"One has to look at the state of the ILSs. They are down so many times one has given up on counting them – they are extremely unreliable and no-one can say when they are going to be repaired. How long does the present unsafe situation have to go on for, before they are fixed – do we need an accident before something gets done?? "
GFJ
Please correct me if I'm wrong. ACSA bought all the ILSs installed at the ACSA airports and ATNS is maintaining them. ACSA has bought 3 different models of ILSs (ASII, Thales and Normarc) for their airports. Sometimes 2 different models on one airport. I can assure you that the ones in question are not the worst system on the market. As a matter of fact they are one of the best.
ATNS has a maintenance contract with a BEE company for the support of their navaids, not even capable of looking after the ILSs (as they are not trained on the systems) and with no contact with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in order to get spares from the OEM. Is it really fair to blame ACSA for that? ATNS has awarded their new project Terns (40 navaid sites) to another company representing the OEM in question.
Are those who work on them and looking after the logistics really up to scratch for the job? Or is a matter of blaming the tools if you can't use them properly?
Saw the same sort of problems in countries like Swaziland, Zim, Malawi where the guys are not trained as a result of high personnel turnover and then they are blaming the equipment.
Last edited by EX-ATC; 30th Nov 2005 at 05:19.