CASA knows nothing
A PLAN to launch a new airline business from a house in suburban Bentleigh appears to have crashed before take-off.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority made it clear yesterday that would-be carrier VivaJet, which hopes to begin flying before Christmas, would not get approval to fly this year.
VivaJet Airlines Pty Ltd, a start-up company owned and now being promoted by Cenap Hasmet Kahyaoglu, wants to begin passenger and cargo flights before the end of 2008.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson told BusinessDaily yesterday that VivaJet had "not held formal or informal" talks with anyone in his department.
"There is an approval process for this and it is a process that takes about 12 months when an operator starts from scratch," said Mr Gibson.
"It is certainly not achievable by November," he added.
Start-up airline businesses are required to obtain an Air Operator's Certificate from CASA.
The certificate is a licence to fly passengers and is granted to the chief pilot of an airline once a stringent set of safety standards are met.
In VivaJet's case the issue becomes even more complex because Mr Kahyaoglu plans to wet lease aircraft, operating crew as well as maintenance technicians from the US.
Before any VivaJet plane flew commercially, the aircraft, the pilots and crew as well as the maintenance contractors would have to seek and obtain CASA approval.
As an aviation industry source noted: "Everything is possible providing you have the time to wait and the money to fund it".
VivaJet, which already has a website complete with various operating schedules, says on its website it will commence in 2008 with new Embraer 170 and 190 passenger aircraft, and French built ATR-72 and Airbus A300F jets.
"Welcome to VivaJet Airlines, where service is no coincidence," the site proclaims, declaring that: "The newest domestic airline in Australia is getting ready to operate in 2008."
The site promises to "deliver a standard of domestic air-travel never experienced before in Australia . . . and all this on a low-fare basis, including food and drinks".
No explanation is offered about how a start-up business could offer low fares and food and drink in the present climate of high fuel costs.
The Australian
Looks like the guy is dreaming!