The following article by today's Cyprus Mail online edition goes into some detail about the plane's history of inspections; this information follows the political aspects of the investigation.
Can some tech people comment as to whether this plane's maintenance history is standard for the industry, or indicative of an underlying technical problem that no one could find?
‘A deafening silence’
By Alexia Saoulli
Helios victims’ families still waiting for independent investigation six months on
DISY DEPUTY George Georgiou yesterday criticised the government for failing to appoint an independent investigation committee into the fatal Helios Airways crash last August.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Georgiou questioned why President Tassos Papadopoulos remained silent on an issue the relatives of all 121 passengers killed on board wanted answers to.
“President Tassos Papadopoulos promised the formation of an Independent Investigation Committee following the initiative of the Democratic Rally (DISY) for the issue to go to the House,” he said.
“Everyone accepted DISY’s suggestion and the House unanimously officially put the suggestion to Tassos Papadopulos. The president accepted the suggestion. What happened from then until today? Six months following the accident and five months after the president’s acceptance of the committee’s appointment there’s been a deafening silence.”
Georgiou also pointed out the Greek Air Accident Investigating Committee had nearly concluded its investigation into the crash and yet its Cyprus counterpart had not made any noises.
When journalists pointed out the Air Accident Investigation Committee in Cyprus had no jurisdiction over an accident which occurred in Greece, Georgiou said he was well aware of that, but that the government should be upfront that the local committee’s role was null and void.
The DISY deputy questioned how the government system worked and if its aim was for “time to go by so responsibilities and those responsible are forgotten”.
Speaking for his party he said the House had been shown no respect as its call for an independent investigation committee had been ignored and said the House Communication and Works Committee had been refused a discussion on the tragedy with regard to the Civil Aviation Department nor had been given access to the findings of two European experts on the crash.
He said: “It is clear some people in the government and coalition parties are trying to bide their time so as to reduce public reaction and to smooth over the damage.”
‘Plane was given all-clear on August 5’
COMMUNICATION Minister Haris Thrasou confirmed the fatal Helios Airways Boeing 737-300 which crashed in August last year had undergone continuous inspections from the first day of its registration.
Thrasou’s written confirmation was given to journalists by DISY deputy George Georgiou yesterday, during a press conference to highlight the government’s failure to implement an independent body to investigate the crash.
During the press conference journalists heard the House Communication and Works Committee, of which Georgiou is a member, has repeatedly been refused a discussion concerning the tragedy with regards to the Civil Aviation Department.
Nevertheless Georgiou gave journalists a letter Thrasou had addressed to the House regarding what mechanical inspections the aircraft had undergone.
Before the plane’s registration two Civil Aviation Department inspectors travelled to a German maintenance company in Munich where the aircraft’s annual mechanical inspection (maintenance) was conducted, he said.
In the inspectors’ presence it was determined that any repairs and changes that had been made to the plane on prior occasions had been in accordance with European Union regulations. Also all necessary systems, specified by European regulations, were installed on the aircraft and it underwent a thorough visual inspection, he said. A test flight was then carried out during which the aircraft’s systems underwent technical inspection.
Following the plane’s registration, Helios Airways appointed the aircraft’s maintenance to ATC Lasham, a British Boeing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company. The company maintained the aircraft according to approved maintenance programmes, the Minister said.
In November 2004 three Civil Aviation Department inspectors attended a scheduled maintenance inspection of the ill-fated plane.
On December 7, 2004 a mechanical inspection of the plane was conducted by the maintenance company’s specialised mechanics in the presence of a Civil Aviation Department inspector in Larnaca.
In March last year a Civil Aviation Department inspector travelled on board the aircraft and carried out an in-flight inspection. On June 8 and 9 inspectors from the Civil Aviation Department inspected the private airline company’s technical department and, among others things, the specific aircraft’s log book, said Thrasou. A month later Civil Aviation Department officials met with the UK company to discuss Helios Airways’ aircraft maintenance matters.
Then on August 5, nine days before the crash, the Boeing 737-700 underwent a ground inspection by inspectors and officials of the Civil Aviation Department (flight operations). “Any problems that arose during the inspection were dealt with and the flight was deemed flight worthy,” he said.
In his letter the Communication Minister assures routine checks were carried out on the plane by licensed mechanics authorised by ATC Lasham. These inspections were carried out two or three times daily from the day of its registration till its crash.
He said: “The results of the mechanical inspections are recorded in the aircraft’s log book, which is in the possession of the Greek Air Accident Investigating Committee. It should be noted the Civil Aviation Department has no access to these records.”
Meanwhile according to European regulations on continuous air worthiness, an aircraft’s owner is responsible for its constant airworthiness and entrusts its mechanical inspections to an approved maintenance organisation.
According to the same regulation, the competent authority (the civil aviation department) inspects the maintenance programme and carries out inspections to determine the aircraft’s continuous air worthiness, said Thrasou.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2005