrolled stuff airside I would gladly support not letting any carrier from those areas into a normal civilised system, no matter how much the GCAA or any other bribe taking authority pleads and promises. The risk just clearly outweighs any other advantages. Besides, a ship from Nigeria to New York only takes 8 days.

[Gunship]

Tusker I "hear" what you say.

I must admit that in the 6 months I have been at the airport I am more impressed by it than most other African airports.

Yes ... those that I have been ... FNA / LOS/ Conakry / Monrovia - both - so not to good one's ;)

Think about this : Most of the people on the airport has not been paid since Dec last year. I have not been paid for the month of Nov (and never since and I waithed one month and left the job).

Now take that into consideration plus the fact that a lot of traffic are genrated there (come and see on a Friday night) and things are not that bad.

What can they do ?

Get this GHACO / GHANA Airways / GIA streamlined (and Sean said it is soon) and pay the people and get rid of the old corrupted managers (95% of them) and you will see a major change.

In the mean time I actually underatnd when I see the baggage screener sleeping in front of the screens .. the GH profilers allowing a non documented pax for $500.

They actually do not have a choice ... they have not been paid - it is called survivial.

Sadly that is where the airlines must have their own checks in order to double check.

Not the ideal and I also condemn it .. but that is the sad reality happening at the ACC airport.

Sean Mendis was quite positive that things will change for the better very soon.

Let's wait and see.

Cheers,

Gunssss

[surely not]

I agree with Gunss, it is a desperate situaution formany of the staff. Despite the airlines continuing to pay the GCAA and GHACO the money doesn't filter through to them.
At interviews recently it was clear that 1/2 pay form Dec until the end of March was what had been received by the staff we saw.
The surprising factor is that the situation isn't worse.

So what is the difference from an airport employee escorting a journalist airside for money at a UK airport to expose security failings, and the few guys and gals in Ghana?

[InitRef]

Gunship - is this Sean Mendis for real? From what I have heard he has ZERO experience with airline mgmt and ops.

He got this job because he befriended Albert Vitale (when Sean was a student in Atlanta, Georgia). They got to know each other because they used to (and still do) post frequently on airliners.net.

Albert used to pass himself off as a Pan Am 747 pilot - but appears that he only worked in the mkting dept.

Got to feel sorry for Ghana aviation - of all the experienced and talented people in the world they get 2 guys who barely worked a sched ops airline - let alone on that operates internationally or with jets...

[gac111]

More about Sean Mendis and his corrupt relationship with the minister in Ghana :

http://www.newsinghana.com/politics/bombshell.htm

Also, it appears he was arrested and deported from the United States due to some questionable dealings there :

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/ NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=81176

Once the Ghana Government finds out about this, I think he will soon follow Luke Butler on the deportation list there.

[Gunship]

Gents, yes it is the same guys.

Let me get one thing straight. There are two things in life - business and outside business.

I invited everyone to a PPRUNE party at the Golden Tulip's pool and Al and Sean arrived. From the first minute it was clear I am not getting their business - they chose someone alse.

Since then I enjoy talking sh*t to them over a beer and gossips at the airport.

If they are mormon's (still not sure what it is) or whatever - mate I do not care - they drink beer and that'ss fine with me.

No business relation - they are great guys.

Business wise - I can not say a thing as I honestly do not know and do not want to know as I am not part of their plans.

I wish them the best as something needs to be done fast here as there are a lot of disgruntled ex Ghana Airways staff and of my first hand experience they are really trying their best (as I say by the look of things).

I hope that makes things clear.

Now who is for a beer ... oh wait Surely Not is ... eischhh here we go again .. ;)

Take care out there and fly safe :ok:

Gunzzzz

[Globaliser]

gac111: Also, it appears he was arrested and deported from the United States due to some questionable dealings there :

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=81176Although the author has an interesting biographical research technique (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1768122#post1768122), whatever the truth or otherwise of what he has written.

[Engineer]

policepilot

The aside is that MK Cargo are in the process of placing their 747 fleet onto the UK register Should be completed within six months :ok:

[Kep Ten Jim]

Hey Gunss - how often do you drink at the Golden Tulip pool? I go there about once every 3 months or so. Maybe we could meet up there sometime?

KepTen

[Gunship]

Lo KTJ

Eischh once a week ... juts got pi$$ed with Surely not up the road at La Chaumière (accros BA / Woolworths).

Keep contact

Gunzzzz :hmm:

[surely not]

We were p!!ssed?? That explains my head the following morning then!!

Back up to Kotoka International next week, probably Thursday and Friday again, so I guess we can continue researching just what it is that causes the morning head aches!!!

Did you get to your accommod safely, no nightfighters trying to take advantage of you on the way? :D